My puppy has a short toe. Will it cause mobility or health issues?

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.

It would be incredibly difficult to do anything about broken bones in such a young puppy. It looks from the second picture that it did heal, but not in the proper alignment. We would need a new x-ray to determine what is going on now. Kenji is likely a perfectly adoptable puppy now, but depending on what the bones did while healing, he is at an increased risk of developing arthritis in that foot earlier than he would from simple old age. It's just something to watch every year at his annual checkup.

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.

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.

If the toe is causing Gypsy pain or if it is causing medical problems, then amputation may be the proper way to go. If it is not causing her any problems or pain, then I see no reason why the toe needs to be amputated. That said, I have not seen your puppy in person nor have I been able to examine the paw for problems. So I can only go by what I see on the x-ray and photo.

Congrats on your new puppy! It could be that Peanut has a congenital deformity causing the shorter leg. I would have her seen by a vet for a physical exam and x-rays. If it isn't causing her any problems, then it may be nothing will need to be done for it, but the vet may discuss surgical options that may apply to help with the leg. Without seeing it in person, I can't say for certain if anything needs to be done, but it's a good idea to have her seen by a vet. If she does have trouble jumping onto the bed and into your SUV, I would help her do that. Certainly there are dogs who live perfectly normal lives with just three legs, and Peanut may be one of those dogs that can live a normal life with one leg shorter than the others. You just have to adapt to her limitations, such as trouble jumping. Have her seen by a vet however to get their take on it. I hope this helps :-)

Yes, it's pretty clear that Louie's right fourth toe is visible longer than his other toes. Normally, the third and fourth digits are pretty comparable in length. As you mentioned, yes, it's possible that this is a tendon injury, but other issues like bony or soft tissue masses, osteomyelitis, or other injuries are certainly possible. For now, I would carefully feel the "longer" toe to see if there is any swelling (soft or firm) relative to the other toes. If there's any asymmetry between the fourth toe and the others, then it's definitely worth having Louie examined by his vet, potentially with some x-rays of this foot. However, if it feels perfectly normal, he continues walking normally, and isn't showing any other signs of discomfort or sensitivity, then yes, it's perfectly reasonable to continue conservative management and monitoring at home. I hope that everything goes well!