My Saint Bernard puppy has bent legs, can't walk. What's wrong?

Without xrays and records of the physical exam it is impossible to guess what might be causing these symptoms. Paralysis of 3 months in a young pup is unlikely to resolve bit referral to a specialist neurologist and orthopedic surgeon may provide a full diagnosis and highlight any possible treatment options. If he has limited mobility then quality of life should be assessed and it may not be fair to expect him to continue most especially if any incontinence develops

You will need to take your puppy to an orthopedic surgeon for assessment. Your puppy needs to be x-rayed. Once the orthopedic surgeon sees the build of the hips and hind legs he will be able to tell you whether this may need surgery, bandaging or other ways to improve or if there is no way to fix this. He will also need to do a neurological exam to make sure your puppy can actually move the legs. Should the condition not be improvable,then your puppy could get a wheelchair for the hindlegs and so live a happy life.

Oh dear! This is a very serious problem - I'm afraid she really has to see a vet right away. She may have a herniated disc in her back causing the paralysis, or some other neurologic problem affecting her spinal cord. She may be in pain, or she may have no feeling at all in her rear legs - it's impossible to say without an exam. She needs immediate treatment to have a reasonable chance of regaining function in her rear legs, I'm afraid there's nothing you can do at home that will help her. If costs are a concern, you can see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area that could help. You could also apply online for Care Credit, which is a payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com

This sounds like a growth deformity, xrays would help to define exactly what is going on. Mineral, especially calcium and phosphorus imbalances can have a major influence at this age - converting his diet completely to a large breed puppy food may help to encourage optimal bone formation

Poor Bella! I'm so sorry that she is having this problem. We most commonly see Legg-Perthes disease only affecting one hip, but it certainly is possible that she has both hips affected. There isn't any way to diagnose Legg-Perthes disease except x-rays. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine her to determine if her pain is coming from her hip or another location. If it appears to be her hips, they can then take x-rays to determine what is going on. I am attaching a link to a handout on Legg-Perthes disease below for you. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2529 Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Bella feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I am so sorry to hear about Diya. I would recommend getting her to a vet for examination as soon as possible. There could be many different causes for weakness in the hind legs, ranging from a problem with the bones due to development, injury, dietary deficiency; or a neurological issue such as a compression of the spinal cord due to a herniated disk, a spinal embolism, infection, tick borne diseases, and more. An examination is needed to determine the causative agent and start treatment.

I suspect this is a congenital abnormality. I recommend to get Ares examined by the veterinarian. With puppies, sometimes there are treatments available since they are still developing but sometimes there are not any options. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.