This newborn has new corrective shoes and is walking around. Buzz60’s Tony Spitz has the details.
A baby male giraffe born with leg abnormalities at a Seattle zoo is taking his first steps with some help from custom-made therapeutic shoes.
The Woodland Park Zoo’s animal health team radio graphed the baby giraffe’s rear legs hours after his birth on May 2, when vets noticed each of his rear foot was not in normal alignment.
“The condition is known as hyperextended fetlocks. It is well documented in horses and has been reported to occur in giraffes,” said Dr. Tim Storms, associate veterinarian at Woodland Park Zoo.
A day after his birth, the zoo’s health staff applied casts on both of the giraffe’s legs to help stabilize his limbs. The zoo’s exhibit team also specially crafter two-piece shoes made of high-density polyethylene and plywood with grooves for better adhesion to the foot and for better traction.
Video by Buzz60/Tony Spitz[/vc_message]