Nova Scotia Couple Welcomes a Surprising New Addition: A Green Puppy!

Dogs are known for their adorable quirks, but a Canadian couple from Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, recently experienced an extraordinary surprise with the birth of a green puppy! Audra Rhys and Trevor Mosher, proud owners of Freya, a female valley bulldog, were in for a shock when Freya gave birth to a black amniotic sac on January 27th.

Initially fearing the worst, Rhys and Mosher assumed the oddly colored pup inside the sac was stillborn, especially as she arrived separately from the seven other healthy pups delivered by Freya in clear sacs. However, their concern turned to awe when the little green miracle started to show signs of life.

"We started to dry her off and noticed she was green, and immediately again thought there was something wrong. So we Googled, 'My puppy is green, what's wrong,'" Rhys shared with Global News. Fortunately, it turns out that while green puppies are exceptionally rare, they are usually born healthy.

Veterinary reproduction specialist Bronwyn Crane, DVM, MS, from the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island, explained the rarity of such occurrences. "I don't know if I can find an exact rate of occurrence, but I would suspect it is [less than] 1:10,000," she stated, emphasizing the uniqueness of the situation.

Though the exact cause of the green hue remains uncertain, it is believed that some light-colored puppies may develop a green tint due to contact with a pigment called biliverdin during their development. Biliverdin, the same pigment responsible for the greenish hue of bruises, can occasionally contaminate the placenta and amniotic fluid, coloring a puppy's fur. Importantly, this isn't the result of artificial dye applied after birth.

The little green pup, affectionately named Fiona after the beloved character in Shrek, joins a rare lineage of shamrock-colored canines that have made headlines over the years. Fiona follows in the pawprints of Hulk, a golden-green Labrador born in England in 2012, and Forest, a green golden retriever pup born in the Scottish Highlands in 2017.

Rhys expressed her gratitude for being part of this extraordinary event, acknowledging the fleeting nature of Fiona's unique coloring. Green puppies tend to lose their distinctive hue as they grow, and Fiona, initially a light lime green, is expected to lose her color within a week or two.

While the couple plans on keeping Fiona, they are open to finding her a forever home with a close family member if circumstances require. Rhys shared her amazement at the widespread interest in Fiona's story, emphasizing the joy the little green puppy has brought to so many. As Fiona continues to captivate hearts, her story remains a testament to the wonders that nature can unfold, even in the form of a surprising and uniquely colored addition to a loving family. 

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