Swimmer puppy syndrome is a rare developmental deformity seen in very young puppies. It is called “swimmers” because affected puppies look as though they are swimming when they try to move around the whelping box.
Healthy puppies should be able to walk by three weeks, but swimmer puppies are unable to walk or stand due to severe weakness in the hind limbs. Left untreated, there can be serious and even life-threatening consequences, but with early intervention, swimmer puppies can go on to live a relatively normal life.
Dr. Kristina Belton, owner of Elon Oaks Veterinary Hospital, served on the Board of Directors for the Society for Theriogenology from 2017 to 2023 and creates content for responsible breeders at www.wellbredvet.com. She says that “swimmer puppy syndrome becomes noticeable when the puppies start trying to stand up – instead of them being able to get their legs under them, their legs will be splayed out. They paddle their legs instead of crawl normally. Those are the first signs a breeder could notice; there’s nothing that would give it away when they are first born.”
It is still not clear what causes puppies to be “swimmers.”
“There are a lot of proposed risk factors without a specific cause identified. There is likely some genetic component because it is more common in some breeds than in others,” Dr. Belton said. “There are groups researching various potential causes of inappropriate nerve/muscle/bone/joint development. There may be a relationship between puppies from small litter sizes that get overweight and then have more difficulty being able to walk. Slippery flooring that makes it difficult to gain traction is also a risk factor.”
Dr. Mona Gitter DVM has been a veterinarian since 1980. Her practice focuses on physical rehabilitation and acupuncture for both dogs and cats. She says that “the most common preventive is to keep puppies from getting too fat and provide good footing. Overweight puppies are at greater risk. With singletons and small litters that don’t have competition at the milk bar, care should be taken to keep them from overeating.”
Dr. Gitter recommends that instead of towels and blankets in the whelping box, use grippy surfaces like rugs, yoga mats, rubber mats, or shower mats. Usually this is enough to give the puppies good traction. Rolled towels under these can also provide surface for the puppies to push against, by making small “hills” in the environment.
“For more severely affected puppies, hobbling may be needed. This can be complicated, and it should only be done under the supervision of a veterinarian who is experienced with hobbling in dogs. Massage and core work are also part of the therapy.”
Using items found around your house, you can make channels for puppies to move in, keeping their legs in correct position, Dr. Gitter said. Guinea pig tunnels also can work for this. When puppies are older and seriously affected, half of a large PVC pipe to go through will work.
“Prognosis is good for most of these puppies, but in more severe cases, other abnormalities caused by the flattened chest may affect internal organs and will require other apparatus on the chest wall to correct,” Dr. Gitter said.
If you suspect that a puppy in your litter may be a swimmer, immediately seek the help of a veterinarian, preferably with experience in physical therapy, to create a plan of action.