Author: Susan Santoro This is the story of a whippet named Twistie. He was born 14th December 2015 with a varus deformity of the left hind leg. In simple terms, his left hind leg looked very abnormal. Like someone had twisted or inverted it, and put it on backwards. Twistie was the second pup born. This was Kewie's second litter. When he plopped out, immediately I saw there was something wrong with his leg. He was otherwise healthy and full of life and the cutest little thing. |
I frantically started texting all my relatives, friends, fellow breeders and colleagues who are vets (I am very thankful to have all of you), and began searching desperately on the internet for anyone who had come across my situation. And it just so happened that one such breeder had. And, it was a whippet breeder! Timbreblue whippets had a pup named Shamrock, who had a similar experience, but with both hind legs inverted. This little whippet's story is a happy one, her legs sorted themselves out and she is now living a normal, happy life. This gave me hope.
Once all the pups were born, I popped Kewie and all five of her little puppies in a laundry basket with her favourite blanket and off we went to see Dr Arthur House, a specialist surgeon. If anyone knew what was going on, and how and when to fix it, it would be him. House suggested splinting the leg for several days and seeing if this improved things. So this is what we did. It was quite difficult, everything being so small and such. Twistie did not seem to be bothered by the splint, and neither was Kewie.
We changed the splint every second day for a week and every day we could see an improvement. By the end of a week of splinting, his leg had become almost completely normal, with only a slight twist in only his foot. By six weeks, he was completely normal, and everyone was asking me, which was the pup that was born with the twisted leg. "Er, the pup that I call Twistie?" "Oh of course," they say.
We changed the splint every second day for a week and every day we could see an improvement. By the end of a week of splinting, his leg had become almost completely normal, with only a slight twist in only his foot. By six weeks, he was completely normal, and everyone was asking me, which was the pup that was born with the twisted leg. "Er, the pup that I call Twistie?" "Oh of course," they say.
So what is the cause of this in utero congenital defect? Unfortunately I could not get anyone to give me a clear answer. However I did find an interesting article written about twisted limbs in kittens, where one of the causes is a crowded womb. Interesting to note, when we had an ultrasound done at 7 weeks, the ultrasonographer had noticed that there was one pup that seemed to have had less amniotic fluid in it's sac than the rest of them. Could Twistie have been in this sac and had less room to move? Also, his litter mate that was before him was one the larger size, and Kewie did have some difficulty delivering her. Was he squished in there? Coincidental? I could make inferences til the cows come home.
Fairy Tail Ending:- No, a very whippy beginning :)
Twistie has gone to his forever home with a very special family who know exactly what he has been through as a pup. Twistie now goes by the very fitting name of Dasher, and I suppose it is because he dashes here and there and everywhere. :) He and his family will always have my love and support xx.
Fairy Tail Ending:- No, a very whippy beginning :)
Twistie has gone to his forever home with a very special family who know exactly what he has been through as a pup. Twistie now goes by the very fitting name of Dasher, and I suppose it is because he dashes here and there and everywhere. :) He and his family will always have my love and support xx.
References:
Shamrock: Inverted Hind Leg, TIMBREBLUE WHIPPETS, accessed 14/12/2015.
The Mysterious Anomaly of Inverted Hind Feet, G William Andree, Bulldoginformation, accessed 14/12/2015.
Twisted Limbs in Kittens, Sarah Hartwell, accessed 14/12/2015.
Shamrock: Inverted Hind Leg, TIMBREBLUE WHIPPETS, accessed 14/12/2015.
The Mysterious Anomaly of Inverted Hind Feet, G William Andree, Bulldoginformation, accessed 14/12/2015.
Twisted Limbs in Kittens, Sarah Hartwell, accessed 14/12/2015.