Lucas the penguin lives at the San Diego Zoo.
Lucas, a San Diego Zoo penguin with a chronic condition called"bumblefoot" that makes walking painful, can now waddle and hop with ease again thanks to a new pair of orthopedic boots.
"'Bumblefoot' is a word we use for pododermatitis in birds," meaning inflammation of the skin of the foot, Dr. Beth Bicknese, senior veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo, said in a video interview shared by the zoo. Birds don't build up calluses on their feet as effectively as mammals do, and this leaves their feet vulnerable to the condition.
In Lucas' case, his bumblefoot stemmed from a spinal infection that he developed more than three years ago — specifically, an infection of the discs that act as cushions between each vertebra. The inflammation from this infection damaged the penguin's spine, leaving him with muscle weakness in his legs and an inability to properly stand upright on his toes.
Because so much time has passed since Lucas' initial spinal infection, zoo caretakers do not expect the penguin to fully regain the lost nerve and muscle function, Bicknese said. Prior to receiving his new boots, the 4-year-old African penguin was treated with pain medication, physical therapy and acupuncture, but these measures didn't improve his condition.
It's likely that Lucas will always need some sort of assistive device, like the new boots, Bicknese said in the video."For the rest of his life, we'll be doing different mitigations to try to keep his feet as healthy as we can and keep him as comfortable as we can."
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