A miracle puppy at the Neel Veterinary Hospital in Oklahoma City was born with six legs and two tails.
Skipper, an Australian border collie cross born in a litter of nine, continues to beat the odds despite having numerous medical conditions, including spina bifida – a defect that affects the spinal cord and vertebrae.
But the adorable pup has been showing positive signs and has also been gaining weight!
Veterinarians believe that Skipper was supposed to have another sibling but the fetuses were not able to successfully separate while they were in their mother’s uterus.
“She has survived longer than we expected any other canine (with her conditions) has,” the Neel Veterinary Hospital wrote on Facebook.
Dr. Alison Everett told KFOR: “I don’t think I’m probably gonna see another puppy in my lifetime like this. I would say she’s probably one of a kind.”
Everett continued: “What we think happened with her is that sometime during development, when the body normally starts patterning itself … she started trying to split, almost like trying to form a twin, and it just didn’t complete itself.”
She told KFOR that Skipper is not showing “any outward signs of any pain or discomfort” and is “moving around like a healthy puppy.”
In another Facebook post, Neel Veterinary Hospital shared an update on how the adorable pooch is developing.
“Her organs appear to be in great shape, she is peeing and pooping, and is very strong!” the hospital said.
“She nurses well and is growing appropriately so far. All of her legs move and respond to stimulus just like a normal puppy.”
Skipper’s inspiring story also caught the attention of dog-biscuit company Milk-Bine, which is helping cover her hospital bills and gave her a lifetime supply of treats!
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Replaced!