Cooper, a two-year-old dog, is thought to be one of only around 30 canines in the world born with the extremely unusual short spine disease.
Cooper seems more like a cartoon or caricature character than a genuine dog because of his basic appearance, that is, without a neck and a huge head.
Even though a dog born with no neck and butt on the back resembles a cartoon character, it defies the odds.
Cooper is an American Foxhound, although he was born in an illegal kennel in Halifax, Virginia, on a so-called “puppy farm.”
Local pet rights activists took all of the dogs from the kennel when it first opened to the Minnesota State Shelter.
It was there that it was discovered that one of the puppies had an extremely rare condition known as truncated spine syndrome.
The dog’s head passes directly into the body as a result of this syndrome, and he is unable to turn his head but can only look straight ahead.
Cooper has some difficulty walking on straight surfaces, but he is otherwise a very average dog.
Even though a dog born with no neck and butt on the back resembles a cartoon character, it defies the odds.
Cooper, despite his odd appearance, is endearing in his own right, especially when he smiles.
Maybe that’s why Ellie and Andy Keegan chose him as the dog’s owner when they went to the shelter.
The Keegans are great dog enthusiasts, and they already had three dogs of various kinds at home before Cooper – Skylar, Tuva, and Waylon.
“Despite walking issues and a bone deformity, Cooper is a joyful dog,” explains Ellie Keegan.
Even though a dog born with no neck and butt on the back resembles a cartoon character, it defies the odds.
Cooper arrived at the shelter in a dreadful state, and few believed he would make it.
The puppy was unable to stand and was infested with fleas and worms.
The shelter personnel, however, miraculously managed to get him out.
“Unfortunately, his medical difficulties persisted when he joined our family. He once took a nasty fall and broke his spine in five places in the neck area! And around two months ago, he started acting as if something had caused him a great deal of pain. He was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a bone infection. The most painful part of his body is his spine. Fortunately, we can treat it with antibiotics for the time being.”
Even though a dog born with no neck and butt on the back resembles a cartoon character, it defies the odds.
Cooper also had spine surgery, which made it a little easier for him to walk thereafter.
Cooper is an outgoing dog who attracts a lot of attention wherever he goes.
“It is well documented that the majority of puppies born with this disease were euthanized shortly after birth. It’s all about closely linked breeding, they say, and it’s because of that that such a problem emerges. It’s heartbreaking to consider such things and breeders’ deception. But now this dog has a loving family that will look after him, and he will spend the rest of his natural life with us.”
