Cooper, a dog from Virginia, is making a name for himself online. Cooper has short spine syndrome, a rare condition wherein the vertebrae are compressed and fused. This was caused by inbreeding and resulted for Cooper to have half the body of an average dog.
Despite Cooper’s deformity, his owners, Elly and Andy Keegan, still consider him to be the happiest dog. Elly said that many dogs with the same condition as Cooper are euthanized. This makes her so sad because Elly believes that they can still live a healthy and happy life, just like Cooper.
Gooooob morning everybody! We have house guests this weekend, so I've been putting on extra charm. Do you think this face will win them over?
Posted by Cooper – Short On Spine, Big On Love on Saturday, July 28, 2018
Back in the summer of 2017, Cooper was rescued by the animal control officers near an alleged puppy mill in Halifax, Virginia. He was only two months old then. It was believed that Cooper was abandoned due to his birth defect.
Fortunately, an animal rescue center in Minnetonka, Minnesota contacted Secondhand Hounds. They took Copper in and treated his worms, ear mites, and hernia. Cooper then caught the attention of the Keegan couple, according to Fox News.
Elly said that Cooper is such a friendly dog. She said that she finds it unconscionable that his breeders threw Cooper away when they realized that they wouldn’t make money out of him. Because of Cooper’s corkscrewed spine, he seems to have a short body and no neck. Unlike other dogs, Cooper has to move his entire body for him to look behind him.
Short-Spine Dog Is Everyone's Best Friend
This dog doesn't look like anyone else in the world ❤️
Posted by The Dodo on Thursday, January 31, 2019
Cooper’s condition also caused him to have difficulty in defecating. He had to undergo surgery for his bowel functions to be corrected. Now, he’s already able to go all by himself.
Elly also said that Cooper is unable to go for long walks and can’t stay long on hard surfaces. He should be on soft ground such as carpet or grass. Cooper has also had some scary complications due to his deformity.
However, despite all these, Elly says that Cooper revels in it. He enjoys living a normal, happy life with his pet parents and pet siblings. Cooper even became a social media star!
Credits: The Dodo, Cooper – Short On Spine, Big On Love
