Last month, a little puppy made a milestone of being the first-ever canine to overcome the odds after being born with six legs. She was named Skipper by her caretakers at the Neel Veterinary Hospital in Oklahoma City and is in fantastic condition and moving like a healthy puppy since her conception.
The little survivor is a Border Collie-Australian Shepherd mix who weighs 11-oz. upon birth last February 16. According to the facility’s Facebook page, she came into this world with six legs, two tails, two pelvic regions, two lower urinary tracts, and two reproductive systems.
In a statement with local news station KFOR, a veterinarian named Dr. Everett at the Neel Veterinary Hospital said she probably wouldn’t see another puppy like Skipper in her lifetime. The vet proceeds to describe her as “one of a kind,” granted that she has four back limbs, two front limbs, two tails, and two anuses. The hospital explains that Skipper possesses several conjoining disorders referred to as monocephalus dipygus and monocephalus rachipagus dibrachius tetrapus, which has caused her extra appendages.
Fortunately, her organs are in great shape, and the hospital is happy to announce that she is very strong and pooping well. They added that the sweet little darling is nursing and growing appropriately so far.
For more good news, Dr. Everett reports that Skipper has not shown any outward signs of pain or discomfort! However, she may require physical therapy and mobility assistance as she grows older because of her condition. The kind vet also says that they are uncertain about how things are wired inside her or how her development might fare, so they are unsure about how long she will live. She does admit that she may have a shorter life expectancy compared to the average puppy.
In the meantime, though, Skipper is a happy and healthy puppy, and Dr. Everett says that the situation is very exciting and described it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get to know her and discover what she can teach them.
We wish you nothing but a good and healthy life, Skipper!
Source: Neel Veterinary Hospital / Facebook