KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — A seven-month-old German Shepherd in the US born with six legs, an extra colon, four testicles and two penises has survived two surgeries, with one more to go to remove the unnecessary limbs and organs.
Raga was sent to VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Indiana last year where hospital manager Anita Horne said the rescued puppy ‘probably should not be alive’, USA Today reported.
One of Raga’s penises appeared to function correctly, but his body was sending faecal matter to the other, resulting in hospitalisation and heavy duty antibiotics to knock down an infection.
But he kept playing, running around, with his extra legs flopping behind him, so hospital folks drew up a plan with two of the hospital’s surgeons.
Veterinarian Jae Tobias said Raga had an extra bladder, ureter, colon, pelvis, penis, four testicles, and two extra legs that were partly joined.
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While veterinary literature has shown several similar cases, most dogs are stillborn or die very young.
A surgery for Raga was scheduled in December that took out the extra limbs and pelvis.
A follow-up surgery in February saw the removal of the bulk of the abnormal internal organs, including the extra penis, and associated urinary tract.
Raga’s final procedure will see the removal of the two last testicles that are buried in his abdomen.
For now, Raga is doing well and has been adopted by the hospital’s technician supervisor, Gina Elliott.
