Woodland Park Zoo

In the spring of 2019, I was invited to help the Animal Health Care team at the Woodland Park Zoo.  A newborn giraffe had arrived.  However, his rear legs were unstable and he was unable to stand.  His hocks were soft and hypermobile and his pasterns rested on the ground.  His condition made it impossible for him to nurse properly and the outlook for his survival was grim.

I was asked to lend my expertise in kinesiology taping to help him, but we also quickly recognized the value that laser therapy might provide as well. The veterinary staff had a Thor laser unit available and I brought my ActiVet Pro laser with me.  We treated his back, neck and hindlimbs daily for the first few weeks.  With a set of specialized platform shoes, kinesiology support tapings and regular laser  treatments, little Hasani (which means handsome in Swahili) was soon up and getting around on his own.  Within a few months, his development has caught up with the rest of his growing body and he was able to join the herd!

Check out video of Hasani here: https://blog.zoo.org/2019/07/hasani-explores-savanna.html