Dog in Southern Leyte goes viral for unusual appearance

A three-year-old dog in Tomas Oppus, Southern Leyte, has captured the attention of netizens because of its unusually short body and the apparent absence of a neck.

According to Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, many people thought at first glance that Bailey was still a puppy because of its tiny frame.

"His body is only about one and a half handspans long. His legs are long, but they don't look proportionate because his body is very short," owner Lynn Casenarez said in Filipino.

Bailey's unusual appearance has left many neighbors curious.

"My neighbors were surprised when they first saw him. They kept asking what had happened to Bailey," she added.

Lynn adopted Bailey in 2023 when he was still a puppy. At that time, they did not know yet that his body was unusually small because it wasn't obvious yet.

As Bailey grew older, however, the family noticed that his body never developed like other dogs. They also observed that his hind legs appeared stiff whenever he walked.

"That's when we started to notice that his body was somewhat short. We never really had him diagnosed by a veterinarian," said Lynn.

Despite his condition, however, Bailey remains active and affectionate.

"Whenever he sleeps, he always stays beside my daughter. We really love him. He's part of our family."

She added that Bailey is generally healthy and enjoys running outdoors every afternoon, although he gets tired more easily than other dogs.

"He's healthy. We let him out every afternoon and he can still run. But compared to other dogs, he gets out of breath more quickly, so we don't let him walk too far," she said.

According to Kuya Kim, Bailey may have short spine syndrome, a rare congenital condition in which the vertebrae are shortened and fused. As a result, affected dogs appear to have short bodies with their heads seemingly attached directly to their shoulders.

The condition is believed to develop while the puppy is still in the womb due to abnormal spinal development.

Veterinarian Dr. Glenn Albert Almera explained that dogs with short spine syndrome can still live normal lives, depending on how well they adapt to their anatomy.

"There's a good chance that dogs like this can live normally because their life expectancy depends on their adaptability. Since they were born with this malformation, even all of the nerves, the vessel, adjust accordingly to their anatomy," he said in Filipino.

While there is currently no treatment for short spine syndrome among dogs, proper care and regular veterinary checkups can help manage their condition.

"Proper management. In dogs with short spine syndrome, the weight of their body compresses because their ribs are attached to the thoracic vertebrae," he explained.

"Often, they can also develop breathing problems, so that's what we need to focus on. It's also important to remember that regular veterinary checkups are essential." —Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News