CEDARTOWN, GA.......We love working with Rescues whose ultimate goal is saving the life of an innocent Soul. It isn't about money or fame, all we care about is what we can do to give this abused pup the necessary medical care they need to have good Quality of Life. Such is the case with dear FRITZ.
This adorable pup was rescued when a breeder in Georgia was going out of business. A Rescue stepped up to take her special needs, and Fritz was one of them. Fritz is a black and tan pure breed Dachshund that was 15 weeks old in July when we were contacted. The breeder was going to euthanize him because he was unable to walk. The Rescue took him to the vet but determined they could not give him what he needed and did not want to put him to sleep, so they contacted us.
Our little bundle of joy has what is called Swimmers Syndrome. No one knows why certain puppies end up with this condition. It could be lousy breeding or bad genetics. No one has definitively determined the cause of it. What we do know is if the condition is caught early enough, the condition can be reversed. Swimmers Syndrome puppies are characterized by pups that cannot stand. Their legs go out to the side or straight back and because of this, their chest cavity begins to collapse.
Fritz had all the signs but needed to be thoroughly evaluated by a Neurologist. We had him taken to Dr. Russel Quigley in Charlotte, NC to be assessed and have scans done. Dr. Quigley agreed with our assessment and determined he was caught early enough to reverse any damage hopefully.
Fritz was a floppy little dachshund with the shortest legs and the longest ears you have ever seen. Adorable does not even begin to describe how cute he was. We all squealed with excitement when we got him. Fritz did not have to worry about ever walking because we were never going to put him down. He was going to be wrapped around our necks for the rest of his Life. His chest was not going to collapse because it was never going to touch the floor.
Once we got over the initial excitement, we had to get down to restoring his leg function. He was more wobbly in his rear legs than in his front legs. We started Fritz swimming in a small pool and did that every day. He got Massages and extensive Physical Therapy to help his muscles develop correctly. Over time, his little legs got stronger, and he became more upright and able to stand for more extended periods of time. Once Fritz could hold his weight without falling over, we knew there was no holding this adorable pup back.
Swimmer's Syndrome can be corrected if it is caught early and you have a group of dedicated Care-Givers. Depending on the severity of the condition, lots of scans need to be done to determine if the chest area or leg bones have developed improperly. Puppies are pretty flat right after they are born but should be walking around three weeks of age. If you have a litter of puppies and discover some of them are not developing correctly don't wait months to get them looked at by a qualified Veterinarian. Do it early on so they can be helped.
Don't discard these little Angels because of their legs. Swimmers Syndrome does not have to be a Death's Sentence. Get them moving their legs and get them off their chest as soon as possible. Puppies bones are very soft right after they are born, and that is when you get complications that cannot be corrected.
FRITZ is now as perfect as any pup could be. He is eight months old and can run like the wind. All of our dogs love playing with him. When he has had enough, he lays flat on the ground with his paws over his head so no one can get to him. He and Jack are best buddies. We have had Fritz for four months and have extensive Medical bills into his Rehab and Medical Care. Please, Donate whatever you can so we can help more pups like Fritz get well and have a normal Life. We have posted a video so you can see the determination in this little boy named Fritz that did not give up.
