But the border collie and Australian shepherd mix is unique from the rest of her litter: she was born with six legs.
Skipper, of course, was born with eight siblings on February 16 in Oklahoma during a major snowstorm, Dr. Tina Neel, owner of Neel Veterinary Hospital, told CNN.
After the storm, Neel said Skipper’s owners took her to the hospital so veterinarians could examine her.
“Our doctors knew we needed further imaging to make a diagnosis, so we donated the service of an abdominal ultrasound,” Neel told CNN.
“The ultrasound, together with X-rays, showed that she had two types of congenital disorders, called monocephalus dipygus and monocephalus rachipagus dibrachius tetrapus, which means she has one head and chest cavity, but two pelvic areas, two lower urinary tract canals, , two tails and six legs, among others. ‘
Neel said Skipper was probably part of a twin in the womb “and when the fertilized egg tried to split, it did not completely separate.”
“So only the back half of her body could duplicate,” Neel said. “She also has signs of Spina Bifida along her spine.”
One week after her birth, Neel said Skipper was thriving.
“She’s a strong girl! She loves nursing and is able to kick around like a normal puppy,” Neel said. “We think she may have to overcome a few things, but she’s determined at the moment and thriving. Our vets and her family see no reason not to give her the best chance at a wonderful life.”
However, the vets are still watching Skipper, given the uniqueness of her situation.
“We will continue to investigate her condition, monitor her development during check-ups and keep Skipper painless and comfortable for the rest of her life,” the veterinary hospital wrote in its Facebook post. “She’s fine at home now.”