Plasma transfusion for giraffe calf, Dobby

Denver Zoo staff has teamed with Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to support giraffe calf, Dobby. Born Tuesday, February 28, Dobby had difficulty standing and nursing. Supplemental feeding was provided and the calf did begin nursing. However, bloodwork yesterday showed the calf wasn’t able to receive enough infection-fighting proteins from his mother, Kipele Janie, in his first day of nursing. This morning, staff provided Dobby a transfusion of plasma to restore his antibody levels to normal. Zookeepers and veterinarians are trying to boost his immune system with colostrum-replacer and today’s transfusion of plasma, which was generously donated by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.