How did Narwhal the puppy get that second tail on his face? How is it possible that a tail grew out of a dog’s forehead?
These are the questions people are asking as news of Narwhal the puppy sweeps the nation. To Facebook, Rochelle Steffen, the owner of the animal rescue center in Missouri that examined Narwhal, offered up a few pieces of information.
Here’s what you need to know:
Narwhal’s Tail Isn’t Actually Connected to His Nervous System
She first clarified that Narwhal is in no pain whatsoever, despite the bizarre but adorable tail growing out of his face. She did admit that they were first concerned that his tail might have a “growth spurt” and “become an issue,” but has since visited a vet. Narwhal underwent an x-ray, and doctors learned that his second tail, which is a third of his other tail, isn’t actually connected to his nervous system, and won’t ever serve an actual function.
So no, unfortunately Narwhal’s face tail will never wag.
Still, Narwhal’s caregivers are taking every precaution, and have established that they will not give him up for adoption until they watch him grow a bit more and ensure without a shadow of a doubt that his tail won’t grow anymore.
Steffen Called Narwhal a ‘Unicorn Puppy’ & Said Her First Question Was: Will His Tail Wag?
In an interview with TODAY, Steffen said that as soon as she saw Narwhal she was transfixed. “I looked at him, and I was like, ‘This is the most ridiculously adorable puppy I’ve ever seen,” she said. “Then my million-dollar question was, ‘Did the tail wag?”’
She added, “I’m not gonna lie, I really wanted to name him Wipers.”
Alas, his tail will never wag. But that doesn’t make him any less cute. In a Facebook post, Steffen wrote a status that pretended to be from the perspective of Narwhal. The medical miracle pup “wrote,” “It’s me Narwhal!! I don’t understand what viral is but my foster mama said my story being viral helps ALL our special needs dogs here at the Mission. You are welcome. I am super excited for being the poster child for ‘special is awesome’. Sleep tight, k thanks, Narwhally.”
Though Narwhal had no medical problems, people have still poked fun at his bizarre anatomical makeup. One person wrote on one of the Facebook statuses about him, “It appears they assembled the puppy wrong. Always follow the directions people!”