A miracle named ‘Skipper’: Puppy born with six legs and two tails, beats odds to survive

Beating the odds, a ‘miracle’ puppy has been born in the US with six legs, two tails, and some unusual medical conditions. Named ‘Skippy’, the puppy is an Aussie Border Collie mix, and was born six days ago at Neel Veterinary Hospital in USA’s Oklahoma City.

Sharing her picture, Neel Veterinary Hospital in Oklahoma City wrote in a Facebook post how she has beaten the odds after all the medical conditions stacked up against her. The hospital said the puppy was born with a single head and chest cavity, but she has six legs, two tails, two pelvic regions, two lower urinary tracts and two reproductive systems.

”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,” Neel Veterinary Hospital wrote on Facebook.

As for the reason behind this, veterinarians’ say that she was supposed to have another sibling, but the foetuses didn’t separate properly while they were in utero. Though Skipper has been born with abnormalities, experts still believe she has a good chance of leading a healthy and long life. She has been gaining weight like any other newborn.

According to her owners: “She is moving well, eating well, and the potty issues have resolved. We are continuing to encourage her to build strength and she is pushing herself to do more. She is following a path to a happy and healthy life.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to help with her medical expenses, surgeries, or vet visits that she might need in future.