Swimmers syndrome, also known as swimming-puppy syndrome, flat-puppy syndrome, swimmer puppy syndrome, flat-pup syndrome, twisted legs, or turtle pup, is an uncommon developmental deformity of newborn dogs and cats whereby the limbs, primarily the hind limbs, are splayed laterally resulting in an inability to stand or walk. Forward movement with this affliction is only accomplished by lateral pedaling motions. Swimmers syndrome has generally been considered to be untreatable; therefore, animals that present with symptoms of the syndrome have tended to be euthanized. However, there have been several notable cases in which clinicians successfully treated animals suffering from the syndrome with a combination of intensive physiotherapy, bandaging, external splinting, and hospitalization
