Rare 6-month-old Wisconsin puppy with extra leg waiting for forever home: ‘Never seen anything like this’

Chris Oberholtz
Updated ·2 min read
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MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Bella is no ordinary pup.

Maybe it's because she's the first five-legged dog a Wisconsin animal shelter has ever seen in their 145-year history.

The 6-month-old puppy was recently surrendered to the Wisconsin Humane Society's Kenosha campus. She’s one of the few documented cases of dimelia in a dog – ever, the shelter said.

"I’ve never seen anything like this in a dog," said Nancy Weiss, the shelter's medical director. "Her radiographs are quite extraordinary."

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Bella's extremely rare congenital anomaly causes the duplication of bones, resulting in an extra leg inside her right hind leg.

A typical canine hind leg consists of one femur, tibia, fibula and 4-5 toes. X-rays of Bella's affected leg indicate an extra femur, two tibias, two fibulas, and nine toes on her rear paw.

"We were all just as floored as you likely are when we saw the X-rays," the shelter exclaimed.

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The condition causes an abnormal gait while she walks or runs, the shelter said, as they sought advice from a surgical specialist. They considered surgery, which included amputation, but decided to monitor her comfort since she's currently using the limb comfortably and there are potential risks associated with surgery.

"The extra bones and condition do somewhat affect her mobility," said Angela Speed, vice president of marketing and communications for the shelter. "Although she loves to go for walks and run around in our play yard."

Bella is expected to be available for adoption Friday, and shelter staff are optimistic she’ll get adopted soon.

"We have a sea of dogs and puppies looking for homes right now, but Bella is extra special," Speed said. "Who wouldn’t adopt this loving unicorn of a pup?"


Original article source: Rare 6-month-old Wisconsin puppy with extra leg waiting for forever home: ‘Never seen anything like this’