Meet Cosmo the tiny puppy who fought back to health after being born with a rare syndrome
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But the beautiful Golden Labrador is a proper little fighter who was born with a rare condition which meant he could not walk – and could have faced death.
It is down to a Wearside dog hydrotherapy business called Woofs N Scruffs that Cosmo is alive and thriving.
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Hide AdCosmo was a mere four weeks old when he was diagnosed as having a condition called Swimmer Puppy Syndrome where the pet’s legs are splayed. His symptoms were even more unusual as he had it in both front and hind legs.
Despite being playful and wanting to interact with his baby sister, Cosmo couldn’t walk and his owner Chris Whittngton was ‘absolutely devastated’.
Dogs with Swimmer syndrome are often put to sleep but that’s when Woofs N Scruffs stepped in a week later. Bosses of the business saw the post about the pooch on social media and contacted Cosmo’s owner.
Soon, the five-week-old puppy was taking his first tentative dip in a hydrotherapy pool. Now he’s 11 weeks old, walking perfectly and full of energy.
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Hide AdCosmo’s owner Chris said: “He is amazing now and he runs around like a lunatic.
"He’s got a heart like a lion and we knew he would make it because he is so determined.
"But when he was little, you could tell he was getting so frustrated because his sister was running around everywhere. He was trying to make his little leg go and he wasn’t getting anywhere. He was so confused.”
David Potts-Brown, a director and chief hydrotherapist from Woofs N Scruffs, told the Echo: “Having done quite a lot of research into the condition we felt we would help Cosmo to walk.
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Hide Ad“We started pretty much straight away, seeing him every day initially. Within the first few sessions he was up on his feet albeit tentatively to start with and within one week he was moving around completely unaided.”
Chris added: “We will never be able to thank Woofs N Scruffs enough. We will always be in their debt. They are Team Cosmo.”
Woofs N Scruffs has branches in Washington, Seaham, Durham and at The Stack in Seaburn.
It has become the first business to be nominated for the 2021 Sunderland Echo Portfolio Business Awards.
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Hide AdThe nomination said: “They are amazing and work extremely hard too.
"Cosmo is walking and he is fully mobile. It is outstanding news and work by all the team and even though they are closed due to Covid-19 the staff are going into work to help him continue.
"They are not a multi pound business, they are a family run business.”
David added: “The nomination has come out of the blue. It is fantastic and it is an honour that people across Sunderland felt we should be eligible for an award.”
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Hide AdWe are also delighted to welcome on board the partner sponsors for this year’s awards and they are Utillity Alliance, Gentoo, the Autism Society, Station Taxis and Bradley Hall.
Woofs N Scruffs is the first entry in the awards. We want lots more.