My puppy broke its toes at birth. Will it have long-term issues?

Poor Otto! In general puppies heal very well. The only thing to watch for is that a splint can cause temporary laxity in the joint ligaments but this typically resolves. It is very important to keep up with the splint to care as described by your veterinarian. Hopefully his healing will be uneventful. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. Without x-rays it is impossible to know what is actually going on in the paw. It is difficult to say if this will bother her more as she matures, but you really do not have too many options. Perhaps a surgery to fuse & stabilize the paw may be helpful, but will not eliminate all pain & discomfort & you certainly would not amputate the leg unless she began to self-mutilate the paw. So, unless you can have the paw x-rayed, I would take a wait & see how she does. If she over does it when you play with her, then make sure she rests the leg. Otherwise, I would try to avoid pain relieves in such a young dog. Perhaps, once her bones are finished growing & maturing, she may actually do quite well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

At that age it can affect the growth rate or length of the leg long term. In proper healing can lead to arthritis at an earlier age and limit mobility. There is no way to know if it is broke with out an xray. If taking it to a vet is not an option, all you can do is kennel rest her and limit all activity for 4-6 weeks. The good news is puppies heal faster than adults. The less she uses it and moves on it, means you have a better chance of healing.

It is hard to say if Rufus has congenital brachydactyly without seeing at least a photo of the toe. My guess though is that is the most likely cause based on your description. I highly doubt this is going to cause him any mobility problems and it should not affect his health in anyway. It is hard to know how short the toe will end up being until he is full grown. The shorter the toe ends up being then it is more likely he will have a joint/mobility issue. Honestly, I wouldn't give it a second thought if he was my dog. I would not put him on any joint supplements until he is an adult (like 11-12 months of age). Just make sure he is on a high quality diet and then when he is about 1 year old you can start a prophylactic joint supplement. I like this one by Missing Link but I don't know if you can get it in India. ( https://missinglinkproducts.com/product/canine-hip-joint-coat/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello. It is hard to tell how this pup might do as it grows. If there are no pads, & the pup has to walk basically on just skin, this can definitely cause pain & lameness, even with the intact metacarpal pad. If he manages just to walk on this, he may be comfortable, but I would imagine his gait will be off or awkward. In the long term, he may do really well wearing a protective boot on the foot. Only time will tell. An x-ray of the foot may give more information. And yes. This defect in various forms, happens in many breeds. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Some arthritis may develop at some point in time if it does not have some already. It may or may not be a cause of significant pain in the future. There is no way to tell that. Many animals have broken tails that never cause them any problems after they heal. Some animals eventually need to have the tail amputated (depending on the location of the break) if there are problems later in life. If you are overly concerned you should hav her examined by a vet prior to purchasing her and have x-rays taken of the tail.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is most certainly a congenital problem, essentially a birth defect. Whether there are any treatments depends on how severe the problem is, does it involve all the long bones in the legs, it this mainly a problem with joint & tendon laxity, or are certain structures underdeveloped or missing all together. X-rays are imperative. Depending on what is seen, & how much time & money you wish to spend on this poor little guy would determine a treatment plan. Surgery may be an option, but leg braces & splints may be appropriate, too. In the short term, he will probably do fine, but with time & age, he may be very prone to developing abrasions & pressure sores, & most likely arthritis. If you decide to adopt this sweet guy, go in with the anticipation of higher than normal care costs, & unexpected problems that can arise. A special needs pet needs a very special owner. Thank you for considering adoption. Take care.