Puppy with SN

[Hairyhat]

A friend's dog has had puppies (totally planned and done with highest standards) and one has been born with dodgy back legs. I don't think they go under his body properly so weight baring might be an issue. His front ones are ok.
Does anyone have any experience with this sort of problem? Will physio work? A brace? Can vets operate?
I'm already emotionally attached to the little fella and really want to know what his chances are. I know it's a long shot with so little information but I thought MN might be worth a try. The puppies are only a few days old.

Anyone?

The owner should really take advice from his/her vet.

Back leg issues can easily mean bladder and bowel as well as spinal problems. Best to get a vets opinion on the long term implications.

Talk to a vet. Get him properly checked out by an orthapaedic, and ideally neurology, specialist.

Get a thorough understanding of what he may cost over his lifetime. It maybe anything from a relatively normal, but a bit slower, life, to a drastically shortened lifespan or a series of operations or a life of painkillers and physio.

Go into it with your eyes open. Bear in mind he likely won’t be insurable- although, if your friend has indeed done this to “the highest standards” her breeders/bitch insurance should cover the puppies, so get all investigations done before that runs out.

Decide what you can afford. Vet bills are not cheap. I took on a sick kitten once and paid the insurance premiums into a bank account, which covered the vet bills.

I agree that this is a vet job. There's no point speculating until there's a diagnosis of some variety.

Try not to get too attached before you know what the implications are for quality of life, rather than what is possible medically.

Vets need to check what's going on, then are in better position to decide quality of life/potential costs involved if there is some remedial surgery/ rehab that would help.

Know a puppy that was born tiny & vets couldn't find any reason why couldn't stand other than hind leg muscles just weren't strong enough, so at 6wks he started hydrotherapy & physiotherapy, as he was a small breed he could do some water exercise at home too. Over a year now and walking fine and its a bit like he was premature in development and slowly catching up. Obviously any future issues that can be linked won't be covered by any insurance so could be very expensive over lifetime.

If go down hydrotherapy make sure use qualified therapist & water is crystal clear like human pool as anyone can set one up, puppies lungs aren't properly developed so need to be very careful to keep head up and avoid inhalation of water.

Thank you everyone for your replies. The vet has seen him but I don't know what he/she said. I suppose i will have to wait and see