Hello! One week ago tomorrow we went for a longer than usual walk and she was running out front on the leash to such a degree that I had to jog to keep up with her. My question is, when I try to get him to lie on his side, does it matter which side, since one is worse than the other? The dogs heart wasnt displaced, and the cardiac functioning was normal. All you need to do is check the dogs sternum. Supervision: Discourage positioning that promotes flatness. 7 vital things you should know about floating ribs. But other than that, you can also pay attention to your dogs response. We put a rug under him so he doesn't slip, he runs back and forth, we get another pup out to play with him, and he sleeps in it. Brachycephalic (short-nose) breed dogs are predisposed to this condition and in most cases are born with (congenital) this disability. she sits far enough away that she can see them but she isn;t too interested in them for the most part. Anything that makes her lay on her side will get the process started. Massage therapy: Beginning each treatment with a full body massage will help relieve tension in the muscles and coaxes proper body alignment. He turns around in a sure basket and absolutely doesn't stay on his sides, no matter what. Willow is on great food with lots of good proteins, a multi-vitamin and tons of attention and now she just looks up at me like she would walk if she could. Pictures will come during the day, that way you might be able to see more the problem. When he moved to his mother to nurse, he looked like a soldier crawling under concertina wire, scooting along on his tummy. Thank you for the support when I was so nervous. They may resolve on their own If left alone, but may need to be removed if an infection or inflammation occurs. Ok thank you. For one, theyll struggle to walk. They are 9 days old now and though seem pretty healthy and rounded, their rib cage is extended on the sides and I am concerned. Hi, My swimmer pups are now 2 weeks and 5 days old. Use code Fixpectus at checkout.

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. I used normal foam and made it a bit thicker. That is not the same thing as Swimmer Puppy Syndrome. I wish your hubby a fast and full recovery. I have taped the back legs once, which helped, and I will do it again. I just wrote an article about Swimming Puppy Syndrome and I linked it to this blog. Thats what causes a decrease in pulmonary and cardiac capacity. He tries soo hard and it just breaks my heart. In dogs with pectus carinatum, the manubrium comes to a point rather than curving. God bless you for trying! I too have been breeding labs for 13 years now, and have never had a problem. Shortness of breath. He gets them under him but them one hind leg will sort of give out and then he falls flat over again. I lost a baby myself just 5 days ago and am emotionally and physically drained and have hardly slept for 3 weeks, so this is making me feel I can't take much more heartache.any advice would be greatly appreciated. I think I have just made it more comfortable for him. The sternum, or chest bone, is a long flat bone located in the center of the thorax, and the costal cartilages are the cartilages that connect the chest bone with the ends of the ribs. My concern is that his chest is so concaved and I am so worried about his organs and he has been fighting me the last 2 days of laying on his sides. Environmental factors are also of debate.

First, the gagging may or may not be related to Swimmer Syndrome, although the older pups do often have breathing problems from the compression on their chests. Could you please post a pic of how you tape the legs? Barrel-chested dogs have wider, shorter ribcages. Binding the hind legs will prevent them from standing or walking and is only done when the pup cant get up and wont lay on its side. Is there any discharge from his nose? Pectus excavatum in dogs is identified by a narrowing or a dip in the breastbone. When a breeder, show judge, or a student of canines "goes over" a dog and gets to the rib cage, they're feeling the ribs to determine curvature or flatness. Only an expert can assess your pooch properly. Joe, Im very happy to hear the puppy is doing well! He will wobble and sway when you first remove it; think of how the *normal* pups topple around when first learning to walk. Typically using a 1-5 or a 1 to 9 -point scale that ranges from too-skinny (1) to obese (9), they will determine whether your dog needs to lose, maintain, or gain weight, aiming at the ideal range of 4.55. The girl stood up today and walked with the help of the harness. The two first born natural have survived. If youre unsure what to observe, please bring your dog to the veterinarian. How can you prevent the swimmer puppy from turning into a walrus with permanently flattened chest? Swimmer Puppy Syndrome can improve with therapy, a proper diet, a safe environment, and an owner that has a lot of love to give. Protection on the rib cage of the heart, lungs and diaphragm. I went out today & bought all the materials to make him a rig. Her eyes just opened 3 days ago (age 14 days old) I will keep you posted on her progress. I then put her to he back with her brothers and lo and behold she stood up and shakily walked to them. One of those signals is the righting reflex and within a few days, the whelp will begin to struggle when held on his back in your hand. Diane, it sounds like you are doing everything right if your little guy has swimmer puppy syndrome. The puppy is unable to stand or walk by three weeks of age; Because the chest flattens, the heart and other organs are pushed up into the pleural cavity. He manages to lift his frontal side up, his hind doesn't support him though, without the tape. High levels of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. His back legs are in terrible shape. If the lungs are accidentally penetrated, that may result in pneumothorax. On the other hands all other pups looked very big and healthy. Do you have an idea? I just can't bear to lose that little guy.ThanksDiane Myers. If the pup is indeed 6 MONTHS old, I do not think your problem is Swimmer Syndrome; most untreated swimmer pups don't live that long.I have a few ideas about what the problem might be, and I think the basket technique could be very useful, but I highly recommend you contact Coreen at Oak Ridge Cockers. His chest and ribs are still very flat as well and hes almost arched in the back and his back legs seem to be bowed at times? Thus, crawling or resting, the front legs dont properly support the chest which allows the whelps weight to flatten the sternum and spread the rib cage. I really do appreciate this :), Hi there, just a quick update. In appearance, the middle of the chest appear to be flat or concave, rather than slightly convex. Are all four legs splayed? I can't tell you thanks enough for having this site and taking the time to help others. My vet suggested not doing anything thinking they would out grow it, but when they were not walking by three weeks, I started researching to see what the problem might be. He just wants to lie on his belly and his ribs are definitely flattened, one side much worse than the other. Once the pups begin walking, their conformation should normalize quite quickly. 3 = Ideal condition. Again tks! Also, obtained pectus excavatum, secondary to chronic higher airway resistance, was reported in numerous scientific cases. 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. I too " diagnosed" and ran to the vet. Thats the first step to healing! I have a swimmer who is just 4 weeks old. Their ribs. And do they feel too loose? Dont give up! With that, it acts as a support for the backbone. After finding your blog I made her a foam vest and made sure she spent as much time as possible on her side. In addition, he eats much less compared to the others as well, the pups are still nursing from their mother. and thanks to Jacqui for posting the youtube link which inspired me to make a rig for my puppy.My female english cocker spaniel delivered 6 puppies on 19th Oct. After 4 days, found that of the puppy is having the swimmer puppy syndrom. She displayed all the symptoms mentioned above. 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. That is such wonderful news! hey. Also, they have thin noses and unusually few tracheas. If not done, there is a slim chance that a swimmer pup will survive past eight weeks old. I work for a rescue and I have never come across such a desperate case. Let's start! Can Vet J. Cracked ribs are painful. Required fields are marked *. ~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! The puppy now weighs about 14 oz.Do you think there is any reason not to try the shirt on her at this age? This is a soft-tissue problem and is not caused by vertebral or bony malformation. This dog breed can be easily recognized by its small nose and squashed facial form. Many different things might cause this sudden lump on the dog's nose. He's still not fully recovered as the still walks in a funny way, but he's very close to it. I d just like to say again thank you so much for your advice and support. My beautiful lab Reni had a litter of 8 of which only 3 survived, but 2 of them seem to have very flat chests. The first days I looked for information on Internet but all I found were bad news as all the recovered puppies I read about where far younger than ours. His hind legs are very weak. The Rib Cage and Dog Weight. Most dogs can recover from floating rib pain without the need for surgery. 1918.) It may take hours, days, and weeks, but the payoff will be worth it when you see your pup stand and take her first steps after all of that dedication and hard work. We have been passivley moving her hind legs to help herCould she be a swimmer pup?.Kind Regards Jo. Thankfully stumbled on your site and now know what to do. It's the combination of raising the chest off the ground, which then straightens the legs, then tying the t-shirt ends firmly over the back puts pressure on the ribs to go back in place, ie pointing downwards rather than horizontally. LabMama, HiSorry its taken me so long to put some pics on here of my little swimmer puppy,but better late than never. Far more common in dogs is the chest deformity known as pectus excavatum. If left untreated, this condition can lead to breathing and eating issues, joint problems, constipation, aspiration pneumonia, Patellar Luxation, as well as early death. I just discovered this at 4 weeks old. On the other hand what does go away is the discomfort it can cause. My swimmer pup is 35 wks old now and still no improvement. J Small Anim Pract. Please give any suggestion about do and don't for this pup. Flipping her to the side has proven to be a challenge, but every time it seems to get easier. He had a family before us but they didn't treat him at all and they just returned him to the association where we adopted him later. Do you think it's because he is a little fat for his age?Thanks againYvonne. His front legs appear strong and he does not have breathing problems although his ribs are very widely sprung out and flattened.I put a sock on him with cosmetic sponges on his stomach and I hobbled his hind legs. I am 35 weeks pregnant and about to lose my mind. 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. Of all 24 ribs, the first seven pairs are often labeled as 'true.'. . My Bella usually has 7 - 10 in her litters, this time only two. 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. 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. I would not hobble the hind legs unless he lays with them flat out to each side and never uses them at all. And will he grow out of this he wobbles from side to side when he walks Thanks, Sorry to keep you waiting for a reply!Hobbling his hind legs will not help; he is using the legs properly, they are just apparently weak. Our lil guy also gave us a scare tonight. Thank you for sharing the photos with us; your experience can encourage and help other people help their puppies. So today I noticed that my mal has kind of an enlarged rib cage it seems. They arrange serially and intersperse by the intercostal spaces. If I bind the hind legs together, will they be able to move and try and walk then? Thank so much. Have you found anything to be helpful? 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. This really helps. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. And then, the pain from their floating rib will go away by itself. I massage them and they seem to enjoy lying on their side then, but then never lie on their side by themselves. There are now many innovative techniques and home therapies that can help an affected puppy overcome this unusual syndrome. I found this site, and made the t-shirt 'rig', today which works well. :-) Thank you for posting your story and pictures! I used your tee shirt method to make a hobble. Remember, the earlier you notice symptoms, take her in for a diagnosis. does anyone have an idea on how i can help her come through this? Gastric dilatation (bloat), usually without volvulus (twist), occasionally occurs in elderly small dogs. Rather, its a normal part of their anatomy. They can assess whether your dog can recover with regular treatment or if they need more than that. The malformation is proven to reduce the life expectancy of the dog. It is believed that rib flaring is caused by the diaphragm pushing the lower cartilage of the rib cage outwards. The pups are now 11 days old, she is not really having problems to breath but her ribs are definitely different to the other pups'. Michelle, Fudge spent most of the day and all night in his 'rig' for the first 3 or so days. Dont give up on your puppy, it can be fixed. she is undoubtably a swimmer :( I've done something like a helper, a rounded piece of plastic (I cannot find an elastic sock!!!) Is there anything else we can do and is there hope? Use the wrap to bind the hind legs together Not *hogtied*, but firmly enough that he can't splay out again. In addition to these dogs, inherited indentation of the chest has been reported in three-setter crossbreeds, two pugs, and two Welsh terriers. Shaped somewhat like a cone, it is created by the individual ribs connecting to the spine above and to the sternumbelow. A dog can have a deep chest, a barrel chest, or a round chest, depending on the shape of their rib cage. Most importantly- and this one is crucial- stay CONSISTENT. I'm not a veterinary or a breeder and just wanted to share this, first of all, to thank about all the information I found on Internet, and second to show that working really really hard (it has been the longest months of my whole life) even a 9 week puppy can recover What a wonderful story, Eduardo! Im thrilled to hear your success story; thanks for sharing it! If you have a minute and could help me, please.Thank you so muchYvonne, Yvonne, I think he will come around by himself just fine. For others, they only need to let their furry friends rest. It takes some hard work, but only for a short time and they're worth it!Please post here again if I can be of any more help to you!LabMama, Thank you so much, you're an absolute angel giving your advice to us novices. He should be still be able to move and take care of 'business' while wearing it. Chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary bone tumor in the dog, accounting for 5-10% of primary bone tumors in dogs. Greyhounds. Four months after the surgery, the veterinarians decided to do echocardiography. Dont fret. Can I start this method right away or wait til I can really say that she's way a month old? It shouldnt take more than a few days for the pup to start adjusting and doing it on his own.Best of luck to you; post again if you need anything else. 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 other is not walking at all and his legs just splay out at back. Next, focus and feel the way the floating ribs react. The ribs will round out on their own in time. jayeearlvillahermosa@yahoo.com. Thanks. 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. I kept putting them on there sides and working with them and all of them are just fine clean bill of health! He also seems to have problems breathing and likes to sleep perpendicularly, in an upright position, propped on his mom or pillows. And that couldve harmed their spine or chest. Labmama, thank you thank you thank you your support is so appreciated. This is most obvious on the left side. The big story is in the newspaper! Your pooch doesnt need it if the pain from floating ribs isnt severe. Chondrosarcoma in dogs most commonly affects the flat bones of the body, such as the ribs, skull, nasal cavity, and pelvis . Have you noticed any difference in his stool compared to the others? Pup was diagnosed with pneumonia and swimmers syndrome. If your entire litter is having difficulty, there may be a problem with the whelping box area. Jeez can you tell I'm stressed? One of them has the swimmers feet. The sooner you bring your pup to the veterinary clinic, the better! Thanks for a great blog!/Maria. As for the floating rib, its attached to the backbone instead of the sternum. Let him sleep with his mom at night. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post through our independently chosen links, which earn us a commission. Hi- I have a 5 month old female Bernese Mountain dog I rescued through our breeder. Thank you for updating all of us on the success of your pup. He laid flat on his belly at all times, with all four legs splayed out to the sides. Floating rib injuries are caused, in part, by a vulnerability in human anatomy. You should enter the one of them on the hay bale in a photo contest! Thank you so much for the response! Its gets smaller toward the front and, in four legged animals, is flattened side-to-side. I have an unplanned litter of lab mix puppies. Certain illnesses and accidents can affect the rib cage structure of your dog. I have not decided what I will do, but thougth someone may have some insight. and here are some pictures of before and with the rig on. Using the self-sticking first aid tape is great because it wont stick to the fur and you can cut it easily for length and width.How is your pup doing now? Also known as pectus galinatum, this condition occurs rarely in dogs, but when it does it's obvious in puppyhood. function enlarge(x) { 2008 Sep;49(9):8804. Did "fudge" ever do this? do we need to change the flooring or add something to it for better traction. Again, thanks for all your help and support to so many. The rib cage, which forms the chest wall, is an important volume. About 2 days later, she took 4 wobbly steps. her back legs are splayed but her front ones seem to be working. I've been putting them on the outside. Please walk me through the sock/t-shirt or any other method.

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