‘Miracle’ puppy born with six legs and two tails due to genetic disorders

Skipper is an Aussie Border Collie mix with six legs and two tales (Facebook)
Skipper is an Aussie Border Collie mix with six legs and two tales (Facebook)

A puppy in the US has been branded a ‘miracle’ after genetic complications caused it to be born with six legs, two tails and other unique traits.

The pup, named Skipper, is an Aussie Border Collie mix that was born six days ago at Neel Veterinary Hospital in Oklahoma City. All of Skipper’s legs can move and respond to stimulus and the vets say she is eating and growing normally. Sadly, her mother rejected her so she is being bottle-fed. And while she appears to be doing well, the vets say Skipper may need physical therapy and mobility assistance when she gets older.

Skipper has a pair of congenital conjoining disorders called monocephalus dipygus and monocephalus rachipagus dibrachius tetrapus.

That means she has ‘one head and chest cavity but two pelvic regions, two lower urinary tracts, two reproductive systems, two tails and six legs, among other things,’ according to posts on Facebook.

She also has signs of spina bifida along her spine.

science 9287611 six-legged puppy - This is a miracle named Skipper. Literally. She has survived longer than we suspect any other canine has (at just 4 days old - published research does not indicate one has been born alive) with her combination of congenital conditions. You might notice she looks a little different - 6 legs! She has a type of congenital conjoining disorders called monocephalus dipygus and monocephalus rachipagus dibrachius tetrapus which simply means she has 1 head and chest cavity but 2 pelvic regions, 2 lower urinary tracts, 2 reproductive systems, 2 tails and 6 legs among other things. It is likely that she was going to have a litter mate but they did not separate in utero. She also has signs of spina bifida along her spine. Positively, her organs appear to be in great shape, she is peeing and pooping, and is very strong! She nurses well and is growing appropriately so far. All of her legs move and respond to stimulus just like a normal puppy. Its possible she may need physical therapy and assistance with mobility as she gets older. We will continue to research her conditions, monitor her development during rechecks and help keep Skipper pain-free and comfortable for the rest of life. She is doing well at home now.
An X-ray showing Skipper’s conditions (Facebook)
Because Skipper has been rejected by her mother and will need special care, her owners have set up a GoFundMe page to help with the costs of treatment and possible surgery. ‘She will require many vet visits and possibly future surgery to fix some issues if they arise,’ organiser Jenny Golden wrote on the page.

Why are dogs’ noses so wet? Dogs’ noses secrete a thin layer of mucous that helps them absorb scent. They then lick their noses to sample the scent through their mouth.

Skipper has gone home with her owners but the experts at Neel say they’ll continue to monitor her conditions and development ‘and help keep Skipper pain-free and comfortable for the rest of life.’

science 9287611 six-legged puppy - This is a miracle named Skipper. Literally. She has survived longer than we suspect any other canine has (at just 4 days old - published research does not indicate one has been born alive) with her combination of congenital conditions. You might notice she looks a little different - 6 legs! She has a type of congenital conjoining disorders called monocephalus dipygus and monocephalus rachipagus dibrachius tetrapus which simply means she has 1 head and chest cavity but 2 pelvic regions, 2 lower urinary tracts, 2 reproductive systems, 2 tails and 6 legs among other things. It is likely that she was going to have a litter mate but they did not separate in utero. She also has signs of spina bifida along her spine. Positively, her organs appear to be in great shape, she is peeing and pooping, and is very strong! She nurses well and is growing appropriately so far. All of her legs move and respond to stimulus just like a normal puppy. Its possible she may need physical therapy and assistance with mobility as she gets older. We will continue to research her conditions, monitor her development during rechecks and help keep Skipper pain-free and comfortable for the rest of life. She is doing well at home now.
Skipper’s owners are documenting her journey on Facebook (Facebook)

Skipper’s owners announced she is crawling around well, with her outside legs dominant and has learned to climb out of her bed.

‘She is moving well, eating well, and the potty issues have resolved,’ they posted on Facebook. ‘We are continuing to encourage her to build strength and she is pushing herself to do more.’

Skipper is the right weight for her age and hitting her development milestones.

‘She is following a path to a happy and healthy life,’ they wrote.

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