Cooper is not an ordinary dog. That is evident at first glance. He has a visible disability that uniquely shapes his body.
Behind this lies a rare disease.
Dogs with disabilities are an inspiration to us all
Cooper was born on a puppy farm, already an indication that his start in life was not an easy one.
When his rescuers found him, they didn’t believe that a dog with Cooper’s handicap could even survive.
The American Foxhound is one of 30 dogs worldwide that were born with an extremely rare hereditary disease.
Why serious breeding is so important
The cause is inbreeding, as is often the case when health is not a priority in breeding.
But what exactly makes Cooper so unusual?
Click here for a photo of this special furry friend:
Cooper’s spine is extremely shortened and appears to be fused or merged, giving the impression that Cooper has no neck, let alone the middle part of his spine.
Cooper’s handicap makes life difficult for him
For Cooper, this means that moving is as challenging as doing his business because his digestive tract is also extremely shortened.
Several families who adopted Cooper from the Secondhand Hounds shelter found the deformed dog with handicaps not attractive enough for them.
Fortunately, not all people are so terribly superficial. As a result, Cooper found his forever home with Elly Ceagan and her family.
After a challenging start, Cooper is ready for his surgery
To make matters worse, Cooper also suffered a bone fracture and a severe infection. However, a miracle occurred, and the dog recovered from both.
With that, he became fit and healthy enough to undergo surgery. Although he now looks a bit more charmingly comical because his bottom always sticks up, his digestive tract is now much better, allowing him to handle important business more easily.
Cooper now lives a happy and relatively healthy dog life with plenty of love and affection. The dog with a handicap has even become a real social media star.
Perhaps this furry friend will help raise awareness for disabled dogs, as they equally deserve our love and care just like all other four-legged companions.
