An adorable dog born with a rare spine condition that resulted in his length being halved is capturing the hearts of internet users with its unusual physique.
Cooper the American foxhound is a 2-year-old pooch with half a spine that was born with a genetic disorder due to inbreeding.
Watch Dog With Rare Spine Condition That Caused His Length To Be Halved!
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Because of his condition, Cooper was abandoned as a pup until animal rescuers saved his life by raiding a puppy farm in Virginia, US.
Following the ordeal, the pup was taken in by an animal shelter called Secondhand Hounds who treated him for worms, ear mites, and hernia.
Fortunately, a kind couple, Elly and Andy Keegan, heard of the abandoned dog and welcomed him into their family where he gets to live with three other dogs.
“The condition means that Cooper has a screwing and corkscrewing of his spine. It is fused in two places – on his neck and on his rear,” Elly said.
“He looks like he has no neck and to look behind him he has to turn his whole body. When he was found he was in very poor condition. His butt is on his back and it was all matted. He couldn’t go to the bathroom properly which was causing him a lot of issues.
“I am lucky to have the support of Secondhand Hounds and the right environment for a special needs dog.”
Despite their unconditional love for the pooch, the couple admitted they weren’t free of dramatic incidents since Cooper joined the family.
“That’s not to say we don’t have incidences. A few months after he came he had a fall and fractured his neck in five places,” Elly added.
“A couple months ago he was starting to show signs of pain again and he actually had a bone infection called osteomyelitis.
“Because his spine is so compromised, it was dangerous but luckily we got it under control with antibiotics. But he’s still the happiest dog.”
While their family isn’t the most conventional one, Elly confirmed that Cooper is a “key member” of their family.
“Many dogs with conditions like Cooper’s are euthanized which makes me so, so sad. They have so much living to do and Cooper is a real example of that. He has a happy, normal little life now and is a key member of our family,” she added.
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Replaced!