Pooch Born with Unique Spinal Condition Exhibits a Smile That Melts Hearts!

A cheerful dog from Virginia is warming hearts despite his rare condition of having only half a spine. Meet Cooper, the two-year-old American foxhound who suffers from short spine syndrome, resulting in compressed and fused vertebrae. This deformity leaves him with half the body of a regular dog. However, Cooper’s owners, Elly and Andy Keegan, said that their furry friend remains the “happiest dog” they know. Many dogs are euthanized for similar conditions, but the Keegans believe that their beloved pet has so much life to live and is a valuable member of their family.

Cooper’s tale started during the summer of 2017 after being rescued by animal control officers near a suspected puppy mill in Halifax, Virginia. According to Fox News, Cooper was just two months old at the time he was saved. The officers speculate that he was abandoned due to his birth defect.

Meet Cooper, the friendly pup!

Cooper, a lovable pup with a unique spinal condition, was taken in by Secondhand Hounds, a shelter located in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The shelter treated Cooper for ear mites, worms, and a hernia, until Elly and her husband noticed the friendly dog’s lovable demeanor. Elly expressed her disapproval of Cooper being thrown away due to his inbreeding-induced condition that caused his short, corkscrewed spine and made him appear neckless with a short body. Despite this, Cooper still manages to look behind him by turning his entire body around.

Elly shared with the media that Cooper faced some challenges due to his fused spine. The poor pup had trouble using the bathroom, but thanks to surgical intervention, he can now go on his own. However, Cooper still has limitations and cannot endure lengthy walks or hard surfaces. Elly mentioned that he needs to be on soft ground like grass or carpet.

Elly shared that despite living a fairly typical life for a dog, Cooper has faced some frightening complications due to his deformity. One incident involved a serious neck fracture in five different places after he fell, while another was a diagnosis of osteomyelitis, a bone infection. Because his spine is compromised, the infection was dangerous, but fortunately, it was brought under control with antibiotics and Cooper made a full recovery. Despite these challenges, Cooper can keep up with his canine siblings, Skylar (13), Waylon (3), and Tuva (4), and live a happy life.

Cooper is enjoying his time with his puppy siblings and has even been selected as a potential participant in a study at Purdue University for short-spined dogs. According to Elly, Cooper’s owner, he is quite the attention-grabber wherever he goes and has gained quite the following on social media. Secondhand Hounds is the organization that rescued Cooper and specializes in saving animals that are at risk through adoption, rehabilitation, and hospice care. Since its inception in 2009, Secondhand Hounds has saved over 16,000 pets to give them a second chance at finding their forever homes. As of 2016, there were only 17 known short-spined dogs on Earth, but the number has likely increased since then. Nonetheless, the exact number of dogs living with this rare condition is currently unknown.