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“The condition has many characteristic abnormalities, with the vertebrae remaining in a cartilage state instead of transitioning to bone.
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Some of the vertebrae can fuse together, leading to a hunchbacked appearance and a restriction in movement.
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The compression causes the vertebrae to remain in their cartilage form, rather than strengthening into bone. The condition is the result of severe compression of the vertebrae of the spinal column. Typically, they will also be smaller in stature than dogs of the same breed. As writes, all dogs born with Short Spine Syndrome share similar traits, including sloping backs, short, broad necks, rear legs that are longer than the front ones, elongated jaws and either no tails, docked tails, or shorter than normal tails. Dogs born with the condition have a spine that’s been, quite literally, shortened. Short Spine Syndrome is exactly what it says on the label. But what exactly is Short Spine Syndrome? Find out as we look further into the curious condition and meet some of the remarkable dogs living with it. Thankfully, its incidence is extremely rare – as of 2020, only 30 dogs in the entire world are reported to have it. While you’re at it, spare a thought for the dogs born with Short Spine Syndrome, a condition that results in a shortened spine and a hunchbacked appearance. The facility has nearly 200 dogs available for adoption, as well as cats and a rabbit named Echo.īen Farniok is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune.If you’ve ever found yourself being scolded for hunching your back, spare a thought for the people who don’t have a choice in the matter. While it’s hoped that Quasi will eventually be given a permanent home, he will stay with a foster family until he is deemed healthy, according to a Facebook post.Īmong other animals cared for by Secondhand Hounds, a nonprofit animal rescue organization, are Roo Roo, a terrier mix missing two legs, and Traveler, a paralyzed pit bull puppy. Like two other dogs with this condition, Quasi was named after the protagonist in the novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”Ī human geneticist is working with Secondhand Hounds to use Quasi’s DNA to attempt to find the cause of his condition. Quasimodo is one of only 14 dogs in the world to be diagnosed with short spine syndrome, which cannot be fixed surgically.Ī video on his page shows him playing with his foster family, who are looking after him as he recuperates from surgery earlier in the week.įound as a stray and taken into a shelter in Kentucky, the rescue workers there thought his growth had been stunted by being confined in a cramped kennel, until they discovered his unusual medical condition, according to his Facebook page. “Quasi is able to walk and run, just like other dogs, he just does it in his own way,” a recent post on his Facebook page said. Though it renders Quasimodo unable to move his neck and gives him a distinctive gait, it doesn’t cause any pain. The condition can’t be fixed with surgery. His back slopes down and his tail is a stump. Quasimodo is one of only 14 dogs in the world diagnosed with short spine syndrome, a condition in which the spine is compressed and shortened, according to a Facebook post. The dog’s caretakers established a Facebook page - Quasi the Great - that attracted nearly 70,000 likes in its first week, and he’s been featured by major media outlets such as CNN and Esquire. Since his arrival at Secondhand Hounds in Eden Prairie last month, 4-year-old Quasi is becoming a Facebook favorite and a media darling. The purebred German shepherd has an extraordinarily rare deformity that leaves him with undersized hindquarters, accentuating his burly neck and shoulders and giving the impression of a hunched back. Quasimodo has a short spine, but a growing following.