Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ newly adopted rescue puppy is being treated for a parasite, delaying his arrival at their New York City home.
The couple shared the update with PEOPLE on Sunday, October 18, at the Broadway opening of Other Desert Cities at the Hudson Theatre.
“Any day now,” Consuelos, 55, said of the expected homecoming. Neither he nor Ripa, 56, identified the parasite or described the treatment.
“We are like expectant parents. I started nesting last night. I couldn’t sleep,” Ripa told Live with Kelly and Mark viewers earlier in the week.
Mark Consuelos Met the Puppy During Adopt a Dog Week
The puppy appeared on the October 12 broadcast as part of the show’s annual Adopt a Dog Week. New Jersey rescue organization Pet ResQ Inc. brought him to the studio, where he settled into Consuelos’ arms and fell asleep during the hosts’ opening conversation.
According to TV Insider, the show’s adoption listing described him as a four-month-old Shih Tzu who had recently been rescued from a puppy mill.
“I saw a kinder, gentler you,” Ripa told Consuelos, recalling how he had walked into her dressing room with the puppy.
She had some reservations about adopting a male dog because the couple had previously owned only females. Before making their decision, they brought their dog Lena to the studio for an introduction.
Ripa said Lena was cautious at first, but the pair ended up playing alongside each other. The hosts planned to introduce them gradually as the dogs became more comfortable together.
On the October 13 broadcast, Consuelos announced that they had adopted the puppy the previous day. At that point, they were still waiting for medical tests to be completed.
Their Children Have No Vote on Lucas Versus Javi
The naming conversation began before Consuelos had decided to keep the dog. He suggested Javier, or Javi, while speculating that the puppy might be part Havanese. Ripa pointed out that he already had a name: Lucas.
By October 14, their three adult children, Michael, Lola and Joaquin, were offering suggestions. Ripa recalled her response during the conversation covered by TV Insider: “Stay out of it. You don’t live here.”
The hosts limited the choice to Lucas and Javi, then asked their studio audience to vote. Javi received louder cheers, and the show also posted a poll on Instagram. PEOPLE reported on October 19 that the couple still hadn’t settled on a final name.
They have renamed rescues before. Chewie originally shared a name with their daughter, Lola, so the family chose a name inspired by her resemblance to Chewbacca from Star Wars.
Lena’s original name was Angelina, after Jersey Shore cast member Angelina Pivarnick. Ripa shortened it, although Consuelos had wanted to call her Leia to continue the Star Wars theme.
The New Puppy Reminded Ripa of Chewie
Chewie died in February 2025 at 17. The Shih Tzu had joined the family through Live in 2007, and Ripa became emotional while announcing the loss on the morning show, as Inside Edition documented at the time.
Lena, a Maltese/Shih Tzu mix, arrived in March 2021 after her own appearance on the program. As Us Weekly reported at the time, Ripa announced that adoption on March 16, eight days after viewers first met her.
Ripa had envisioned choosing another small black dog who looked like Lena. Seeing the new puppy in Consuelos’ arms made her think of Chewie instead, and she told viewers she felt their late companion might have sent him to them.
She had previously described how Chewie remained beside the couple as their children grew up and moved out. When the children returned for visits, the dog waited by the front door to welcome them.
There was another familiar connection behind the scenes: Ripa said the Live producer who introduced them to the new puppy was the same person who had first handed Lena to her.