# Crooked Foot



## boxerbabies2 (Mar 3, 2009)

Hey!
I recently acquired a boxer female puppy, 6 weeks old is all! She's so cute and so much fun. We had been playing with her all weekend and watching her; but it wasn't until yesterday that we noticed that her front left foot is crooked. Her toes almost turn inward when she steps on it and she sort of bows out at the knee. 
We were both (my boyfriend and i) really concerned about this. We don't know if it's a normal part of growing and she'll come out of it? Or if it has to be something that happened when she jumped off the couch? Or if it's just a fact of her life and she'll have it forever?
Any advice/help is welcomed! Thanks!

Alex


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

Have you had a vet take a look? Boxers are gangly little critters when they're young, so it could just be natural, but if you're that concerned I'd have a vet take a look.

Where'd you get the pup?


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## boxerbabies2 (Mar 3, 2009)

We haven't been to the vet about it yet. Trying to put that off for financial reasons. But it will soon bother us enough to have them check it out. She'll also need to go in to the vet anyhow for a checkup so maybe we will do it then? Just wanted to see if anyone else is familiar with this problem...


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

I'd say the sooner the better - puppies are a BIG expense...you're going to have to make a few trips to the vet just within the first year of the pups life, I hope you're prepared for that. 

That pup was also taken from it's mother and littermates too early, do you know if the pup is up to date on it's vaccs?


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## boxerbabies2 (Mar 3, 2009)

*Update*

Well, my boyfriend took her to the vet this morning and basically all he said is that she will either grow out of it or it's going to get worse. We decided that we were going to take her back to the breeder and my gave him a call. He said that it's something that happens once in a while with puppies they breed because he has them in wire cages (i know it sounds like a puppy mill but i promise it really wasn't that bad, this one was kept inside but still...in a crate) until they are sold. He said he would definitely take her back if that is what we want to do and encouraged us to give her a week or so to see if it straightens up. He called it Ricketts, and I'm in nursing school and know what that is but in humans it's generally not reversible. However, we are going to get some calcium supplements and wait it out another week. 
Is there anything else high in calcium we should be offering her?
I read somewhere cottage cheese?

Alex


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## dansamy (May 15, 2007)

*Re: Update*

If your breeder has a history of pups with rickets, he's not a very good breeder. That's straight up nutritional deficit. Very, very preventable by any half decent breeder. And it isn't reversible. The area of long bone that is bowed will need treatment in order to straighten out.


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## boxerbabies2 (Mar 3, 2009)

*...*

Well if that's the case then we'll end up taking her back. When he threw out the word ricketts followed by saying it would straighten out in a few days or so I was skeptical too. But we aren't stuck with her the man said he would take her back & we aren't in the position to put that much vet work into a 6 week old pup.


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

You have bought from a backyard breeder. No responsible breeder would let their pups go before the age of 8 weeks. On top of that, if you are not in a position to care for this pup medically, then take the pup back especially since this so-called breeder is willing to take the pup back.


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## dansamy (May 15, 2007)

Amen. Be thankful that the "breeder" will take the pup back. Get your money and run as fast as you can from a "replacement" pup.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

*Re: Update*

Take the pup back and get your MONEY!!!! As someone already said, Rickets is irreversable and you're bought from a very bad BYB if he's keeping them in crates. Whre are you? Perhaps we could help you find a reputable breeder or a rescue that may have younger dogs.


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