Rescue Team Found This Puppy Who Has a Tail Growing Out of His Forehead

Rochelle Steffen, the proprietor of a shelter in Missouri for dogs with special needs, has had her fair share of experiences with canines who require specialized medical attention. She mentions in an interview that some of the dogs have been mistreated, while others have been born with birth deformities such as spina bifida or even an extra leg.

The number of animals abandoned by their owners or discovered as strays vary from state to state across the United States. The percentage of animals in shelters is higher in the American West than elsewhere. Jackson, Missouri, may not be in that region, but many dogs are abandoned there.

Mac’s Mission staff were correct in their judgment on going out that particular day because they found two abandoned dogs—an older dog and a puppy. Sadly, the cute little furball was injured. He likely suffered frostbite on one of his paws while walking around the chilly streets.

Animals with extra parts are not unheard of. There was the calf born with two heads, a puppy with six legs, and a cat with extra fingers who could pick up things like humans do. These stories all made the headlines, so an additional body is not shocking to the team from Mac’s Mission.

The curiosity about the pup’s extra tail, which was approximately a third the size of his real tail, continued. The veterinarian’s X-ray found that it appears to have “no genuine use,” from what they can tell. According to Rochelle Steffen, there’s no medical need to remove it, which is why she decided that the forehead tail would not be removed for the time being.

The Mac’s Mission founder has stated that even if she believed the tail was there to stay, she was still unsure if it would need to be amputated. The entire team promised to keep everyone posted on their social media page once they’d had more time to have the vet look at him.

Mac’s Mission’s vet stated there was no need to remove the appendage because an X-ray revealed no bones, and the puppy didn’t appear to be bothered by it. Professor Margret Casal of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine stated that the most likely explanation for how the puppy got his face tail is not endearing. There was a good chance that the tail was the fur baby’s parasitic twin.

When an embryo divides in half relatively soon after fertilization, regular identical twins are created. Conjoined twins can result when this split occurs too late in pregnancy, and the halves don’t completely separate. Asymmetrical late splits, in which one half of the embryo develops into a fully formed person, and the other becomes an extra body component, are even more uncommon, according to Dr. Casal.

David Kilroy had a different opinion on the puppy’s extra tail. According to the doctor, who specializes in head anatomy and development at the University College Dublin School of Veterinary Medicine, at first, he believed it was a computer trick and not real. Nevertheless, he claimed that after viewing the images and X-ray, he resolved that it appeared to be some strange protrusion of skin.

It wasn’t long before the puppy’s frostbite mended, so the next thing to do was for Rochelle and her team to name him. The group unanimously decided to call the fur baby “Narwhal the Little Magical Furry Unicorn,” or Narwhal for short. This adorable puppy’s name comes from a type of porpoise that develops a tusk on the center of its head.

As if the extra tail on his forehead doesn’t make him cute enough, Narwhal had to be of a mix of two adorable dog breeds, dachshund and beagle. The beautiful family watchdog known as the Doxle also goes by the names Beaschund, Beweenie, and Doxie. They are affectionate, fun-loving, and curious, combining some of the most remarkable traits of both parents.

Narwal is not the only one special in this story, where he finds his way to was equally as special. Formed by Rochelle Steffen, whose pit bull Mac serves as the charity’s namesake, Mac’s Mission “specializes in special.” Overstretched shelter systems may choose euthanasia for dogs with special needs or medical issues unless Rochelle’s organization steps in to help.

Mac’s Mission’s success stories are some of the most inspiring any animal lover will ever hear. There was Truman, a member of the presidential puppy litter, who was born in an appalling situation. He was severely ill and developed a full-body septic infection and joint infections.

It was on November 8, 2019, when Rochelle posted the news of Mac’s Mission’s social media page. She stated that her team found one adult dog and a puppy about 10 months old. Along with the announcement, Rochelle made a request for donations.

According to Rochelle, the rescue group immediately received hundreds of applications from people wanting to adopt Narwhal, but they have had to turn them down since they are waiting for him to mature a little more and make sure the tail doesn’t become a nuisance. We could not help but imagine Narwhal’s former owners as one of those who filed an application.

If people who saw Narwhals’s photos and videos instantly fell for him, what more do those who see him and interact with the pup daily? Rochelle disclosed that she had made the decision to house the dog herself a few weeks after the news of the rescue went viral.

When asked for other reasons she kept Narwhal, Rochelle stated that she was concerned that the dog would be used for financial gain. She added that if money were to be made from the pup, she would prefer to see it donated to the rescue organization that saves thousands of canines.