Cheyenne Mountain Zoo giraffe on the road to recovery after splay

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s baby giraffe, Penny, is recovering after an abscess was found in her rear leg.

Penny was the 200th giraffe born at the famous mountain zoo when she was welcomed on June 4.

Penny was off to a great start after birth until she splayed at nine days old. Splaying means the animal’s legs go out from under them, it can be life-threatening and has different levels of severity. ( PHOTOS )

Penny began having troubles with her right rear leg, which caused her to shift her weight to her front legs. Penny was closely monitored and fitted for casts on her front legs. Veterinary staff discovered Penny had an abscess and were able to drain some fluid from the area.

As of Monday, zookeepers say Penny is comfortable and is moving around despite a few tumbles.

When asked how serious Penny’s condition is, Animal Care Manager Jason Bredahl, said they are monitoring her with 24-hour care.

“We’re watching for things like how well she’s taking the bottle, how well she is being able to move around with all four legs,” said Bredahl.

Bredahl says Penny’s condition is something the zoo usually doesn’t see.

“I’ve seen over 20 giraffe births and we’ve never seen one where they’ve had a splay issue like this,” said Bredahl.

You can support Penny through the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website and follow along with updates through the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Facebook page.