puppy at shelter has foot problem

[juliefurry]

Today me and my husband stopped by an animal shelter and they had three 9 week old rottweiler puppies. The males seemed to have a wierd "deformity" with their front feet. Normally dog walk on their pads of their feet but these two were using their whole front arm up to their elbows almost. It seems like their whole leg joint was fused that way. One puppy seemed a lot worse than the other though. The female seemed fine, but her back legs seemed to bow out. She walked fine on her front paws though. What could this be caused from, is it a birth defect or is it owner neglegience? I told the man that was at the shelter and he didn't seem concerned at all, in fact he didn't even seem too interested in exploring the issue with me when I offered to show him what I was talking about. I can't stop thinking about those poor pups. I mean not only were there feet wierd they just didn't act like a 9 week old pup should. They had LOTS of socialization problems, and you can just tell they've had some problems.

[Richie12345]

Maybe due to inresponsible breeding? Whatever it is it sure is sad...

[bubbatd]

I agree....poor breeding and maybe lack of care.....can dogs get rickets ??

[aurorab]

It could be a birth defect or malnutrition or just not delevoped yet. i have seen very young puppys do something similar to this, they were worked w/ (basically turning the paw the right way, while suporting them and then slowing adding their own weight back down) and also having better food and this seemed to help. It's hard to tell, but by 9 wks it is probably more likely the first 2 than the 3rd.
Poor little things.

[juliefurry]

THE people that brought them in got them froma woman that was going to jail and asked them to care for her pregnant female rottweiler (their mother). The people brought them in in a tiny laundry basket and said this is what they had been using for their crate. The puppies had their tails docked and their dew claws removed (the shelter worker tried to tell me that is why their feet looked a little longer). They were just petriefied of people and the one peed all over this guy and was shaking so bad when he came near him. Those poor pups broke my heart, I wished I could have taken them, but I couldn't afford anymore health problems or possible surgeries.

[bubbatd]

So sad !!

[Ash47]

Aww. It breaks my heart also Julie when I see things that I wish I could fix, but can't. Hopefully a good-soul (with good money) will get those babies.

[aurorab]

They could have them docked and have the decraws removed but they had to take them to a shelter????? That sounds really odd. Is there a rescue group in your area.
It just say US, I'm in PA and we have one called It's a ROTTn PITy!
http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/PA243.html
Maybe they can help you find a group in your area or try to do a seach w/ petfinders in your area.
That's if you want to get that involved.

[wildwings811]

I would also like to know where you are at if I am in your area I am going to that shelter and adopting all of those puppies if not I will find some one in your area to get them out of that situation poor babys they need some one who cares and is willing to give them a chance in life

[juliefurry]

The shelter is in Illinois (in the Lockport area). It's called the Tender Loving Care animal shelter. The two males were the only pups left. The female was adopted right as they were walking in the door. I thought it was wierd that the old owners would spend the money to have their tails docked and dewclaws removed and then put them in a shelter. Although I don't know if that's expensive or not. We're going back that way tomorrow and we could look to see if the puppies are still there. Someone could have adopted them and not noticed they had the problems with their feet.

[smkie]

i have a pic of a dog full grown that had bad nutrition as a pup i will go find it now did they look like this? http://www.chazhound.com/pictures/showphoto.php?photo=4534&cat=500&ppuser=2623

[juliefurry]

not really. It looked as though there feet were just missing a joint or something. It looks like couldn't bend their front paws and that they were fused straight so that the whole front arm (up to their shoulder) was their paw. You couldn't straighten it so they would stand like a regular dog it was just one bone.

[wildwings811]

I think I may have found a rescue that will take these poor pups I live in MI and if I have to I will drive to IL to get them let me see if the lady has responded back yet and if you happen to go by there see if they are still there if you would please Thanks

[aurorab]

Wildwings that is GREAT!!!!
Let us know what happens.

[wildwings811]

I have scurryed around and found several rescue groups that are willing to take the pups I am going to foster them we are working right now to get them pups out of that situation thank you for everyones concern

[skyhigh]

Wildwings, did u end up getting the pups? Goodluck!! You are such a caring person. God bless

[juliefurry]

did you guys get them? They are on their website, if you haven't seen a picture of them, they said they are up for adoption. I'm anxious for the little boys. I think a foster parent would be good for them because they need some help and I don't think a person not experienced in dogs could help them.

[juliefurry]

here's are there pictures from the website
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/juliefurry/rottweiler.bmp
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/juliefurry/rottweiler2.bmp

[Manchesters]

That is what the condition is called. It can very easily be corrected by giving the puppies 500 mgs of Vitamin C twice a day until the problem is corrected.

It is a very common condition in pups of the larger breeds. It is heartbreaking to see pups with this problem, but it is so easy to cure that it seems like a miracle---like giving calcium to a female with eclampsia turns the condition around almost immediately. Vitamin C takes about 5 days to start working, but it is also almost like a miracle cure.

I have had personal experience with this, and so know exactly what C will do for it. I hope these pups can be treated immediately so they won't be crippled for life.

[juliefurry]

the started giving the pups calcium one friday I think. I called and asked about them and they said they were giving them calcium, I told them to try the 500 mg of vitamin c twice daily and the guy said he would talk to the vet about it when he came in next (which is probably a polite way of saying no but I did tell him).

[wildwings811]

Still trying to get those guys out of there the rescue that said they were going to take them backed out at the last moment so if any body knows of a rescue willing take these guys on post or pm me I am willing to foster these pups

[juliefurry]

I don't know of any rescues but hopefully they will try the vitamin c though. I'll check their website friday (which is when they update them) and see if they are still available.

[Manchesters]

Many dog owners are not aware that their dogs should receive daily Vitamin C. The myth is that dogs make their own, and do not need to be supplemented. Dogs make about 60 mgs worth of C a day. That is not enough to do any good in any kind of stress situation.

Many years ago a genius by the name of Linus Pauling did research with Vitamin C. He was a Nobel Prize Winner. He accomplished some really wonderful things using theraputic doses of C.

The major importance of C in dogs is in the production of collagen. Without collagen, our bodies would be pools of liquid! Collagen is what makes the sheaths of our muscles and tendons and ligaments. A lack of collagen in large breed puppies causes the "wrists" of the dogs to collapse. It works its way up the leg....first the "knuckling over", then the front leg bones begin to curve outward. Eventually if allowed to go far enough, the puppies will actually be walking on their elbows. It is also in some cases referred to as rickets. EVERYBODY knows that vitamin C stops and prevents rickets! That was why the British solderiers were called "Limeys", because they were fed limes every day to provide vitamin C and prevent rickets and scurvy.

There is a vet, Dr. Benfield who wrote a book telling the miracles he accomplished using vitamin in theraputic doses (20,000-30,000 mgs)

All dogs should get at least 250 mgs of C a day!

OH---I had a Dobe that had wobblers that I took to Auburn University and left for 5 days. When I picked her up they said that she had a bladder infection and would likely need surgery. She would not pee in their inside pen!

I got her home and the poor thing would try to pee, and this Vasiline looking jelly would come out. They had given me some antibiotic and I put Misty onto 500 mgs of vitamin C twice a day. Within 3 days Misty was peeing a river, and the infection was GONE! Better than drinking truckloads of cranberry juice, rofl.

Just thought I would pass this along. I have used C when I had pups with knuckling over. Oh, and pups should never be given calcium unless great care is taken to maintain the calcium phosperous level.

The best thing to use USED to be St. Johns Dicalcium phosphate with Vitamin D.

HTH someone.