puppy with a deformity - a dilemma

one of our puppies born on Thursday has got a very deformed front leg. Must have been so tired and he copes so well, that we did not notice it straight away. He copes really well and is otherwise a very healthy pup. Of course, the sensible thing is to have the puppy put to sleep. However, not feeling sensible at the minute and now thinking if the leg was amputated, could he have a good quality of life or are we being selfish. I just wondered what others thoughts were about this.

Karen

i dont know any st bernards with 3 legs but i do know a bernese with no front left leg and it copes just fine it had it removed as a puppy after being born with it funny ,

to be honest i didnt notice it the first time i went to there house it runs and plays with her other bernese just like normal and as it was removed so young i doubt it misses its leg

cheri xx

I am well known for trying to keep everything alive as long as they will have a good quality of life & living with 3 legs dogs do seem, to do well even having lost a leg later on than tiny puppy hood...

Marina Boorsma (Scandia Saints) in the States had a puppy with 3 legs that went to a lovely pet home from what I understand. Whether the pup was born that way or something happened I don't know.
Maybe worth emailing her to ask about it? scandiasts@msn.com
Big hugs xx

Thanks Heather, I have mailed Marina and it will be great to hear first hand what problems, if any, a 3 legged puppy may have. We feel we have to give him a chance! There are dog breeders and then there are us lot LOL

Thanks again,

Karen

PS thanks for putting some puppy enquiries our way xxx

Sometimes you just get the feeling its worth giving it a chance
Our back from dead Cleo has put on 5oz bless her
There are more enquiries coming your way.. I have had 15 enquiries for pups ALL BOYS this week!!!
Let me know how the little man gets on :-)

lol heather thats always the way!

kazz your right there are breeders who would say putting pup to sleep would be kinder what they mean is cheaper

and then theres us lot who will end up with all the waifs and strays along the way lol

all loved just the same

cheri

hows the puppy? have you decieded what your doing?

cheri xxx

I didnt see this thread LOL

The way i think, is this .. may seem odd, but its us .... If any puppy/kitten was born alive (or decided to come back to life as in the case of cleo!!), healthy in every other way, eating normally etc etc, then he/she was born for a reason & meant to live.

If it were one of ours, we would opt for amputation & see how he/she got on from there. Not sure if you remember on uk saints a while back, a 3 legged saint in the pound in ireland? she only had a stump & 3 normal legs, but was as healthy as, she was born like it.

Just like kids, (& they are all our babies really) whether they are born with 3 legs or have them taken off thru medical reasons later on, they will cope well, its us humans that are a pain in the arse, We choose to do this, or have kids etc, they dont choose to be born as such, so my mentality is what gives us the right to decide whether something should live or die, just because said life has been born with a physical deformaty?

Personally i say go for it , trouble is, we know they always stay with us LOL, but people like us are breeders with a conscience, like you said, there are breedersm & there are people like us lot LOL!

keep us posted on the little guy x x x

p.s gave a lady your email address looking for a male puppy yesterday, hope you dont mind x x

If the deformed leg is his only problem, I think he can have a great life :-) It`s impossible to know how this will turn out, but I think he deserves a chance ! I`m happy that you are willing to give him that chance, and no matter what other people/breeders may say, this is your decision to make ! So follow your heart

hows this pup getting on??? dont forget the pictures!
cheri