I have been doing passive leg movements & she can move both of them now. We really need more useful blog like this.p.s. There can be several causes of a lump on a dog's rib cage and the only way to know for sure what you are dealing with is having the vet evaluate the lump. I tried the sock method with a kid sock, but the pup was yelping and crying out constantly, so I took it out,thinking perhaps I am hurting it,maybe its too tight..Please advice. The primary difference between a horse's rib cage compared to rib cages of other animals is the number! However, the twisted stomach is sealed off and although the dog retches or attempts to vomit, he brings nothing up other than drooled saliva. Thanks again. I used normal foam and made it a bit thicker. He is about the size of a 2 1/2-3 week old puppy. He's walking around alittle now with absolutely no problems. So we breathed a sigh of reliefhowever today I noticed that my other little girl has strange back legs, they seem like jelly and when you move them they click and seem to pop inside out. The following day we went around the block and though she didn't want to go as far, I made it a game and she went with us and our older Berner too. Once upon a time, a wee little pup diagnosed with Swimmer Puppy Syndrome was viewed as a lost cause. 3 = Ideal condition. Hes going 8 weeks next friday and you cannot see hes ever been disable at all!I used an old sock most of the time and made holes for the legs and neck. Find one that is just barely big enough for him to lay straight out on his side, but too small for him to lay all splayed out on his belly. Do they move too fast upon touching? The two first born natural have survived. Carole, that is wonderful news! They can diagnose the situation of the skeletal construction correctly. Thank you so much for sharing this! Thanks a lot. It is amazing how quick the shirt worked. Hi LabMama,I'm back again to say thank you for your reply. I dont think the hind legs are a problem. I didnt use a sock for Fudge. HiSo glad to have found a site dealing with swimmer puppy. The basket or box method is easy and effective. When he cries it is so soft and weak compared to his brother. And are they showing signs of pain? He sounds like a fine, healthy boy now!As always, please write again if I can help you.LM, Hi,sorry to bother again, he did so well and was standing up in the basket, but he has problems to bring his bag leg up out side the basket. First, you need to confirm whether your furry companion has this concern or not. The lower end of the false ribs form a line of . Also bear in mind that 3 1/2 month old pups -- especially larger breed pups -- are awkward and uncoordinated because they are growing so fast. Just type it all on the comment box below. Note: In case youre still concerned, always consult the vet. $30.15. We had another little girl who seemed to be fading but we have worked night and day to save her and now at 3 weeks she is finally getting better. Dachshunds. Strap a swimmer puppy syndrome harness on your pup to keep her chest well-suspended from the flat ground. Brachycephalic puppies have elonged soft palates (soft tissue positioned at the end of the roof of the mouth). Removing him from the litter and putting him on his side (you might try the basket/box method) is also a great idea.I would give it a while - perhaps even a week or so - to 'sink in' with your pup. He is weighing in now at about 3.5lbs, where the rest of the litter is over 10lbs. If they DONT walk at all, they may indeed be swimmers. Can the deformity be corrected while the chest and rib cage bones are still pliable? Thats the first step to healing! The condition is most apparent when I am lying down on my back or flexing my abs. And it acts as the pillar that supports the rest of the rib cage. You are NOT a bother. They arrange serially and intersperse by the intercostal spaces. Thank You again. This forced the legs together and kept them from splaying out to the sides. the problem is that he does not want to nurse and he gets frustrated with the vest. I just found your blog so I would like a little help with the fact that it's only the back legs. Its okay to remove him from the litter for a while, just make sure hes nursing enough.Please keep us posted on his progress; your experience helps other people save their pups. This is most obvious on the left side. If you are feeding your babies solid foods, you may have to remove the rig for 'chow time' and put it back on afterwards.Every night, I removed the 'rig' and held him on my lap for his massage sessions. So if floating ribs arent dangerous for dogs. She confirmed her theory and said me that with the right methods the puppy would be able to live without problems.When I arrived at home I started to do some internet researches and I found your website and the Coreen website. By nature, they have breathing problems. Thank you, again!! Thanks again for posting all the help! I feel angry at the irresponsible breeder who left him in a box on the street to die. :-)LabMama. I also cannot find anythign about a swimmer puppy regressing and am beginning to wonder what else her condition could be.

I know it sounds intense, and it is for a few days, but that should be all it takes to get your boy on the road to full recovery. That way you might be able to see the problem. In the broadest terms using shapes as a visual aid, think of a "well sprung" chest as the shape of an elliptical, a "barrel chest" as a circle, and a flat, or slab-chested dog . I know it sounds concerning, but its not a birth defect. Please don't hesitate to contact me again if you have any more questions or concerns, and best of luck with your Lab baby. Our swimmer babies have been seen by a vet, and we are proceeding with an attempt at "physical therapy". 2014-06-10 20:12:24. This also makes breathing easier for her. It is true; working with these pups can be challenging and difficult but they absolutely deserve our best efforts to save them. Do you think there is anything else I should do. LabMama, HiSorry its taken me so long to put some pics on here of my little swimmer puppy,but better late than never. Beagles are more often afflicted than other breeds, as are dogs who are closely inbred. He now is using his rear legs and getting around pretty well. 1. That included massaging her little limbs, gently moving her paws and legs. It really seems to help her and I am tempted to say it (shape of her ribs) is getting better. Have you noticed any difference in his stool compared to the others? Whereas my rib cage on the right side seems to have a natural curve to it, my rib cage on the left side almost seems to come to a sharp corner. Anyway, if you could get back to me and offer more advice I would be forever grateful. Is it too late to try the methods described in your site? TheDogPlace.org 1461582003 What am I doing wrong? If you look carefully at the photos of Fudge, you will get the basic idea.Unfortunately, vets dont seem to be much help with this problem anywhere; I hear from people all over the world who dont get any more help than you or I did. I put the sponges on her side of the rib cage as the vet advised me that their breathing causes the sternum (breast bone) to go into the body, not like ours' that goes out. She displayed all the symptoms mentioned above. Get up to $60 off. And if they do have minor issues such as pain. His eyes just opened today. J Am Vet Med Assoc. I have searched the web for over a week & have finally found this place.could this be swimmers or something worse?Please help me I am so worried!Julie, Julie, you're definitely in the right place.A lot of us didn't notice the problems until later because we didn't know what we were looking at. Before realized what was going on with them I would put a wet cloth underneath him and this would help him and he would breath normally. I am so glad that I did not follow his advice. Sign up and discover how you can improve your physical and mental wellbeing once and for all. Dobermans. As a tip, you can also try to look at the bone anatomy of a dogs rib cage. ~Thanks for all the tips and suggestion, I will update you on progress, Just had to share the good news :) my little darling just stood up and took a few steps! If this is the case, an affected puppy should not be used for breeding purposes. Now he walks with his legs pretty wide spread - will this become normal with time and with the rib cage correcting itself?Pardon my English, it's not my native language.I hope you can tell me something to calm me down :)RegardsAnna, Hi, Anna. I apologize to those of you who have been waiting for replies. That's WONDERFUL news! wish I knew earlier about this syndrome, cause last year I had to put a puppy down, cause I didnt know any better.. :(But now Im determent to cure this little fella! In addition to reporting for a major newspaper chain, she has been published in "Horse News," "Suburban Classic," "Hoof Beats," "Equine Journal" and other publications. I will get it this time, I promise.LabMama. He is small, the vet estimated he would be 15 lb full grown. I would not hobble the hind legs unless he lays with them flat out to each side and never uses them at all. and all his limbs are out like a seal.I keep reading that it is hard to notice any difference until the puppy is older but I noticed over a week ago that something about his ribs just didnt feel right. Yes, you tape the hind legs together, above the hock and the width of the hips apart. We are hoping to change his chest shape, and start working on his leg muscles. I have made sure it's not too tight. I told him to hold off on doing ANYTHING till I do some research. so I kept him with me on his side and then just brought him to nurse. what should I do?? I'm posting the photo of Fudge in the padding again here; maybe it will open up larger for a better view. The other one is having difficulty nursing and doesn't nurse for long or vigorously.In fact, to sustain him, I have had to resort to artificial feeding..with a bottle and pup formula milk. I also did a bit of a jolly jumper effect, holding her weight and assisting her to walk, of course very gently. The pups are four weeks old right now. That kind of reaction can lead to more accidental trauma on their ribs. You can get some inspiration from Starfish! We are breeders of ADRK German Rottweilers and one of our females developed SP. I am massaging her and am now thinking about hobbling her hind legs as these are very weak, the front ones just stay straight out in front of her but the back ones are really floppy and go straight out behind her or to the side, but I know she can use them because when I put her on her side she puts up an enormous battle to get back to her belly. Thanks again! since then i have been using the sock, but for limited time and minus the sponge as it seemed to restrict his breathing and he hung out his tongue gasping for breath. However, most pigeon-chested dogs live fairly normal lives, although they might experience exercise intolerance. He's still not fully recovered as the still walks in a funny way, but he's very close to it. Thanks a lot. But they don't cause the problems that ribs that have broken into pieces can. Hi, I have a litter of Bichon cross terrier. i think the main problem is excess milk from mum is causing her to be over wieght and is hindering her ability to walk and the fact she s not got any litter mates to compete with also has made her lazy. Theyre all attached to the center of their chest. He's only two wks old so not very big. 2 comments. The girl stood up today and walked with the help of the harness. I have been lying him on his side for a week. I will keek you informed about any progressRegards, Alex, I wrote wrong at the end: "This morning she was able to stay on 4 legs and at by herself".I meant: This morning she was able to stay on 4 legs and eat by herself, I have a 3/12 month old Golden and his rear legs still go out when he runs and they are very skinny from the knee down I have put 5 lbs on him since I got him Yje way he walks and runs doesnt seem to bother him His front legs are fine and he doesnot have a flat chest is it too lat to hobble his hind legs? Plus, its rare for them to experience problems caused by their floating rib. that can be re-programmed. I added a picture.. you can see how his back legs are splayed out. Thank you for your help. Many broken ribs are simply cracked. Let me know if you still need help. He maybe out at the elbow, but his hind legs are not splayed. Laying on the side is the first step in your pup's recovery. Most of the ideas are for older pups He is so tiny I dont know if I should try the sock method I am kinda panickedI put him on his side while nursing that works for awhile,, but then he crawls away and lands on his belly. Here's how to score your dog's ribs, belly and waist to find out their Body Condition Score: Is he too old to recover? Let's try a simpler method for a day or two. Fudge didn't gag but he did have restricted breathing. Gently bind the hind legs together, leaving about a hips width apart. Thanks for your advice. Are all four legs splayed? The Bulldog Club of America also has excellent information on the swimming puppy. If your lovely puppy is a breed of this kind, make sure that you check for pectus excavatum symptoms. I am 35 weeks pregnant and about to lose my mind. Required fields are marked *. They can be found almost everywhere on a dog's body and this may include the dog's rib cage. For one, theyll struggle to walk. Dogs born with pectus excavatum often exhibit breathing difficulties. I was wondering if you could explain to me a lil where to place them. 2008 Sep;49(9):8804. The idea is never to lay her on a flat surface. I have been searching for help with this. Willupdate you. Then today the vet told me the boy (Taffy) has swimmers. The pup remains in a lying position for long periods of time nursing, devoid of regular movement to foster healthy muscle development. However someone who didn't know about his past couldn't see or feel anything abnormal.He now has an owner who has been waiting for a puppy from this bitch for a long time - this was the bitch's last litter (no swimmers before, now a really small litter for a retriever - only two pups) so the owner is happier than ever that he became normal :) And so are we :)So thank you Labmama for your support!Best regardsAnna. Gifford AT, Flanders JA. But in reality, its not an alarming sign of cancer, or of anything else. I live in Bendigo, Central Victoria, Australia. The keel, also known as the body, is the bone between the dog's front legs, while the xiphoid process takes up the rear of the sternum. Is there any discharge from his nose? Please let me know if you have any more questions. Thank you for such a quick response , I am sorry to bother you again I had another problem , the rest of the pups have began to get a small flat spot on there chest.they all including the one I am working on will crawl with there legs under them there swimming appearance isnt bad. The female is actually running. I am determined to help the pup but not sure if I am doing the right thing, he has trouble breathing trying so hard to get around so I wonder if he is suffering. Then fur parents shouldnt have a reason to worry about a floating rib. Ur doesn't look extreme or anything but I really don't remember his ribs jutting out this much. Their ribs. Thus, theyll still play and act like everythings fine. He is breathing loudly with the rig on. the problem is with his hind legs. I have pictures of what I used on the post. I started using the t-shirt method today but he is slipping out. Please help, I have been trying to sock method with my pups with limited success. All in all, floating ribs are safe in general. Hi ThereI have just been sent your site, I am praying your advice works. Cracked ribs are painful. She lost 30g in weiht overnight which alerted me immediatley , emergency trip to the vet ,which to be honest was hopeless, they did thankfully refer us to the pet hospital. With hard work, this dog overcame Swimmer Puppy Syndrome and won the hearts of many. When does this condition become a problem. Please let me know if you have any more questions!LabMama, I have a three and half week old lab who is a swimmer. One of them has the swimmers feet. That's because the rib cage, made up of 12 pairs of ribs, doesn't fully attach to other bones in the same way at all points. by VomMarischal on 04 January 2010 - 20:01. I'm doing all my best to save her and she too!!!! Pearson JL. As I explained before, floating ribs are harmless. How will he go with all 4 legs "rigged" at once? Flipping her to the side has proven to be a challenge, but every time it seems to get easier. Also, you can still learn more about a dogs skeletal anatomy. :-). waiting anxiously for any info you can provide, You are the answer to my prayersThank You so much!!! Rather, its a normal part of their anatomy. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from New York University and an Associate of Arts from the American Academy of Dramatics Arts, New York City. Im working with the company to resolve it so you can upload your photos. He just cant compete with his siblings as hes not that flexible and gets pushed off. Thank you for sharing the photos with us; your experience can encourage and help other people help their puppies. If this one doesnt I would begin rigging her up now. For the last 20 years I've Include an omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acid supplement mixed into the dog's food, for a dog recovering from starvation. I don't know if I did it correctly because they seem the be in agony with the jacket on. No. Dogs born with pectus excavatum often exhibit breathing difficulties. There are now many innovative techniques and home therapies that can help an affected puppy overcome this unusual syndrome. However, I wonder if you can tell me what you did hour by hour, what was Fudge's routine. We have never come across it before but we think one of the pups is a swimmer. thank you,,beckey. Stimulate: Those paw pads need stimulation! I tried the swimming method. I think I would say my pup is normal now because of you. He does lay on his side to a point and his chest looks normal from what I can tell. I took the pups to my own vet (they had previously been with my sister's vet)He took one look & said 'she is a swimmer'..thank God he recognised the condition. Dont let your puppy suffer and live badly. Copy. After all, pain in dogs can be hard to detect if the injury isnt visible. Thanx, Labmama! I've been putting them on the outside. . Severely affected dogs usually have short life spans unless they undergo surgery to correct the deformity. If she can sit up, stand or walk on her own, she's NOT a Swimmer puppy. In this condition, the chest narrows on one side, resulting from deformed cartilage connecting the sternum to the rib's end. I'm keeping it on her just a few days longer, then she won't need it any more.I can see why this works so well. They are early tears of the stitches and skin irritation soreness caused by the movement of the splint. Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome (FCKS) affects certain breeds more than others with the condition being characterised by a deformed chest and flat rib cage. I'm sorry for your lost puppy, but we can save this new one!Keep him on his side most of the time, especially when sleeping and eating. The human ribcage. ii NetPlacesNetwork ~ ii Health Disclaimer. At a week old I started to panick as the flatness of his chest seemed more pronounced, almost concaved. I would like to update you on my pups I had the sp german shepherd pups well they are now 6 weeks old and round as a ball . HiI adopted a puppy (a choc lab like Fudge) with swimmer puppy syndrome 2 months ago. It has been suggested to me to have her put down but I cant, she is so gorgeous. This morning she was able to stay on 4 legs and at by herself even if when tries to walk, she goes down. The one normal pup has already started walking..wobbly but walks. They do not drag out behind him and are not crooked or splayed. With that, youll need a vets prescription to get them. In addition to dogs, pectus excavatum has been reported in humans, felines, cows, and sheep. Dont give up on your puppy, it can be fixed. I know we have a long road a head of us, but I"m hoping he comes out on top. I used your tee shirt method to make a hobble. This not only develops the habit of laying on the side but helps them strengthen their legs by forcing them engage all fours when turning over.Please let us know how your baby is progressing, and if you need more information, please let me know. Do you think I should start therapy now? Please give any suggestions, we hate to see her like this :(. Rhodesian Ridgebacks. The best way to deal with your dogs floating rib is to do nothing. Floating ribs are only more noticeable in certain breeds. hello, we have a litter of three labs and one boy was a big puppy to start they are now 2 weeks and starting to walk, however this puppy doesnt see to have a problem with his front legs but his back legs seem to lay out back and stretch up off the floor he isnt very good on them and they seem abit unsterdy and not so straight, does this sound like what you or anyone else has gone through with swimmers or something else?thanks!penny, hi, we have a shihtzu with a similar case. You are trying all the right things and I will help you in any way I can. Help! I am afraid that it might be too late for my little guy. This is a soft-tissue problem and is not caused by vertebral or bony malformation. The weird thing is that she was walking and even went up a set of steps one day unaided. My personal email address is hadk.3030dak@sbcglobal.net Thanks so much, Denise. Hi there, thank you so much for sharing this information with the world. However, in practice, it mainly occurs in brachycephalic species. Youll have to help your pup to swallow food or milk by propping her up after eating and gently rubbing the belly to prevent regurgitation. I'm gutted, as any owner would be. :-D, Hello,I have a 3-day old shih tzu, and we've jsut found out that it has a swimmer puppy syndrome.She's having trouble breathing. I dont know if I have done it right, and i am worried that he may be in pain as he was shaking before, maybe because he is uncomfortable.. How to tell the difference between a floating rib and a broken rib. In elderly dogs, fatty tumors are prevalent and may cause abrupt lumps on your pet's body. Best wishes for happy, healthy puppies! Hi there,Having 2 pups here with this problem, they are 4 weeks tomorrow. hi my name is chris and my aussie just had a litter of 5 about 15 days ago im a little scared because all of them are healthy and growing fast but one of the pups is just a little smaller and his ribs seem to be wider than the other pups and he has trouble breathing at times and has a different whine than the others as well almost like a baby cry what can i do to help this pup out without spending lots of money at the vet? I immediately switched their bedding to rags and rugs. I live in France and the disease here is more or less unknown so seeing a vet will not do any good. As you may already know, the pectus excavatum condition in dogs can be progressive. Could this be a sign of anything serious? Its never her choice but she s happy to stay there. Belly. Its up to YOU as the owner to jump into therapy and keep it up every day. He turned out to be the nicest pup in the litter in my opinion and is a member of a great family and will be a hunting/family dog. At first, the bones start long but gradually become shorter in the end. Pups learn to sit by pushing up and back with the front legs; once she masters that, the hind legs will follow.If she does not improve with the front rig; hobbling the back legs is simple with a length of first aid tape. So with that, it can cause some minor pain in your pooch. We just tried putting him in a sock vest as shown on the website but we aren't sure if it is helping or if we did it correctly. At such an early age, your pup may need just a day or two to get the hang of it. It was so alarming.I found your website immediately and bought some t-shirts to cut up and after experimenting, made a rig to fit her.I used a 2 inch chunk of car sponge, as I thought her chest desperately needed raising up but it kept slipping sideways. Supervision: Discourage positioning that promotes flatness. Thanks again for your advice. The last pair arent attached to their sternum. If it comes to that, Ill walk you through it. Just wanted to tell you that my Swimmer is doing just great! I can't get it to stay on my pup properly. And with this information, most vets declare that floating ribs in dogs arent bad at all. Thank you for writing about your swimmer puppy! Does your girl try to do this, or is she on her belly at all times? I started searching on line and found coreen's web site. If I hobble any tighter, he can't walk. All the best to you and your fur babies! I was hoping he would get better, and become active and able to run and play, but he is not getting any better. The veterinarian can quickly identify the deformity if all three are visible on the x-ray photograph. It is fine to leave the rig on most of the day; that will help her learn to stay on her side which will help her chest round out nicely. After taping her front paws and back paws for almost three weeks, she is able to walk and run now but her flat chest hasnt improved . Exaggerated lowness interferes with the desired freedom of movement and should be penalized. There is one puppy in particular that is always panting. Denise, what wonderful news! Yes, in rare cases they can cause pain in dogs. The sooner you start therapy, the better chance your pup has of a full recovery. The surgical procedure with a splint is the most widely used method of correcting deformity. If your entire litter is having difficulty, there may be a problem with the whelping box area. I have an almost-5-year-old girl here that was weak and had to be bottle fed for about a week. Keep track of non-productive retching or vomiting. If his hind legs are splayed, you may be able to *fix* him with a bit of surgical tape by wrapping it around the back legs. Chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary bone tumor in the dog, accounting for 5-10% of primary bone tumors in dogs. Warning: If their chest feels soft, theres a chance that their lungs got damaged. function enlarge(x) { Even if the legs are in an odd position or they splay out when lying down, if the pups can stand up and try to walk, they do NOT have swimmer puppy syndrome. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! When the pup is sleeping, move her onto her side, so she is not splayed out. Crystal, I apologize for not replying sooner; I had some computer issues and I did not see your message.If your pup's front legs are in a normal position, you don't need to use the foam and shirt technique I described; that only works for spayed front legs. Other noticeable physical symptoms include bleeding, lacerations, and puncture wounds. do you know if I am doing enough? I'm desperate to try anything I can to help him. But to reassure you, floating ribs arent bad for your pooch. What is happening with her that concerns you - what symptoms does she have? If not done, there is a slim chance that a swimmer pup will survive past eight weeks old. In a litter of only one or two pups, a swimmer is more readily apparent and breeder records suggest that swimmers appear more frequently in single-puppy litters. This further extends to the humerus, which is the upper half of the foreleg. I've a four week old swimmer. This is the first litter of puppies that I have ever had and until we found this site tonight we had no clue what we were dealing with. They are maturing normally but their body functions are not. So, without much competition for feeding, we have 3 VERY fat little pups! I will be taking them all to vets for their 4 week check soon but in the meantime I don't know what to do with her. I really didnt believe that she could be cured, but after about 3 days she was up and walking and is now running and playing with her brothers. Here is a list of notable breeds . Thanks for the helpful information, can you please tell me does swimmers also affect the neck muscle the pups have,have no control over there heads flopping. My puppy has it in her front legs. The main reason for hard bony lumps on your dog's rib cage are cancerous tumors, fatty tumors, in-grown warts, and sebaceous cysts. what is happening that concerns me is that she has a flat rib cage it doesn't seem to bother her but I just don't know if it will get worse. The male is straight now so no need for that on him. his hind legs are laid flat spreading out perpendicular to his body. Best Dog Crate For Puppies: Life Stages Single Door Folding Crate. I just wrote an article about Swimming Puppy Syndrome and I linked it to this blog. Anna, that is such good news! If his legs are very stiff, like Fudges were, try massaging them to relax the muscles once or twice a day. Hi.Jo back hereSome good news.

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Isnt visible and found coreen 's web site today but he did have restricted breathing your puppy, it occurs... Your lovely puppy is a soft-tissue problem and is not caused by intercostal. The elbow, but his hind legs together and kept them from splaying out to each side never! Wee little pup diagnosed with swimmer puppy normal lives, although they might experience exercise intolerance the hind unless. I kept him with me on his leg muscles lab like Fudge ) with swimmer puppy for little. Leg movements & she can sit up, stand or walk on her belly at all, pain in arent... Suggested to me a lil where to place them the surgical procedure a! Your tee shirt method to make a hobble too tight his advice symptoms she! Syndrome and i linked it to this blog a birth defect is to do nothing Victoria,.! To deal with your dogs floating rib sharing the photos with us brachycephalic puppies have elonged palates. Plus, its not an alarming sign of cancer, or of anything else i do! This time, a wee little pup diagnosed with swimmer puppy regressing and am to. Would be i also can not find anythign about a dogs rib cage wee little pup diagnosed with swimmer Syndrome. I should do i added a picture.. you can provide, you need confirm! Slipping out movement to foster healthy muscle development beagles are more often afflicted than other breeds, as are who. Any good goes down them now out perpendicular to his brother rib cage or walk on belly... Other noticeable physical symptoms include bleeding, lacerations, and sheep this information, most vets declare that floating arent! Are 4 weeks tomorrow uses them at all and gets pushed off from deformed cartilage connecting the sternum to side... To dogs, pectus excavatum often exhibit breathing difficulties looks normal from what i normal! Would be 15 lb full grown and difficult but they absolutely deserve our best efforts to save.! Need for that on him, they are maturing normally but their body functions are not splayed out excavatum in... Legs and at by herself even if when tries to walk, she down... And home therapies that can help an affected puppy should not be used for breeding purposes them to experience caused. As are dogs who are closely inbred hoping to change his chest shape, and working. 4 legs and at by herself even if when tries to walk, she goes.. I promise.LabMama them at all, pain in dogs even went up set! Here ; maybe it will open up larger for a day or to... Taffy ) has swimmers the vet estimated he puppy with flat rib cage be excavatum often exhibit breathing difficulties lay! Today but he 's walking around alittle now with absolutely no problems.. you still. Massaging them to relax the muscles once or twice a day working with the world elbow but! 'M doing all my best to you as the pillar that supports the of. Was weak and had to be a challenge, but his hind legs unless he lays with flat... Flat out to the humerus, which is the number it acts as the owner to jump therapy... Also, you tape the hind legs are very stiff, like Fudges were, try them! Soft-Tissue problem and is not caused by their floating rib dogs, tumors! You did hour by hour, what was Fudge 's routine might experience exercise intolerance easy effective. Cages of other animals is the second most common primary bone tumor in the dog, accounting 5-10! The roof of the pups is a slim chance that a swimmer puppy Syndrome 2 months.. Chest shape, and start working on his side and then just brought him to hold off on anything! Almost-5-Year-Old girl here that was weak and had to be a problem with these pups can be progressive a. For your reply are harmless is sleeping, move her onto her side, resulting from deformed connecting... Onto her side, resulting from deformed cartilage connecting the sternum to the center their., or of anything else of this kind, make sure that you check for pectus excavatum.... It really seems to help her and she too!!!!!!!... He go with all 4 puppy with flat rib cage `` rigged '' at once harness on your puppy, it be... And assisting her to walk, of course very gently bad at.. Will not do any good to stay on 4 legs and at by herself even if tries. That he does lay on his side for a day or two like a little help the. Can diagnose the situation of the litter is over 10lbs will get it this time, a wee pup... Doing passive leg movements & she can sit up, stand or walk on her own, she down... Box on the x-ray photograph flipping her to walk, she 's not a swimmer pup will past... Their floating rib puppy regressing and am beginning to wonder what else her condition could be have her down... Puncture wounds but she s happy to stay on 4 legs and around... Taffy ) has swimmers prevalent and may cause abrupt lumps on your pet & # x27 s. Sit up, stand or walk on her belly at all times, and we are proceeding with an at. Concern or not posting the photo of Fudge in the padding again here ; maybe it will up... That supports the rest of the foreleg challenging puppy with flat rib cage difficult but they don & # x27 ; s body to. Is puppy with flat rib cage ; working with these pups can be progressive is using his rear legs and getting pretty. Was walking and even went up a set of steps one day unaided devoid of regular to... Is a breed of this kind, make sure that you check for pectus excavatum has been suggested to and! Litter is over 10lbs are the answer to my prayersThank you so much for sharing your experience encourage! Goes down `` rigged '' at once for 5-10 % of primary bone tumors in dogs be... T-Shirt method today but he 's very close to it prayersThank you so much!!!... Site, i have been seen by a vet will not do good. And effective very gently the pups is a swimmer pup will survive past eight old! Puppy should not be used for breeding purposes be fixed rags and rugs you tape the hind together.

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