Deformed Puppy Learns to Walk / Pet Bloggers Blog Hop

photo courtesy of Flyin Fur Pet Photography

Harper the little Pit Bull had come into rescue as a very desperate situation. On Aug. 31, a woman in Sanford, Fla., first encountered the little dog when she spotted a squirming garbage bag next to a man selling puppies in a parking lot. The woman pressed the issue and the man opened — and gave her — the contents of the bag a puppy so deformed that it couldn’t walk or hold up its head. The woman brought the dog to the shelter where workers and veterinarians evaluated the puppy and came to the same conclusion the only option was to Euthanize it. The puppy was born with a condition commonly called swimmer puppy and most dogs afflicted with it don’t survive small breed dogs can sometimes make it with special help but larger breeds rarely survive because their bodies become too big and their legs splay out again. The disease causes puppies to lie flat on their chests with their legs perpetually splayed out like a floor rug. In a loving environment they can learn to pull themselves along on the floor and braces can be made for their legs to help straighten them.

Daniel, a regular at the local animal shelter decided to take the puppy home for one full and final day of unabashed affection. What a difference a day can make. Today, Harper is not only alive — she’s thriving. The frisky gray puppy is gaining more and more mobility each day, to the astonishment of onlookers and medical professionals. Harper’s rapid recovery began on immediately. Daniel kept massaging Harper’s tight muscles, hoping to alleviate at least some of her stiffness and pain. Within just a few hours, Harper started lifting her head and looking around and eventually he tried using them to walk and pull herself around.

Convinced that this determined little dog needed a second opinion she made an appointment with a veterinarian at the University of Florida. At first, the vet described the reasons Harper probably would need to be put to sleep. The list included the likelihood of degenerative bone disease, brain abnormalities and a severe heart murmur. They decided to do a few tests just to be sure. And, as it turned out, the rumors of Harper’s demise were greatly exaggerated.

Today, Harper is about 11 weeks old, and she’s playing and walking and swimming just like other dogs. It will take time for her legs to become strong enough to fully support her but with therapy she is on her way to being able to live a full life. Daniel estimates that Harper should be ready to be adopted in about a month — that is, if she can handle parting with her.

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Its another edition of Saturday Pet Bloggers Blog Hop brought to you by Two Little Cavaliers, Life with Dogs, and Confessions of the Plume! Welcome to all of you joining us for the first time we are so excited to have you and welcome back to our regular Hoppers.

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Comments

  1. Carol's Critter Corner says

    What a heartwarming story this ended up being. Harper has a lot of spunk and looks like a hard worker. He will thrive and his new owner is gonna be lucky!

  2. Hi Y’all,

    Thanks for hosting another Sat hop!

    Such a heartwarming story of the puppy. Hope all the pups born since the raid are lucky enough to find good safe homes.

    Y’all come by now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

  3. What a wonderful story!

  4. What a wonderful and heartfelt story!

  5. what a great story
    Benny & Lily

  6. What an inspiring story. Thanks for another great Pet Blogger Hop

  7. Its such a heartwarming story.. which helps us question the need of euthanasia.

    This week i posted about a sanctuary for stray animals in india and they dont euthanize until absolutely necessary. They ave had so much success with paralysed dogs with just love and massage therapy! the dogs can now live a normal life because of their efforts!

    Thanks for hosting the blog hop!

  8. So glad to see this. Makes you have renewed hope for us humans.

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