My 3-month-old puppy has a deformed paw. What should I do to help?

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.

She is so cute! This is likely just a normal malformation. I would make sure she is getting good nutrition and this make correct itself. If it doesn't, she will likely have a normal life and not have issues with this. If she is having trouble walking, I would have your vet take a look at her to see what options there are for correcting this. I hope this helps !

Without seeing the deformities and seeing xrays it will be hard to assess whether there will be problems in the future. I suggest you take her to a veterinary orthopedic surgeon for xrays and an assessment. There may be no problem in the future, or maybe with amputation of the up-facing paws all may be fine. Please take her for a consult with a specialist. It is small money well spent.

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 :-)

If this twisted leg happened all of a sudden, your puppy likely has a fractured leg, If this happened over time, then it is not growing properly. You will need to make an appointment with a veterinarian for an orthopedic exam and radiographs, Depending on the findings your puppy may need surgery or at least wear a cast for a while to straighten out the leg and help your puppy grow properly. You also need to make sure that your puppy is getting proper puppy food for medium sizd dogs to ensure that he gets all the necessary nutrition to grow into a healthy dog, This leg will not come right by itself, so you will need the help of a veterinarian.

Poor little Princess! You will need to take her into a vet as soon as possible to get this checked out. If there is a smell, I would be concerned about an infection. She is too young to have this removed surgically, but any infection has to be treated now. When she is older, the vet can amputate the leg if needed. Please take her into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend taking Gray to a vet for xrays of the foot to see what malformation it is. If Gray is still able to move well and not in pain, then I would let it go without treatment. Cats (and dogs) do well on 3 limbs if necessary but if he’s in pain it needs to be addressed. Once a vet sees the malformation they can discuss treatment options if needed. Good luck and kisses to Gray!