My rescued puppy has a paw birth defect. Will she live with a limp?

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.

Oh my goodness, Honey is so cute! What an adorable puppy! I recommend having her seen by a vet for this problem and to have x-rays done on that leg. It could be there was a disruption to the growth plate of her radius or ulna causing one of those bones to stop growing while the other continues to grown and causes the deformity you are seeing. This can be corrected surgically, which is why I recommend having her seen by a vet. With the x-rays, the vet can determine what is causing the deformity and can discuss surgical options with you. Good luck, I hope this helps and enjoy your beautiful little girl!

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.

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.

Thank you for reposting your question with pictures. The second x-ray is a little dark and is difficult to read, but I can certainly see that the area is not normal and why your vet would recommend amputation since the area will not get any better. However, if Ella only has a slightly limp, then I'm not sure why the amputation needs to happen now. Some dogs do very well with an abnormal leg for many years. If at some point it starts causing her more problems, it can always be amputated at that time. And certainly only having 3 legs puts more strain on the other legs, so we try to wait to amputate unless the leg is currently painful or causing problems. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Thank you for the additional information. It is possible that Poppy was born this way, but the important point is the description of the pad on the top of the foot. You see, the only reason to consider amputation is if Poppy was self-mutilating the foot by dragging it. But if she is managing, then there is no need to do much of anything. A boot might help, but may also not be necessary. I wish I could see a video of how she walks & uses the leg. But if you just keep an eye on things, she may do just fine. And thank you for rescuing her, & clarifying things for me.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would be looking into the possibility of this being something affecting the joints per se such as immune mediated polyarthritis or perhaps something like hypertrophic osteodystrophy given his young age. These are possible things your veterinarian can look into. Treatment of course would depend on findings. At the very least they can try pain control medications and anti-inflammatory drugs. Best of luck!