So, I took in a mini Donkey...help!

[justusnak]

I was asked by the rescue I work with, to take in a mini donkey. He was found running loose in a park in a big city. The ACC that took him in, really has NO IDEA how to care for farm animals...however by law they have to take in whatever they are brought. So, anyways....This little guy was brought to me today...

covered in mud, and poo! He has the runs, something terrible, and it is all down his legs. I have him in a stall, with grass hay and water, and I am going to go get him a salt block. My question is this....could the runs just be from stress? He was astray, then thrown in a half acre mud lot with 3 large horses and 2 large pot belly pigs. I am sure he is stressed out.....then with the hour long ride here. We are still unsure of his age, I have someone coming down in a few to check his teeth...and feet, if we can. Is there something I need to add to his diet to help with the runs?

 

[goodhors]

Just hay should help to start. Try not to feed him the best stuff, alfalfa, especially the later cuttings.
That is VERY rich food for a donkey, they don't need that to eat well. Kind of like giving a kid all
sugar laden foods, just not what their system needs.

Grassy hay if possible, lesser quality, is best for donkey who is designed to get 110% from every bite
of weeds and brush they can scrounge. No grain advised at this time. Salt block, water, hay piled away from
any other critters who might scare him. Spread out the times he is offered the hay, not one big pile to
eat off of all day long. A flake in the AM, part of a flake mid-day, flake at night. Minis do not NEED huge
quantities of hay, do quite well on very small amounts. Especially true if he is under the 35" height. They
get obese looking at PHOTOS of food!

I would give him at least 24 hours, even 48 hours, see if he settles down and gets better poop by Monday.
If not, give the Vet a call, see what they might advise at that point. He will have had time to eat, drink,
have the food working thru him.

Wet beet pulp in small amounts, a couple CUPS WET if he isn't drinking well, with some salt mixed in. That
is one Tablespoon or so of table salt added to help him hold his water in body, drink more and prevent dehydration.

Forgot to add that he needs a place to stay in that will let him be dry. Donkey's do get wet, don't always dry
well. Wet to the skin might chill him, so he gets sick. If he is so yucky behind that you MUST wash him, you can
try blowing him drier with a shopvac on blower side. Or rub him dry with a bath towel rag if he won't let you
blow on him. Maybe make him a blanket cover with a big towel, to hold in the body heat while he dries in a stall,
out of the wind and wet. Hope he finds a home.

 

[justusnak]

Thank you so much for replying. He has already calmed down some. I was able to get a brush to him this afternoon, and get some of the dirt off. He was very calm through the brushing, and even leaned into me. I will be offering him pumpkin tomorrow, see if that helps to calm the runs some. I marked his water bucket, so I can see if he is drinking...I hope he will. He is in a stall, in the barn, dry and out of the winds. I have named him...Freedom. Since he was a free stray.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I don't have any advice different from goodhors, but wanted to say thanks for taking the little guy in. He is very cute in the face and looks like he will be a lover some day soon.