Swimmer Dog Puppy Disorder

Puppies begin to stand at 14 days and have a semi-steady gait by 3 weeks of age. If this does not happen, the puppy may be a 'swimmer'. Swimmer puppies move by making swimming motions. they resemble turtles with their legs sticking out to the sides, and are flat-chested from laying on their stomachs.
This disease is caused by a weakness of the adductor muscles tat pull the legs together. The hind legs are usually more severely affected. The disease is more likely to occur in overweight and heavy-bones puppies. It may have a congenital basis. One theory is that puppies are infected by a viral or fungal disease in utero that results in a muscular systrophy of the adductor muscles.