has anyone any experiences with swimmer pups???

Hi what breed are we talking about? and how bad?

3 week old Border Terrier, have read lots of info via internet, have moved pup on to fleecy bedding, rather than newspaper, have been massaging his legs as often as pos'

Showing improvements already...

im fairly sure jayne lilley did an article and it was said they must have liquid calcium, --which made a huge improvement, you could always ring her if your worried

Well done the massaging will help but i would ring this person that Dizzy said for more info but friends gave liquid cal. best of luck. please let us know how it goes.

Hi Yes a friend of mine had a swimmer pup, was even considering having the pup pts at an early age, but wanted to wait and give pup the best chance possible, turns out this now nearly 1 year old pup was far by the best from a large litter. So glad friend didnt put pup to sleep.

Firstly are you sure you have a swimmer, they have very flat, hard chests (like a board) and move like turtles with their legs at right angles to the body and push along flat on the floor - like turtles. Back legs in the swimmers I have seen have been normal.
I am just checking as terms get bandied about and I want to be clear what I am talking about.
I have had had odd swimmers over the in different breeds.
Firstly, never give suppliments to puppies, if you feed a balanced puppy food from weaning suppliements are not necessary and can do a huge amount of damage to limbs and joints. At three weeks the puppy won't be weaned but food is not the issue with swimmers!
Get a couple of non-slip mats from Halfords (as sold to stop things slipping about a car boot) they can be rinsed out daily in clean water with a good disinfectant or go through the washing machine and put back down when dry. Use these to line the bottom of the whelping box together with some (preferably well worn) vet bed - if yours is new ask your vet for some well used and soft vet bed to borrow.
Next take a long sock and cut off from the heel, in the leg bit cut arm holes and place over the puppy like a sweater, stuff the chest with another pair of socks so that it form a big "false" chest. This does two things, it makes puppy put his forelegs down to move as the stuffing lifts the chest right up, it also makes puppy sleep on his side so that his chest gets a rest from pressure and has a chance to develop properly.
Swimmers usually come right by themselves, there is no need to consider PTS (this comes from the bad old days when anything that didn't thrive immediately wasn't worth a light).
You can also form an "ally" of two planks held a few inches apart (by people or blocks of wood). Place the puppy in the ally and he won't be able to "do a turtle" as his forelegs will be held in by the walls of the ally. Use a little smoked ham from the supermarket (kiddie lunch type) to entice him to walk down the ally, turn him around and repeat the other way.
Sometimes feet get a bit deformed, but once swimmers get up the feet quickly come right.
I am not sure massage will help as it is not actually the legs but the chest that is the problem - but it certainly won't do any harm.

Good luck - and if your puppy is improving at 3 weeks he will certainly be fine by 8.

Thanks for everyones replies, especially S.B. it was really nice of you to take time to write such a long reply... nice to know people care.
Anyway went to the vets, who did'nt advise calcium supplement, but wanted to tape Gus's front legs together, I told him of S.B.'s idea with the sock & he agreed it was a good idea & should try that first, it has been a huge success, he does'nt seem to have a problem with his back legs, just the fronts are sticking out a right angles just like a turtle, but he is up & walking now, struggling a bit, but I'm sure he will be fine.....
Will his chest stay flat????

Glad to be of some use!
No his chest will be fine, once his up and moving around everything seems to put pressure on the right places and it all comes good. It may still take a few weeks before his is "normal".

SB

Hi guys.....
Just to let you know 'Gus' is now running around my kitchen like a mad thing, beggining to wonder now if he really was a swimmer... or if he was just a bit overweight & slower than the rest... still a bit flat chested but getting better every day...

Geoff :)

Brie - I thought I'd read another post about swimmers - is this what you were looking for?

Margot

thank you