Symptoms & Causes of Swimmer Puppy Syndrome
This is a fairly uncommon syndrome, with little research and understanding in terms of what causes it in the first place.
Some medical professionals believe that Swimmer Puppy Syndrome is hereditary. If this is the case, an affected puppy should not be used for breeding purposes.
Others believe that it is not genetic at all, but merely congenital. This means that the deformity happens at random, in-utero-carriage via infection or due to some other abnormality.
Environmental factors are also of debate. It is said that by keeping a room too warm, a puppy will become overheated and lazy. The pup remains in a lying position for long periods of time nursing, devoid of regular movement to foster healthy muscle development.
If you notice the following symptoms, contact your vet immediately. The sooner you start therapy, the better chance your pup has of a full recovery.
Swimmer Puppy Syndrome is most commonly seen in small or dwarf dog breeds. Here is a list of notable breeds that have recurrent cases.
The owner brought the dog to the hospital and described its situation and signs. The owner explained that the dog was smaller than its littermates and that this, combined with its immobility, meant it had difficulty feeding. Moreover, the owner noted that the dog regurgitated its food after every feed. The regurgitation contributed to the dog’s low weight (the puppy weighed only 850 g when she arrived at the hospital).
The dog, now 10 y old, has not suffered from any health issues, other than those seen in the first year of treatment; the dog has regular heartworm prevention medication and vaccinations.
As our case shows, swimmers syndrome is treatable with appropriate home-care treatment that involves environmental and nutritional management along with intensive, diligent physiotherapy. This case has been followed for over 10 y, and is, therefore, an invaluable resource for information about the prognosis. Owner education for treatment is important, with emphasis on the importance of maintaining regular physiotherapy.
Traitement à domicile du syndrome du chiot nageur chez un Schnauzer miniature. Une chienne Schnauzer miniature âgée de 50 jours est présentée pour de l’astasie, un aplatissement dorsiventral du thorax, l’hypoplasie des muscles des pattes arrières, une rigidité des articulations des pattes arrières, un mouvement de pédalage des pattes et des halètements. La chienne a été diagnostiquée avec le syndrome du chiot nageur. La chienne s’est complètement rétablie après 40 jours de traitements à domicile qui ont inclus une gestion de l’environnement et de la nutrition avec une physiothérapie intensive.
Passive movement is the movement of a joint by external forces and is generally used when a patient is incapable of moving the joint on its own or when active motion may be injurious to the patient (13,15). The ability to maintain or increase muscle length and flexibility is one benefit of passive movements. Other benefits include the prevention of adhesions in articular capsules and joints that helps maintain joint range; improvement of articular nutrition by increasing synovial fluid production and diffusion; and maintaining mobility between different tissues. Furthermore, producing or maintaining normal patterns of movement and stimulating mechanoreceptors in joints, muscles, skin, and other soft tissues help to improve proprioceptive awareness and increase circulatory and lymphatic return (12,13,15). Thus, physiotherapy includes massages and passive range of motion exercises to develop and strengthen muscles and joint flexibility.
Affected limb (pathological limb) is a topic which has been widely discussed in the literature concerning this disease. The present results found that in 75% of cases the affected limb was predominantly a hindlimb; a lower number of cases (15.38%) were found to have all four limbs affected; the lowest number represented cases where only the forelimb was affected (9.62%). Together with an affected limb, pectus excavatum was found in 8 puppies: 7 puppies with all limbs affected and 1 puppy with a hindlimb affected. Only 1 puppy with all limbs affected did not show signs of pectus excavatum. Because of continuous sternal recumbency, particularly in puppies affected in the forelimb, the pressure of the body weight against the sternum causes flattening of the chest. The study data showed that an affected forelimb was significantly related to the presence of pectus excavatum. This was in agreement with previous case reports [3–5, 13, 14], which found that all puppies with an affected forelimb also had pectus excavatum.
In this retrospective study of clinical records (Table 1) of 2,443 puppies (1,183 males and 1,260 females) that were 3 months old or younger were reviewed. The puppies had undergone treatment for various reasons at 19 animal clinics/hospitals in Thailand (Figure 1) from October 2006 to September 2012.
In the case of pigs, splay leg has been proven to be a hereditary disorder [10, 11]. Maak and others [11] pinpointed the candidate genes for splay leg in piglets using DNA microarray data, comparing the genome-wide gene expression of three hindlimb muscles between affected and healthy piglets. They found 63 transcripts with differences in two muscle groups and 5 gene differences in three muscle groups. Based on their study results, they concluded that certain genes were associated with splay leg in piglets and that future studies of the genetic mechanism needed to be performed in order to achieve a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease.
In the present study, the number of cases of swimming puppy syndrome was recorded by breed, together with other factors; statistical analysis was used to study the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of this disease.
The purpose of this study was to report on the prevalence of swimming puppy syndrome (SPS) and investigate predisposing factors. Data were recorded from 2,443 puppies (1,183 males and 1,260 females) in Thailand, October 2006–September 2012, including breed, sex, number of puppies per litter, type of nest floor, number of affected limbs, and occurrence of pectus excavatum. Fifty-two puppies (2.13%) were diagnosed with SPS. The breed most frequently affected was English Bulldog (8.33%). There was no significant difference between presence and absence of disease based on sex, breed, and nest floor type. The number of puppies per litter was associated with SPS; puppies from smaller litters (1.92 ± 1.12) had a higher prevalence of the disease than puppies from larger litters (3.64 ± 2.24). Moreover, 15.38% of puppies with affected limbs showed signs of pectus excavatum (8/52); this clinical sign was more prevalent in puppies with all four limbs affected with SPS.
Swimmer Puppy Syndrome Native Dog/hereditary syndrome/treatment/prevention
The purpose of this study was to report on the prevalence of swimming puppy syndrome (SPS) and investigate predisposing factors. Data were recorded from 2,443 puppies (1,183 males and 1,260 females) in Thailand, October 2006–September 2012, including breed, sex, number of puppies per litter, type of nest floor, number of affected limbs, and occurrence of pectus excavatum. Fifty-two puppies (2.13%) were diagnosed with SPS. The breed most frequently affected was English Bulldog (8.33%). There was no significant difference between presence and absence of disease based on sex, breed, and nest floor type. The number of puppies per litter was associated with SPS; puppies from smaller litters (1.92 ± 1.12) had a higher prevalence of the disease than puppies from larger litters (3.64 ± 2.24). Moreover, 15.38% of puppies with affected limbs showed signs of pectus excavatum (8/52); this clinical sign was more prevalent in puppies with all four limbs affected with SPS.
Swimming puppy syndrome—also known as swimmer syndrome, flat pup syndrome, splay leg (paraparesis), splay weak (tetraparesis), and myofibrillar hypoplasia—is one of the musculoskeletal disorders in puppies [1]. In the initial weeks of life, newborn puppies seem normal: they gain weight quickly, suck well, and appear to be completely healthy. Signs begin to appear when the puppy learns to walk (2nd-3rd week), with spreadout legs like a swimmer [1]. In some cases, there are additional complications, because such puppies tend to lie on their bellies most of the time. The center of gravity is shifted to the chest, while the soft ribs cannot maintain their correct shape; thus the chest, under the pressure of body weight, splays on both sides, and the thorax becomes flat (funnel chest) [2–4]. Some puppies show snake-like or walrus-swimming movements, crawling on their bellies with limbs extended and exorotated. Sterna concave, dorsoventral flattening of the chest, or pectus excavatum will present when forelimbs are affected [2, 3]. In cases of pectus excavatum, puppies show respiratory insufficiency, with dyspnoea, mouth continuously open, and bluish mucous membranes [3, 4]. The differential diagnosis of this disease includes encephalomeningitis, canine distemper, toxoplasmosis, neosporosis, myopathies, and spina bifida [4, 5]. The treatment success rate is dependent on the time of diagnosis and treatment [4, 5]. Usually puppies with this disease recover well after early diagnosis and treatment such as limb realignment, bandages, and physical rehabilitation [4, 5].
However, little is known about the prevalence of swimming puppy syndrome, other than from observational experience and a limited amount of information available on the internet (based on a search of PubMed and Scopus databases). Also, several of these publications were in the format of case reports in which only a few puppies showed signs of this disease [1–6]. From the existing information [5], it can be concluded that some of the predisposing causes of the disease are small breeds (Dachshund and Yorkshire Terrier) and also breeds with a large thorax and short limbs (Pekingese, Basset Hound, French, and English Bulldogs). Other predisposing causes [4] include puppies of normal size at birth but with faster growth than the rest of the litter and, in particular, a low number of puppies per litter.
In the present study, the number of cases of swimming puppy syndrome was recorded by breed, together with other factors; statistical analysis was used to study the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of this disease.
In this retrospective study of clinical records (Table 1) of 2,443 puppies (1,183 males and 1,260 females) that were 3 months old or younger were reviewed. The puppies had undergone treatment for various reasons at 19 animal clinics/hospitals in Thailand (Figure 1) from October 2006 to September 2012.
The data collected included breed, age, weight, sex, number of puppies per litter, and floor condition on which the puppies were fostered. Moreover, the findings of the clinical examination of all affected puppies were reviewed, including affected limbs and the occurrence of pectus excavatum.
In case there was missing data, the authors called the pet owner to ask for the necessary information. If the pet owner was unable to supply the missing data, or when information about other puppies in the same litter could not be obtained, the puppy was excluded from the study.
Demographic data of the samples were described by descriptive statistics. Sex, breed size, floor conditions, and number of puppies per litter were assumed to be the associated risk factors for swimmer puppy syndrome and were investigated to determine the correlation between these factors and swimming puppy syndrome. The correlation between affected limb(s) and the occurrence of pectus excavatum was analyzed using the R statistical software program. For statistical analysis, dogs were categorized according to weight into three groups: large (>25 kg), medium (10–25), and small (<10 kg) breeds. The epi2x2 function in the epibasix package was used to examine the correlation between sex and the occurrence of the disease. A chi-squared test was used to evaluate the correlation between breed size, type of floor, and occurrence of the disease. Fisher’s exact test was used to determine the correlation between affected limbs and the occurrence of pectus excavatum. Finally, the mean number of puppies per litter and the presence of diseased and nondiseased animals were analyzed by a t-test. The significance level was set at .
The present study found that the disease started to present beginning at week , but the owner brought puppy to the visiting veterinarian at week .
A total of 2,443 puppies (1,183 males and 1,260 females) were included in this study. Twenty-two breeds of puppies were recorded in the clinical notes and of these, swimming puppy syndrome was recorded in 15 breeds. Comparing within breed, English Bulldog was found to have the highest percentage of diseased puppies, 8.33% (4/48); second was French Bulldog, 7.54% (4/53), and third was Pekingese, 6.89% (4/58). The other breeds were found to have a mean prevalence of 2.65% (range 0.78–5.55%), as shown in Table 2.
Comparison of all affected breeds revealed that Golden Retriever had the highest percentage of affected puppies (15.38%), followed by Siberian Husky (13.46%) and Labrador Retriever (9.62%). The lowest prevalence was found in Dachshunds (1.92%), followed by five other breeds, including Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Pug, Yorkshire Terrier, and Thai Bangkaew, all with the same percentage (3.85%).
Affected puppies were compared within the same sized groups; medium-size puppies were found to have the highest number of affected animals (3.32%). Affected percentages of large and small sizes were 2.44% and 1.54%, respectively. Comparatively, the number of affected puppies in terms of breed size was not significantly different ( ).
As shown in Table 2, of the 52 number of puppies affected by swimming puppy syndrome, 56% was males ( ), and 44% was females ( ). The prevalence of swimming puppy syndrome was not significantly different between male and female dogs ( ) (Table 3).