Ulf Tubessing, 28 Dec 2023 Hi everybody. What is your opinion on this 6-day old giraffe calf? The left ossicle seems fractured and is flat on the head. I can’t get closer, as the mother is very protective. Erik Verrynne, [28 Dec 2023 at 13:52:23]: Hindlimb ataxia. It looks like upper motor neuron involvement. My guess would be spinal or brain trauma as result of the same insult that caused the fractured left ossicle, and likely to be a kick from a giraffe bull. Ulf Tubessing, [28 Dec 2023 at 14:12:53]: I tend to agree about trauma, but imagine it would be without a head if kicked by a bull. I see hypermetria in all 4 limbs but joints also seem to be over extending/lax Erik Verrynne, [28 Dec 2023 at 14:16:07]: Maybe not a full hit. Unless you want to orphan it, I would give it time if it is suckling well. Those young animals are often amazingly resilient when it comes to trauma recovery. Ampie Viljoen, [28 Dec 2023 at 15:50:20]: I would give it time and not do anything, Ulf. I’d say the abnormal gait is because of lax flexors in all 4 limbs(front>back). Should improve markedly in a week or 2. The outspoken hypermetria (hind>front) is a little difficult to explain with this scenario though, but maybe just because the front limbs overextend. Proprioception seems OK, so maybe the CNS fine Ulf Tubessing, [28 Dec 2023 at 15:52:14]: I was thinking of allowing nature to do what it does best. I was just wondering if others have seen similar cases and what the outcome was?
