Two-Headed Dog Demikhov Experiment

In the 1950s, a Soviet scientist named Vladimir Demikhov pioneered the field of organ transplantation using dogs shocked the world by unveiling a surgically created monstrosity: A two-headed dog. In one infamous experiment, he effectively transplanted entire canine upper bodies (including front legs and head) onto an adult dogs.This operation was planned and realized by Demikhov despite prohibitions of the Health Ministry.

The basic diagram he used to illustrate the procedure

The scientist explained that the canine head was attached by joining major blood vessels, they had a mutual circulation. Moreover, a dog had an ablated heart and lungs, so it lived due to respiration and blood circulation of a big dog.


Remarkably, both dogs were alive and kept their own personalities. The canine was as playful as any other puppy. It growled and snarled with mock fierceness or licked the hand that caressed it . The adult dog was bored by all this, but soon became reconciled to the unaccountable canine that had sprouted out of its neck. When the canine got thirsty, it lapped milk eagerly. According to Demikhov the puppy didn't need to eat or drink, as it gained all its nourishment from the adult dog. In fact, when it did drink, the water went down its throat and out onto the adult neck.

Unfortunately, the experiment wasn't a total success: "After 30 days of life together, both heads and the common body died.".You can watch the video below

(Warning : Graphic images that some viewers may find disturbing)

Vladimir hold the canine to perform the surgery

The successful surgery

Vladimir Demikhov and the two headed dog