# Donkey With Digestive Blockage... Died



## suzie (Nov 28, 2010)

Just some information

My female donkey (11 years old) suddenly started to expell fluid from her mouth and nose in huge volumes - I rang the Vet and he came immediately - he sedated her with the intention of flushing her throat as she was apparently suffering from a blockage - she died very suddenly and I am heartbroken ... so if your horse/donkey does start to act in this manner please contact your Vet as soon as possible - it may save them! Good luck!


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## TigerLilly (Nov 28, 2010)

I don't have any donkeys, but I am sorry for your loss.


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## freemotion (Nov 28, 2010)

How devastating that must've been....I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## michickenwrangler (Nov 28, 2010)

How awful ... I'm so sorry.


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## suzie (Nov 29, 2010)

Thanks for your kind words - hopefully it will never happen to anyone else - it can happen to horses too!

I am devastated, as are some of our other animals here, we have two other donkeys, two horses, two goats and an endless amount of geese, ducks and chickens - one of my goats has been so traumatised she has hardly eaten since this happened - all she wants to do is suck my thumb... she did this as a very young kid.

Unfortunately this is one of those times that I feel maybe I could have done something more or noticed sooner that she was in distress - I have to live with my thoughts... so sad but hopefully this may help somebody in the future - that will be my consolation and my darling donkey may not have died in vain!

Thanks again


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## Baymule (Nov 30, 2010)

I am so sorry for the loss of your donkey. Most people don't know it, but donkeys are very stoic when in pain untill it becomes intense. So don't blame yourself, it can be extremely difficult to know when your donkey is ailing.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Nov 30, 2010)

Im very very sorry...that must of been tough...on you both...Im soo sorry...


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## suzie (Nov 30, 2010)

Baymule

You are So Right!

I didn't know until recently that Donkeys tend to keep their ailments to themselves - they are very proud animals - I am now intensively studying their traits, hopefully, although too late to save my girl, I MAY be able to help some of my others in the future


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## adoptedbyachicken (Nov 30, 2010)

For my donkey it can be as simple as him being turned away from the herd that tips me off.  He is really hard to read, he stays with the herd and looks fine, but then he is not attentive to them, turning his face or whole body another direction.  Other time it can be that he is too attentive to me, or following me more than usual (he is very friendly so this is a real close call) that makes me look into him further.

So sorry for your loss, I know when I first got this guy he got too sick before I figured it out, and I'd have been devastated to have lost him over that.  Thankfully in my case antibiotics set him straight.


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## pw30 (Dec 19, 2010)

So sorry for your loss.  I have only had donkeys just over a year.  Reading these posts will be very helpufl.


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## w c (Dec 22, 2010)

It's not always something one can prevent.

It sounds as if the animal had a very severe blockage or rupture.  Such a terrible shame.

Some animals have had their digestive system damaged before we ever got them.  Many animals aren't wormed  routinely - especially if not wormed during the first months and years of life, parasite activity can damage the digestive tract permanently.  This makes the intestinal tract work unevenly, and can lead to a twist or a clump of food.  

Too, animals that are kept on sand or around debris, can pick up a lot of sand that later blocks the intestine, or, a bit of a nail or piece of hardware can get into the digestive tract, and a 'stone' (enterolith) form around it.  It often isn't debris from the current land owner - junk can work up through the ground that was buried or dumped there eons ago.  My neighbors were appalled to find their pony with a badly sliced up foot - hubby went out and walked the pasture with a magnet, and found a while row of metal fence posts - broken off just above the surface of the ground!

It's probably to late, but an autopsy might have shown what caused the blockage.  Then one can make any changes needed, if possible.  Since many blockages are due to previous damage - often there is nothing one could have done for that animal.  But it did make us very vigilant for hazards after our friend lost her pony.  Her pony couldn't have been helped as the damage was done bfore they even got him, but she did a lot of research after and shared it all with us.

First, she found that many colics are associated with vaccinatable illness, and she urged all of us to stay up to date with our vacccination program (we already were).  

Providing good quality hay - not too rough and stalky, and not too fine(tends to wad up or pack), helps the feed be processed and the intestinal tract to work normally.  

Cleaning up feeding areas - being on the lookout for bits of metal, wood, plastic, nails and the like, can help prevent ingesting hardware and enteroliths.  Magnet sweepers can be used to go over loafing and feeding areas from time to time.

Putting a stall mat or two out over any sandy feeding areas, can help prevent horses and donkeys from picking up too much sand.  In sandy areas, some people have hay feeders with a flat tray below, to catch all seeds and bits of feed, so the animals do less nibbling around in the sand.  

Reducing stocking rates, so fewer animals per acre are on the pasture or grassy areas, can help prevent animals getting down into the soil and nosing around for bits of grass.  

There's nothing that can be done many times, but most horsemen go way out of their way to be sure 'nothing could be done'.


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## suzie (Dec 26, 2010)

W C

That is very interesting - She never seemed quite right - we purchased her in September and she was almost disinterested in her new surroundings - ears always back and she always looked lethargic - her male donkey companion ( whom we purchased with her) was totally different - he is thriving with my two horses.

Having spoken to the previous owners they said she was always enthusiastic which we found hard to accept, when we collected her from them she was much the same as she was here - we had previously visited her and observed that she was "quiet" (if that is how to describe her demeanour) - we bought her as the donkeys came as a pair which was OK by us, we wanted to give them both a good life here  - I feel that she was not healthy when she came to us (on reflection), however, that is something I will never be sure of, I did all I could do for her given the rapid deterioration in her health on the Sunday morning when she was so ill, here in France they don't place any emphasis on donkeys (sad to relate) - a post-mortem would not have bought her back to us and I have to give credence to the Vet who attended her - he was good but she was obviously beyond help at that stage - I only wish she could have survived.... her mate misses her as I do - she had an untimely death - but that aside, if it can help anyone else to diagnose a problem and have a positive result then her life will have been worth it! Bless you my beautiful girl R.I.P 

I wish you and all the people on this site a vey happy and healthy New Year and all of your animals too!


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## w c (Dec 27, 2010)

Well quite a few donkeys I've been around are very, very quiet animals, even when healthy.  I think they actually can be hard to read - I think kthey have an instinct to not obviously show any pain or illness.

I suspect that it is difficult to buy a donkey that really is in super health, they seem to be the most neglected of the equines.  

They need the same attention to their feet and digestive health as horses, basically.  Yet I see so many that are grossly overweight, feet are not done regularly, they've got a worm belly - even little babies.  It's so sad.  We've got a really nice breeder of donkeys near us but my gosh I have seen some awful conditions at other places.

For heaven sake, this is the type of critter that carried Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Don't you see the cross on his back?


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## suzie (Dec 27, 2010)

W C 

I have to agree, we rescued a five year old donkey earlier in the year and it's hooves were hideous - the farrier said he didn't think Leo's hooves had ever been attended to before. Leo couldn't walk nor lie down properly but after a few visits from the farrier Leo is thriving - he now canters around the field with goats and one of our dogs and they play all day long - it is so good to see him happy!

He has had all of his veterinary care so he is ok now until Spring - it is disgusting that some people have animals and don't care for them properly! Why do they bother with having animals they can't or don't look after? Arrrrrggghhhh!


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