'Picasso' dog with crooked snout wins Internet's hearts

March 7 (UPI) -- A dog dubbed Picasso after being born with a misaligned snout has become a viral celebrity ahead of undergoing surgery.

The Luvable Dog Rescue in Oregon said Picasso and his brother, Pablo, originated from a backyard breeder in Porterville, Calif., and ended up on death row at a shelter when the breeder was unable to find homes for them.

The center said Picasso will undergo dental surgery for tooth problems resulting from his misaligned snout, but veterinarians don't believe they will need to attempt to correct his snout.

"Picasso is healthy and not suffering from his birth defect," the rescue said in an Instagram post. "However, he does have a canine tooth digging into his lower gum due to the misalignment of his jaw that probably does hurt and should come out."

"His jaw is fine, the deformity is in the top part of his nose," rescue executive director Liesl Wilhardt told The Huffington Post. "The jaw hinge is not deformed. He can open it normally."

She said Picasso is able to use his mouth normally -- or close to normally.

"He can eat sideways, but he's a very messy eater," she said. "Same with water."

Wilhardt said Picasso and Pablo will be up for adoption as a bonded pair after the dental surgery. She said Picasso's viral fame on the rescue's social media pages has led to adoption inquiries from all over the world.