Ariel is a female Cocker spaniel 5-month-old that appeared abandoned in the parking lot of a supermarket in Wales last November. This could be another sad story of abandonment, if not for the fact that the dog has six legstwo of them in the shape of a mermaid tail, two hip joints on the same side, two vulvas, a uterine tube No Exit and the right kidney absent. After her abandonment, this dog with a mermaid tail was taken in by the association Greenacres Rescuefrom where she contacted a team of veterinarians from the University of Bristol who had just successfully operated on her, after fundraising.
First the ovaries were removed and then the two extra legs in the shape of a mermaid tail. There was a time when she feared for one of her four functional legs, but fortunately, despite not having all of her muscles, could be saved.
Now, she is no longer a dog with a mermaid tail. But she is still a very special puppy, who has a long season of breeding ahead of her. canine physiotherapy. There is no shortage of people interested in taking her in, so she is predicted to have a happy future, even though her beginnings could have been terrible. But not because he was born different, but because he was born surrounded by people who considered that the only possible option was abandonment.
The dog with a mermaid tail that reminds us of a human syndrome
As explained in a statement from the University of Bristolthe case of this dog with a mermaid tail is reminiscent of a human disease, known as Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndromewhich is characterized by fusion of the two Müllerian ducts. These are structures that appear during the embryonic development of both sexes and that little by little become differentiated in the genitals from each of them. In the case of females, these ducts become the uterus, fallopian tubes and cervix.
The problem is that, when fused, they usually give rise to structures like a didelphys uterus, divided into two cavities separated by a partition. An obstructed hemivagina also usually occurs, where a vagina divided in two also appears, but with one of its parts not connecting with the rest of the reproductive system. Furthermore, it produces renal agenesis. That is, due to the absence of one of the kidneys or even both.
The similarities with this dog with a mermaid tail are clear. In his case, he also had a duplication of the hip bone and two extra non-functional limbs, which were also fused. It was precisely this fusion that gave it the appearance of a mermaid’s tail and inspired its rescuers to name it Ariel.
A complicated operation
The operation of the dog with a mermaid tail has not been easy. A multidisciplinary team composed of radiologists, soft tissue surgeons, anesthetists and many more professionals. Furthermore, as it was carried out in a veterinary center belonging to the University of Bristol, they have attended studentsboth veterinary and veterinary nursing.
Ariel’s case is unique and, without a doubt, has been an ideal opportunity to learn about exceptional situations.
The intervention has been complicated for obvious reasons. But above all because of the need to save the right hind leg. At all times she was careful not to damage her nerves or her blood vessels, so that it would not be necessary to remove her as well. From now on, Ariel will need a lot of physical therapy to strengthen the muscles and compensate for those that are missing in this limb. She must also have a good veterinary check to detect any possible infection. But the worst has passed. Now, even without a mermaid tail, Ariel can start swim towards the rest of his life.