Milana is treated for ballerina syndrome

Milana is a one-year-old donkey who resides at Hannigan’s Farm in Liscarroll, and earlier this year, her grooms noticed she was walking on the tips of her toes.

Veterinary Surgeon Jesus Buil says: “This is known as ballerina syndrome, a condition that causes donkeys to be unable to fully weight bear through the soles of their hooves. This can happen in young donkeys who are rapidly growing.

“In April, we worked with our farriers to start Milana on a corrective treatment. We initially tried physiotherapy, but Milana wasn’t progressing in the way we would have hoped.

“Our next step was to fix an acrylic mould to her hooves and conduct remedial trims every fortnight.

“Milana was also given anti-inflammatories and monitored closely to ensure she was comfortable and free from pain.”

Thankfully, Milana started to improve, avoiding the need for an invasive surgery which would have involved cutting the tendons to prevent the problem from getting any worse.

Thanks to your support and the expertise of our veterinary team, Milana has had the moulds removed and can happily trot with ease.