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Does a puppy that weighs less than half of what her litter mates weigh at 5 weeks, appears lethargic and tires easily, stand a good chance of being a normal sized, healthy and intelligent dog?

Optional Information:
Age: <1; Female; Breed: Border Terrier

Already Tried:
The puppy is only 5 weeks old and still with the breeder. I want to know if spending $1500 for a developmentally challenged dog makes sense or will it just mean emotional and financial grief for years to come.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

I'd say that the puppy needs a good health exam by a vet to find out what is causing the difference between the little one and the rest of the pups.
While this might be a case of a pup with a low birth weight not getting enough food or having too many parasites you might also be seeing the result of a heart, liver, or kidney issue.
Some of those are repairable issues such as a liver shunt or a patend ductus arteriosus in the heart. Some of those may not be fixable and the pup may not live past puppyhood.
As a breeder I'd be at my vet looking for a diagnosis on a pup that was like this.
As a buyer I would not pick this puppy without knowing exactly what was wrong first.
Hope this helps you!

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