Russian scientist Vladimir Demikhov, who is widely considered to be a pioneer in the world of transplants, created around 20 of the dual-brained beasts
A REAL-life doctor Frankenstein created TWO-HEADED dogs during the Cold War which walked around, lapped up water and even barked.
These incredible pictures show the frightening creations of Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov, who is considered a pioneering figure in the world of transplants, according to a leading US surgeon.
Speaking with The Sun Online, Dr John Conte, one of the world's most recognised authorities on heart transplants, insists Demikhov’s work was “ingenious” and credited him with proving “that transplantation was possible.”
Demikhov created at least 20 of the creatures in communist East Germany in the 1950s and 60s.
And while most of the beasts only survived for a few days, one of them lived for a staggering 29 days.
Dr Conte, of John Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, praised the Russian-born doctor’s technical ability.
He said: “He had to be technically perfect – it’s just amazing how he did this at a time when we barely knew how to sew blood vessels."
Dr Demikhov's most publicised experiment in 1959 grafted the upper body of a two-month-old puppy onto the body of a German shepherd named Pirate.
Crucially the animals’ blood supplies were combined while they both still retained their own immune systems.
The Soviet scientist and his team had performed dozens of similar operations, including the world’s first lung transplant and the first coronary artery bypass operation on an animal.
Demikhov amputated the puppy’s lower body meaning the animal retained its heart and lungs.
The two dogs' vital blood vessels were then exposed and sewn together using a needle and thread.
The vertebraewere joined together using plastic strings.
Dr Demikhov’s creation made headlines around the world, and reporters watched with horror and amazement as the dogs drank water and walked around.
But while the smaller dog could lap up liquid, she was not connected to the host creature’s stomach resulting in the water flowing out of a tube onto the floor.
Dr Conte told The Sun Online that the dogs died from transplant rejection because of a lack of immunosuppressive agents at the time.
He added: “But he was really working on the technical aspect and he was really quite ingenious guy with great surgical skills.”
Dr Conte said: “The cases with just the puppy's head involves connecting the blood vessels of the two animals together.
“Now before immune system comes in and causes the rejection, the dogs are going to be able to function for a short while.”
He added: "I suspect people thought he was a mad man, doing these horrible things to animals - ‘how could a human do that?’
"But most people would acknowledge that Demikhov was the guy who proved that heart and lung transplantation was possible.
"He did so many experimental things – this was a guy who was looking outside the box."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours
