Six-legged cocker spaniel undergoes life-saving surgery after receiving $19,000 from Good Samaritans

A six-legged dog that was found abandoned in a car park has recently undergone surgery to remove its two extra limbs, according to a report from the New York Post. The cocker spaniel was affectionately named Ariel, after Disney's "Little Mermaid," because her two additional limbs looked like a tail fin.

The procedure was made possible by the Good Samaritans, who donated $19,000 for the pup's medical costs. She was found at Pembroke town center in September, and it turned out that she had several birth defects, including an additional vulva and just one kidney.

She was taken in by the Greenacres Rescue charity, based around Haverfordwest, and is currently receiving care from a foster family, according to the Telegraph.

Aaron Lutchman and Ed Friend — the two surgeons who worked on Ariel — managed to save all four of her working limbs after initial worries that one of them might have to be amputated.

“She’s doing really well, she’s bounced back and she’s a happy little dog and we’re hoping she’s going to go on to lead a fabulous little life,” Lutchman said.

“She’s got her own little character and even though she’s had a tough start in life she really has done well to come through this as she has ... if we can do what we can to help then that’s just absolutely brilliant.”

The condition behind the additional limbs is known as polydactylism. It is a genetic anomaly that causes some dogs to be born with extra toes on their paws. It can affect the front or hind limbs. These additional appendages can be fully formed, with bone and nail structures, or they can manifest in small and underdeveloped ways.

Polydactylism is an inherited trait in dogs, handed down from generation to generation.

“Due to having two hip joints on one side, Ariel’s pelvis never formed properly,” Mikey Lawlor, founder of Greenacres Rescue, told the New York Post.

“As a result her normal back right leg had virtually no muscle tone, so there was a possibility that might have had to come off too. Thankfully that wasn’t the case though as it’s shown signs of having strengthened a lot in recent months.”

“The procedure went very well and Ariel took it all in her stride,” the vets at the Small Animal Referral Hospital Lankford posted to Facebook following the procedure.