The nerve damage can be a result of pressure on the spinal cord caused by being stood on.  How thsi is diagnosed I don't know.  I did a quick Google, and it mentioned one sided paralysis being due to damage, but it was with adults or people, so don't know how applicable.

One sided paralysis isn't usually due to spinal injury, in spinal injury the paralysis would be below the injury as in the bottom/back half of the body, one sided paralysis is due to some incident in the brain due to trauma, bleed or clot stopping the O2 getting to the part of the brain that controls that side of the body, with the skull of the newborn being so soft her dam landing on it may have been enough to cause such injury, not to say she landed on her head each time but it was hard enough to make her squeal.

I don't know what tests could be carried out on such a young pup to confirm the diagnosis, armed with this new info only your vet can say and then it will depend on prognosis as to how far you wish to go with investigations and treatment.

I would ring your vet in the morning and get an appointment with the most senior one on duty and explain why if questioned.

Hope she makes progress or there is hope that she will in time.

As I read it on googling one side paralysis Can occur if the spinal nerves are constricted causing nerve damage, but I'm only guessing.

The fact the pup curves to the right makes it seem that soemthing is up with the nerves/muscles in the spinal area.

Of course Brain damage can occur at birth due to lack of oxygen, as well as trauma.

Damage to nerves need not be in the spinal column.  I lost movement to one arm after damaging the deltoid nerve in a motor bike accident.  In time the movement largely returned although I do not have full strength in certain directions of movement.  Generally speaking this can take some months, if it is to happen at all.

This pup could have xrays, MRI scans and goodness knows what but I do not think the vets suggestion of watchfull waiting is at all unreasonable bearing in mind that these things can be extremely expensive, risky if they involve sedation or anaesthesia, and may lead to nothing as no treatment is possible.  This watchfull waiting may make it harder for the OP if it turns out to futile but only they can make that decision.

Regarding the podgyness, there is not much you can do about that before starting weaning but I would say I once had a singleton who was a butterball and consequently was terribly slow at getting moving, greating improving once weaning started.  Incidently, as I was concerned that developement might be inhibited by the lack of interaction with siblings, from the outset I attempted to stimulate all that it might experience by not only moving the limbs but by giving a little push and a shove and the occasional little pinch in what I hoped approximated the level of strength a sibling might exhibit.

Clearly with the bilateral difficulties that is not simply the case of being plump here but who knows inprovement may come in an ascending cycle when more mobility arrives with weaning for this little one :)

I was asked a couple of yrs ago about re homing a gsd pup that was about 12 weeks old. This pup was badly bred by a woman who thought she was going to make loads of money lol. Well to cut a long story short this little girl had a curve in her neck which made her walk in a right hand curve.  She was very mobile so very different to your little girl.She was a happy pup, her head just turned to the side, her vet was my vet so I went and had a word with him and he said that he thought it most likely neurological and coming from her head/ ear. He didn't know for certain as the woman would not spend the money on further tests and he could not give me a long term prognosis so I declined to help with the re home and found out she gave her away to a friend up the road. I only saw the pup a few times after that so have no idea what happened to her. The point of that story is it could well be a neurological problem albeit very severe in your little girl.

This pup is affected down one side not just one limb.

> This pup is affected down one side not just one limb.

It is but we don't know what is cause or effect ie one area may be affected neurologically and another may not be developing because of lack of movement/stimulus.

The fact is, for all the "what do vets know" comments, none of us here are experts and even if we were we have not had the benefit of actually seeing and examining the pup.

After exercise every couple of hours over the last couple of days (since first posting on here really) she has definitely gained a little bit of strength in her back leg, mainly her thigh muscle. The issue seems to be that she has no control over her foot, from ankle down, this is the part that can almost be turned back to front, and is floppy. If I try to do it today though, there is some very slight resistance now, but still no control.

Seeing this, for a moment, makes me a bit more hopeful. But then I watch her, and she is trying so hard now to move, but with that foot hanging behind, and her foreleg stuck out to the side, she literally cannot get anywhere. There is definite determination now, she even grunts whilst trying to move, she really is putting in some effort, with no real success. Then there's the curve to think of too.

Regarding the vets, I have spoken to them and they have said that at this stage, there isn't much they could/would do. If she gets to 6 weeks and there is no real change, then they will discuss other options, and that she is too young to be put through different methods of testing when it may just improve by itself.

Sometimes I feel really positive about it, that it's just a simple delay and things will pick up in time, with help from us. Then I watch her/look at her and my positivity dwindles.

I woke up at 3am this morning with the pups making hungry noises, waiting for Mum (who I had to wake up!). I looked down into the whelping box and saw a pup moving around, slowly......I nearly jumped for joy, it was her, she was nearly walking!!! On closer inspection it wasn't her at all, it was her brother :( for a moment I was ecstatic - it was all over, it was just a delay after all. How I wish it was the case :( 

Keep up the exercises, you are seeing a slight improvement in such a short time and she is determined which will help with any progress she will make.

If one side is working is she managing to go in a circle on her belly, have you got her on a surface like vetbed that allows her to get a grip rather than something slippy/smooth?

I can't think of anything else to suggest that I may try in your situation.

you could try using tubigrip on her back legs just to give her a bit of support but still have some flexiblity if the back ends a bit weak it might just help 

Yes she goes round in circles Rhodach. She is on vetbed, has been since birth. I moved them into the kit hen today, not that I really wanted to, but the boys desperately need more space now. Not enjoying watching her just lying there whilst the other two are exploring their new environment.

Do you mean tubigrip on each leg? I doubt I would find any small enough. Ankle to tip of toes is around 3cms. My husband and I tried everything we could think of last night to make some sort of support or soft splint type of thing. I cut the fingers off of a leather glove to see if I could slide that on her leg, it was impossible. I'm going to raid my daughters bag of baby doll clothes to see if I can find anything that would work.

When I went online to look at 'Swimmer pups', the description was similar to hers, except hers is one side and she curves (all her loose skin falls over to that one side too?!). They had made a harness/support out of a sock, cutting two holes for the arms in the toe of the sock, and a hole for the head. Apparently, keeping the legs directly out infront of them and making them sleep and feed on their side can work wonders. The sock is meant to be tight but not tight enough to stop circulation. May give it a go. Anything is worth a try.

Is she curving towards the weakened side or away? I can't see that tubigrip on her limbs would help as it may restrict her already weakened muscles.

The swimmer dachsie puppy I followed in detail some years back[was 5 months old before he was shipped to an unsuspecting buyer along with his brother who had a large umbilical hernia] had a little cuff placed loosely around each wrist/ankle and they were then joined together[hobbled] in a rectangle with the pups legs at 90 degrees to the body where you would expect the legs to be naturally, this allowed the legs to still move but not into an abnormal position, passive exercise can still continue and things altered as the pup grows, he wasn't allowed to lie on his tummy again to give his chest a chance to form. This pup did get up and walking but due to delayed treatment was badly deformed and just before his 3rd birthday was PTS because the arthritic pain was so bad despite pain meds. His brother had surgery on his hernia and had a normal life, the breeder/puppy farmer [I counted over 100 adults and 67 litters either on the ground or expected on their website at one point with only 2 adults caring for them]was prosecuted and fined but that did not relieve the pain and suffering of that poor pup and his owners. A forum member donated a healthy pup to keep the surviving dachsie company.

Since then I have heard of swimmers treated early going on to be fully mobile and by 6 months old you wouldn't have known there was a problem.

Keep up the good work

I would definitely think keeping up the exercise in addition to treating her as a swimmer cannot do any harm.  I think I would be trying that if I were in your place

you would put just one piece about elbow size might work or might need next size up round both backlegs kind of like putting her in a sock but tubigrips more flexible
they can wiggle out of it

Do you mean tubigrip on each leg? I doubt I would find any small enough.

Buy some vet wrap you can cut to size and make to fit .

I had a swimmer in my first litter 24years ago. There was very little info on them then and I went up to the KC library and scoured their books. My pup was a bit smaller and behind in development but from about 10 weeks he grew like a weed until around 5 months when he developed (or already had) kidney problems and was PTS. I remember reading since that having the pup on egg box memory foam or similar to help them grip and stop them being prostrate helps.
Re: the circling, I've known a pup do this and was diagnosed as being deaf in one ear, but I suppose it's too early for this pup to tell?
The vet wrap sounds like a good idea.

Thank you so much everyone. I'll find some vet wrap online and try this. Rhodach, I don't mean to be slow, but I can't picture the contraption you mean re:hobbling. I'll read your post again and see if I can work it out, probably me not processing the info properly.

Her ribs don't feel flattened to me, but could be wrong. I wish I could post a picture.

The info about the egg box memory foam - that's a good idea. I'm finding it hard to get a surface where she can get decent purchase. Vet bed seems too soft, a towel doesn't work, I've tried the back side of the vetbed, that's no use either. I need something better, I think I may well try this.

They are in the kitchen now, settled in nicely. Mum is a bit lost, keeps going back and forth to my bedroom. The problem seems more pronounced, now the boys are moving around outwits the box, she seems such a poor little soul.

I'll keep going and get this little girl moving if it kills me!

> I'm finding it hard to get a surface where she can get decent purchase.

Square of carpet? Rug, mat, carpet sample?

It is hard to describe the "hobbling", I can see in my minds eye the pics posted at the time but have been unable to find anything online to show you. You put a line/strap between front and back leg and between each front leg and each back leg making a rectangle of straps holding the pups legs in the normal position to the body instead of splayed out, when held up in a standing position her legs would be where her brothers are when held in the same position.

What I have just read was that forcing the pups to lie on their back wedged between 2 rolled up towels takes pressure off the chest and stops the limbs being pinned splayed out from the body,they are then free to move freely in the air.

Sorry if this still doesn't help.

I understand now. I'll look into making something like this.

I had also read about making sure they lie on their sides or back. I can keep her on her side to sleep, but only sometimes on her back. Because she can't right herself when she wants to, I think she panics and starts crying a lot until I turn her over.

I've been thinking about her body shape a lot tonight. It appears that, right from birth, very easily she would roll over onto hers side then back and get stuck. When she lies on her tummy, the shaded line that runs down the middle of her back is offset to to the right side, all her loose puppy skin falls to the right side too and it's always the right side that she rolls onto. I wonder if the reason she has her arm out at the peculiar angle whilst trying to move is for balance. If she had it straight out in front of her, up towards her head, or underneath her, she would roll, so she needs to put that arm out to stop her from doing that. This is how it appears to me. Also, when she is laying on her front, shaded line offset, her abdomen isn't equal on either side - one side bulges out more than the other. Then again, this could be because she is leaning to one side more.

So I was thinking (and I know humans aren't the same) if I was laid on my front, what part of my body would it be that would have to be out of use/injured/not doing its job that would automatically make me roll over, so that I'd need to put my arm out to support myself from rolling over. I think it would be my hip and/or my leg.

If any of you attend yoga/Pilates or something similar, sometimes they get you to lie on your back and bring one knee up to your chest and wrap your arms around it and hold it tight against you. In this position your body automatically roles to the side of the leg you are holding - the way to stop this would to outstretch your arm and this would balance you. My point is that if your leg and hip aren't in the correct position, you will tend to fall to one side and your arm works as a counter balance.

I think it may be a lower body problem that is having a knock on effect on the rest of her body. But if an X-ray would be inconclusive - how on earth will I find out which part is not right?!

Sorry if I'm waffling, just thinking out loud really. I wonder if anyone can picture what I mean.

the tubigrip would be on from the chest down to her hocks like a dress/skirt just to help keep her legs from splaying out too much and give a bit of support
you could try a piece of lattice rubber matting that some people use at shows to prevent slipping

it is very difficult to imagine what is happening, even with OP descriptions. can you not u tube a vid for us to see exactly what is going on?

Have you seen this page/website? Very useful info :-)

http://www.swimmerpuppy.com/methods/

One of my cats had an infection that paralysed her down one side, she lost the use of 3 legs.  I was told she'd never recover and would be permanently paralysed.    As she was still trying, I refused to give up and was advised that Physio at least 3 times a day would be needed.   This consisted of moving her limbs in the ways that they would if she wasn't paralysed and massaging the muscles to keep the blood flowing.   I also used sandpaper and feathers to stimulate her pads.   We managed short bursts of 10-15 minutes physio up to 6 times a day and she recovered fully to the vet's complete amazement.    

Miracles can happen, but sometimes they need a little help :-)

Hope this things get better for this baby, she sounds like a real fighter.

Thank you Dill :) Very encouraging!

Here is the link to a youtube video of Winny. Any thoughts on her movement appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jz5Zeal_SY

She is doing much better than I expected. Both back legs are really trying and she can certainly turn herself around to face the direction she wants to be in using her front paws.

What happens when you remove the weight of her body and hold er up with ll 4 paws touching the vetbed, do the legs attempt tomove in a normal way.

The weaker back leg is moving fine from the hip but is weaker below the knee, need to concentrate on exercising that foots muscles and tendons to help them catch up

gosh, she is better than i imagined. strange that when on her back she didnt appear able to 'roll' over. i would def have her at one of the specialist veterinary hospitals. ie cambridge or similar. not just a vets that call themselfs v h. 

When held up, that particular leg doesn't move in the normal way, it flails about. The other 3 legs try too move normally but she won't bear any weight whatsoever when I try this, on any of the legs. She can't stand, even with support. She's actually got quicker and it does depend on timing, which is why it was tricky to get a decent video. She was just about to have mummys milk, just woken up from a 2 hour sleep, so pretty hungry. If she has just fed she is dozey and less inclined to move much. Her mum was sitting about a foot away, hence why she was pretty frantic, I don't usually see this much speed. But I have to be present at feeds because she turns and gets stuck in corners, or flips onto her side or back and can't get back over (I know I've said this before).

Bearing in mind that she's been at this stage for 10/12 days now, the stage that all pups go through when crawling around the vetbed. I think if she could walk and it was a straight forward delay, she probably would have by now, she's certainly putting in the effort!

Did you see what I meant about being off centre? Everything seems to fall slightly to the right. The forelegs don't move in the way that they should either, or certainly not as the other two pups have. They've never had them out to the side, I know this as this was the first difference I noticed, not that I thought it was of any consequence at the time.

Oh bless her!! She's really trying to move.  She needs a lot of help but she has movement in all her limbs and her little tail just never stops wagging! I would not give up on her just yet. Lots of exercises to help strengthen her legs and get her co ordinated. Have you thought of rigging a sling to help her get moving? Just to suspend her body weight while she "walks" It will save your back as well lol.

Also, my description has probably made it sound worse than what this video shows. But please bear in mind that the other two are leaping about, and the only movement she does is this, generally only when the milk bar is around. I had to video it at her most active or there really would have been nothing for you to watch or go by. 95% of the time she lies totally still, head up though, looking about (if not sleeping)

I think you're right that that foreleg is being thrown out for balance, and I agree that she seems slightly wonky to the right. I do hope some of the experts on her, or a better vet, can get to the bottom of it! She's certainly got spirit!

I went back and looked at the other 2 videos and have to say compared to my pups they are all slow but I have been told mine are ahead and appear older than thy are, I took lots of pics and video of my first litter, will PM some links of them up to the age yours are.

Really?? Now that is odd as the biggest boy was walking at 2 weeks and 5 days (albeit wobbly) and I was told that was quick for this breed, by one of my mentors who has been breeding/showing for 30+ years. Your guys must have been really quick!

I think the vet was right, Id give this time.
She appears to have the ability to foot place, has feeling in the leg and is working it.
Early days.

So do you think she is 'normal' but delayed?

she's lovely id say its just a question of being too heavy combined with that back leg just keep working at it

Just an observation...but it looks to me like her rear right leg (if viewing her from behind) is slightly inverted?  It almost looks like the right leg is set too far under in terms of hip placement.  If you compare the movement to the left leg, the left sits on the outside of the hips and pushes away angled to the body which would move her forward under normal circumstances if both left and right were performing the movement at the same time...

Sorry I can't help but based on the video I'd probably be asking the vet to check hip movement, much the same as they do with newborn babies.

Quick search on google threw this up...

http://www.timbreblue.com/about-breeding/whippet-health/shamrock

Could your little girl be affected similarly but only on one side? It suggests that it's actually caused by placement in the womb when developing and I think in a previous post you mentioned she was one of two born from the same horn?

Humph beagle - I agree. It doesn't seem to be sitting right! Obviously with a video its hard to tell but it all doesn't look 'right' when you see and feel her from all angles/positions. The vet did move her legs around, sepertely and at the same time. He said she had a good range of motion?

And the link is excellent!

Thank you so much everyone for taking time out of your busy lives to follow this story and offer words of wisdom and/or support. All your comments have been extremely helpful to me. I have phoned the vet to book me in for an xray, I'm waiting to hear back as to when they can fit us in :)

She seems to be a vigorous pup otherwise. If she were failing to thrive Id probably consider her future
but other than this mechanical problem she looks healthy.
I cant really see what you have to lose by giving her development time...only of course, if you are fully prepared to take any emotional consequences.

This has been my thoughts all along tooolz. If she were failing then thats a whole other story, but she's not, she's healthy and happy, gaining weight every day, feeding well. There is no way i'll give up on her unless I can see she's had enough. She didn't ask to be born, and she deserves a chance. I'm a very very maternal person, to my own detriment at different times - I know she's not my baby, but she is my responsibility.

I have spoken to the vet and we are seeing him on Monday morning. He said there is no point doing an xray, the majority of her leg will be cartilidge and this will not show up on an xray. He said is could be a spinal issue, it could be neurological - but only time will tell, there is no test that will diagnose. Pups should definitely be on there feet by 6 weeks. If she is still not up by then, then they will look into it further. He also said that splints etc are pointless, the joint/muscles need to build by themselves, if the foot is supported, the support takes all the pressure, which keeps the affected area in its original state.

It really is just wait and see.

I agree she needs to use it unsupported, weight bearing in other words.
I've seen 2 pups from one litter with very odd bilateral rear limbs.It was hyper mobility or lax joints and both resolved with no treatment.

Wouldn't it be lovely if this little girl has a full recovery.

It would be absolutely amazing! And I will keep you all posted in the coming weeks with her progress. Thank you so much, you have all be fabulous x

Well there is obvious lack of muscle in the lower hind leg, but the front leg posture looks more like compensating to keep her upright, not as bad as the rear at all.

Certainly Physio as described by the others to move the foot, and aid circulation can do not harm, and probably be of great benefit.

I did wonder what you had meant about loose skin hanging as you just don't get that with my breed at all at that age they just are chuncky furballs with round bellies on fat legs.  Mine are often that fat that they find it hard to roll back over, but get there in the end.

Well, I have to say that as I was reading I was thinking of the heartbreak for you.  (I had to have a puppy PTS at 10 weeks, and it destroyed me.)

However, seeing the video, I have to say that I would be trying just as hard as you.  Many, many years ago, I showed and bred guinea pigs.  I had one baby born with what looked like deformity in a back leg, and a front leg.  I was advised to get rid.  I wouldn't.  It wasn't going to make a show pig, but I had the same feeling as you.  It didn't ask to be born, and it was my responsibilty.

I used to have this little girl sat on a babies nappy in front of the fire, while I massaged the legs into a "normal" position.  They went right back at first - I almost felt as if she looked as if her legs were too squished up in the womb, and couldn't develop in the right position.

I persevered, and had a helper.  :-)  My Toy Poodle boy, after my massaging, would get the end of the nappy in his mouth, and drag it into the kitchen, and back to the living room.  Little 'un stayed attached, and he thought it was great, having a new buddy.  His face was a picture the first time she got off that nappy all by herself.  I guess mine was too! 

Please don't give up.  She looks a lovely bonny, strong girl.  And we are all rooting for her.  :-)  :-)

She doesn't look as bad as I'd imagined, and not like my swimmer pup.

I wondered if you'd get any improvement by holding her in a bowl of warm water to get the back leg going?
Also, if you can't get hold of the egg box memory foam look out for a rubber mat with the 'pimples', I've got some in my car.

Winny looks like she is really trying so anything is worth a try.

Watching the video, her hip doesn't look right at all on that side.   Is it possible that mum could have caught her there and dislocated it?    She might still have the full range of movement as she's so young.  I'm also wondering whether the joint has formed properly?     Or as has been suggested, she was cramped in the womb and just needs some help.

If she was older I'd be asking about Legg Perthes disease (a degeneration of the head of the femoral bone)

Hope you get to the bottom of this and she gets better.   She looks a little smasher, and a real tryer.

the more iv watched your video clip it seems the problem is with her hock joint itself more than her hip

Yes Dill, I agree, there is something very wrong with that hip/leg. I've been really trying hard to gently feel the joints and bones around there, of hers and the boys, to see if I can feel for anything that doesn't seem right. There is definitely either a dislocation or a malformation on that right side. It just doesn't feel right.

There's been no improvement since I last wrote on here, and to be honest, I'm starting to lose my focus, positivity and hope. I'm going to read through all the past comments on here again - it's amazing how others support can make you believe that anything is achievable, sometimes you need reminded of the stength you had and why you believed you could do this - everything we try seems futile.

Thanks again

Stay positive girl!! Youv'e come this far just try a little longer. Your little girl is worth it.