Weak Hind Limbs of 2 month Dalmation

Question
My dalmation puppy was born on the 15th of March. It was 1 out of 4 healthy puppies.
This particular female puppy has developed weakness of the hind limbs. She walks a short distance and prefers to sit or lie down soon.
She can run but the pace is slow and its very rare to find her playing like the other puppies.
The vet here did not do any xrays. just told me that this is some sort of a birth defect of the hip joint.
I am very worried for my puppy.

Answer

Hi Maheen,

It's possible your vet recognized whatever problem your puppy has, so he didn't feel the need to run diagnostic tests, such as doing x-rays. Did your vet discuss what he thought the problem was, the prognosis of the condition, or any corrective therapies or surgery that could help your puppy?

X-rays would certainly confirm the presence and extent of the birth defect. The question after having x-rays done would be, can surgery fix the defect, and whether you could afford the surgery. If correcting the problem isn't in your budget, having the x-rays done will define the problem, but not change anything. If this is the case, you need to ask your vet what the quality of life would be for your puppy. Sadly, putting a dog to sleep that can't enjoy a decent quality of life is sometimes a decision that has to be made.

If you can afford to have the problem corrected, then you should either insist that your vet do x-rays, or find another vet who is willing to help your puppy.

If your puppy is able to use her front legs normally, there might be an option. Many handicapped dogs have mobility restored with special wheelchairs made especially for dogs. Dogs adapt to using these wheelchairs surprising quickly, and in a short time they are getting around quite well. There are even adjustable dog wheelchairs for puppies that are still growing. You can see examples of the kinds of dog wheelchairs I'm talking about, here:

http://walkinwheels.com/?gclid=CKaK2eyJsqECFRE95QodzhsLmg

http://www.k-9cart.com/?gclid=CNTiifmPsqECFQ9N2godVEO8-g

http://www.dogkarts.com/

http://handicappedpets.com/

I wish I could offer you some more suggestions, but I can't but without knowing what your puppy's condition is.

Best of luck,

Patti