Like with a parasite infection, some donkeys with dental disease are asymptomatic. Sick donkeys will need good nursing care and tempting feed (see fact sheet for Hyperlipaemia). All sorts of treatments exist for hyperlipaemia, and your equine vet will prescribe one based on the cause of the condition. The quick attach to the hoof wall, again by tissue. Blood tests will be required, probably twice yearly once your vet is happy that the donkey has stabilised, to monitor the ACTH levels and response to treatment. The donkey may also sit or lie down whenever they can so they’re off their feet. Like we people can get respiratory infections, the same can happen to your mini donkey. These are more common. Another disease that many mini donkey owners contend with at some point or another is laminitis. Symptoms include genital pain or burning and swelling of the genitals, urinating frequently, a yellowish vaginal discharge, and vaginal itching or burning. The most commonly used drug is a tablet called metformin and your vet will advise how and when to use this. If your foal is still ill about a week after showing signs of Rotavirus A, call your equine vet. Jacks, while infected, are generally asymptomatic. In humans, the syndrome refers to a set of risk factors that are associated with development of Type II diabetes and heart disease. Get your mini donkeys and other farm animals vaccinated for botulism. Their stomachs can also swell. A longer incubation window may be as long as 72 hours. Amongst our donkey population we do not often see these signs, so PPID can go unnoticed. If the donkey is completely tick-free, you can reintegrate them to the farm with the other animals. Horses, however, may be severely affected, exhibiting coughing and wheezing. The precise cause of the gland damage has not been proven, however the severity does seem to increase with age. Five respondents (21% reported death of their donkeys. However, it can occur in older animals and EMS and PPID can occur concurrently. With this condition, your donkey’s fat reserves become mobilized. Horses and Sunburn or Photosensitivity Eye Infections and Injuries in Horses Hind Leg Problems in Horses Spruce Up Your Inbox! Allergies and viral bacterial infections are other causes to be aware of. The donkey was discharged, and 3 weeks later no clinical abnormalities were present. To identify the risk factors for the occurrence of the most common disease. The test results will need to be interpreted alongside the clinical signs that the donkey is demonstrating. Vesicular stomatitis. Treatment for STDs in women depends on what caused the infection. You want to get them the best help so they can recover, but without knowing what’s causing the affliction, it’s hard to do that. At present the tests used are the same as those performed in horses and ponies. If they paw at or roll on the ground, that’s a sign your donkey needs medical attention immediately. This is recommended for foals four weeks or older. Even if a healthy animal gest too close to a sick animal’s saliva and blisters, that’s enough to get them sick. stops eating and has a “snotty” nose. Piroplasmosis occurs through ticks and their bite. This is an important aspect in management of donkey diseases/condition; wrong handling of donkeys while undertaking any examination may lead to the animal being un-friendly and therefore difficult to restrain. Most donkeys and horses with strangles will have what looks like a runny nose with a yellow discharge. Equine besnoitiosis was first described in horses and donkeys in Sudan in the 1920s. Can A Mini Donkey Be Trained Using Treats? It can take weeks to months to arrive at the correct dose for any individual donkey and the dose may need adjusting throughout their life. By quarantining the ill foal, other animals on your farm won’t be infected. As for current cases, you want to quarantine your sick animals. Herpesviruses are well recognized as causes of neurolog-ical disease in horses and other species.1 In horses, disease is mostly characterized by myeloencephalopathy manifesting with clinical signs referable to … While most of the time, a case of strangles isn’t fatal, it can be if your mini donkey is young, ill, older, or otherwise not healthy. Coronavirus and rotavirus are the leading causes of this viral condition. Hyperlipaemia. Piroplasmosis. The specific part of the gland that is affected is called the ‘Pars Intermedia’ and this is why the disease is more correctly termed ‘Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID).’ Cushing’s disease affects humans, dogs and cats, amongst other species but the area of the pituitary gland affected in equines is different, which is why different clinical signs are seen. Many horse owners these days (including me) have a donkey or two on their property. Also, the donkey won’t keep food in their mouths and they will have noticeably bad breath. Failing to care for a mini donkey’s oral health is the primary cause of dental disease. As we said, the incubation period is very brief, sometimes as little as 24 hours. Colic also has several types, although almost all increase a donkey’s respiratory and heart rates. The H7N7 strain may not even exist anymore. Another gammaherpesvirus, EHV-7 (also known as AHV-2), has been isolated from the blood of a healthy donkey and from the nasal secretions of a mule after an outbreak of respiratory disease . Unusual vaginal bleeding 6. In more serious cases, the symptoms persist for longer, such as multiple weeks. The average mini donkey temperature is 98.78 degrees Fahrenheit, so any hotter than that indicates a fever. Administer anti-inflammatory medication and let your mini donkey get plenty of rest. In the future, make sure your donkey gets an oral health check every year. If your mini donkey has piroplasmosis, you need to keep them away from all other animals in your farm or stable, 300 feet or further. West Nile is one of several mosquito-borne viruses that cause neurologic disease in horses. Besides that, should you reuse a dirty syringe or needle on your mini donkey and a horse/donkey with piroplasmosis had also been stuck with it, the other animal may now have the disease? The animal also develops anemia and fever. Use anti-inflammatory medication on the mini donkey and other infected animals to control swelling. Whether your miniature donkey has fallen ill or seems injured, it can be a scary time for you, their owner. It is caused by a bacterium that is carried most commonly by deer ticks and transmitted through tick bites. Depression or dullness could result as well. Colic can occur from pancreatitis three percent of the time and neoplasia four percent of the time. Donkeys typically have longer coats than horses but do look out for a coat that seems excessively long over the summer months. Mastitis is a disease present in sows and it has symptoms such as reduced milk production, higher body temperature and loss of appetite. Best of luck! Grazing outdoors in the grass where the parasite lives is the main way to develop lungworms. Mouth ulcers may also occur, as can oral swelling. Below: X-rays showing a normal donkey foot (left) and a laminitic foot. If they don’t get medical attention for this condition soon enough, the foal could die. The condition can lead to paralysis. This study revealed that EHV-7 could be recovered from the nasal secretions of approximately 8% of healthy mules (n = 114) and donkeys (n = 13). Another 13 percent are attributed to unexplained causes. by Ryan | Jan 8, 2020 | Health & Care, Learn. Equine Tetanus. If you have a sick foal, try a nasal spray vaccination. Unusual or odd-smelling vaginal discharge 5. Signs and symptoms that might indicate an STI include: 1. Such insulin resistance is associated with an increased risk of developing laminitis. There are several different methods of performing blood testing and your vet will explain to you any dietary requirements or conditions necessary to perform the selected test. This causes a spike in blood fat levels. This dewormer medication should free your mini donkey of all lungworms. The same is true if they share the same bedding, feed, trailers, or equipment. Look to your jennets or female donkeys if you suspect she and a jack may have CEM. The animal’s upper respiratory tract is infected. Your mini donkey may stop eating as much, and they could be dull. Sores or bumps on the genitals or in the oral or rectal area 2. The reserves move to the liver, becoming glucose the donkey can use for energy. The Dictyocaulus arnfieldi or equine lungworm is often ingested by mini donkeys and other equine animals. An infected donkey may be asymptomatic, but that doesn’t mean the lungworms don’t do anything behind the scenes. For that reason, their teeth continually grow. What is Lyme Disease in Horses? If the condition goes unchecked, laminitis could cause a mini donkey to lose shoulder area muscle. White line disease has many other names: stall rot, hollow foot, wall thrush, and seedy toe. Horses and ponies with PPID are typically identified by long hairy coats, (notably the winter coat is retained for a longer than normal time), excessive sweating and excessive urinating and drinking. It may help if you can try to monitor a donkey’s water consumption, if you think that they may be drinking more than usual. Full size. In that tract is lymphoid tissue, which begins to develop abscesses. Mycotoxins can affect donkeys through contaminated food or bedding. This again could be fatal. 2. This foot condition can cause intense pain to the donkey. In a report released last month titled Under the Skin, the Donkey Sanctuary notes that donkeys are silent carriers of many diseases and often do not show signs of sickness. If your mini donkey already has botulism, hightail it to the vet. A horse or mini donkey’s hooves, lips, gums, and tongue can develop telltale blisters. If your mini donkey tends to favor one leg over another, the leg that supports the weight could develop laminitis. Anthrax. Strangles. an increased susceptibility to recurrent infections and parasite burdens. Other symptoms can clue you in that something is wrong with your young mini donkey. Copyright 2020 | This site is owned and operated by Communication and Design Inc., a company headquartered in Illinois, USA. Up to 10 different parasite species affect mini donkeys and full-sized donkeys that do not infect horses. That’s quite a lot of infected donkeys out there! The disease is caused by a bacterial infection of the mammary glands, … Once the foal begins their bout of diarrhea, it can go on for four days and sometimes even last for a week. The way your mini donkey stands will subtly shift with a case of laminitis. Should the jennet become pregnant, she may be unable to give birth because of the disease. There’s no way to know without a n exploratory surgery, and we aren’t going to put Harriet through that. These eggs latch onto the mini donkey’s mucus, ending up in the throat. Several viruses may affect the donkey such as Equine Influenza, Equine Herpes Virus (and a donkey-specific Herpes virus called Asinine Herpes Virus). Few conditions occur in mini donkeys more frequently than a dental disease. If you notice those two symptoms in conjunction with one another, then schedule an appointment with your donkey’s equine vet. Apparent sunburn on the pink skin of a horse’s nose can sometimes be due to liver disease causing photosensitisation. In this extensive guide, we’ll cover the above afflictions in more detail, including symptoms, causes, and treatments. When commencing any change in diet it is particularly important to monitor your donkey’s appetite and demeanour and contact your vet if you have any concerns. In fact, the incidence of donkey infestation is not known. The donkey will swallow the eggs, again unknowingly, and release them in their feces. If the donkey has a disease that causes a negative energy balance, they could also get this condition. Mini Donkey Health Issues to Look out For. In the light of these considerations, it is important to study in detail of those diseases that could only appear subtly in the donkey due to their stoicism in manifesting certain symptoms, to trace the path of a new line of research, providing information on their effects on health, welfare, working performance, and production. Ponies and donkeys appear more prone than horses. Avoid quarternary compounds, chlorhexidine, and bleach, as these will not work as a disinfectant. Donkeys with repeatedly high faecal worm egg counts should be assessed for the possibility of PPID. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can have a range of signs and symptoms, including no symptoms. Painful or burning urination 3. As in other species commonly kept as companion animals it is important to avoid obesity to help maintain your donkey in the best of health. This is most often seen in the first few weeks of medicating. Signs of laminitis in donkeys (above, clockwise from left): increased lying down; muscle wastage in shoulder area; rings of abnormal hoof tissue which diverge towards the heels. Horses are usually better in 3 days, but may have symptoms up to 6 months. It is essential to remember though that medication can only aid treatment. disease when infected. Use phenolic disinfectant foot dips and other cleaning products to scrub down the foal’s stall. From infections to diseases and illnesses, these health problems can affect full-sized donkeys and miniature donkeys alike. Donkeys are typically not intensively exercised animals but if you think that your donkey is gradually getting less energetic, has a poor demeanour or has experienced a change in body shape then it is worth speaking to your vet about PPID. Thanks to the way their feet are, the mini donkey can hold their body weight and withstand the pressure put on their legs as they support themselves. Diseases and Conditions Horse-health-problem risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment; ... Ass—The correct term for the animal commonly known as the donkey, burro, or jackstock. They make great companions, and most horse folks think they are adorable. To that end, IV fluids and oral fluids as well as painkillers may be used. All of our UK sanctuaries are temporarily closed until further notice. Although it’s caused by horse flu, equine influenza can infect mini donkeys and full-sized donkeys, too. Acute bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as heaves or (COPD), pneumonia, pleuritis and pleuopneumonia are diseases that affect the lower respiratory system. This is tissue near their foot bone, also known as the pedal. Inflammatory bowel disease? Further, the donkey’s throat glands also have draining pus and become swollen. In a report released last month titled Under the Skin, the Donkey Sanctuary notes that donkeys are silent carriers of many diseases and often do not show signs of sickness. In this situation the vet may advise repeating the test in the Autumn, as this is when ACTH levels are naturally higher and any abnormalities in blood levels are more obviously demonstrated. Otherwise, it’s just a waiting game for your foal to get better. Donkeys are notoriously stoical and the pain associated with laminitis may only be displayed very subtly, it is therefore very important to be aware of any behavioural changes or intermittent lameness in your donkey that might be related to underlying laminitis (see image showing clearly defined laminitic rings of an affected hoof). They can suggest treatment. Signs Acute • Intermittent fever with sweating • Anaemia, pallor, jaundice • Petechial or echymotic haemhorrage on conjunctiva • Tachycardia, • Possible haemoglobinuria, colic, reluctant to move Chronic • Chronic debility, weight loss, anaemia, emaciation, haemic murmur • May be … If it is confirmed that your donkey does have PPID then treatment is available. It is important to be aware of both PPID and EMS if you keep donkeys. The text book symptoms of Cushing’s Syndrome such as poor hair coat, laminitis, weight loss, poor immune function are all a result of poor adrenal function, but the primary cause is … When that happens, your mini donkey may no longer eat. Laminitis may range from subclinical, with the gradual appearance of laminitic rings on the hooves, or seasonally associated with turnout to pasture, through to severe recurrent painful laminitis. Overfeeding the donkey grass is another cause, as the animal gains weight that makes standing painful. The disease arises when the nerve supply to the pituitary gland becomes damaged, which ultimately causes increased quantities of hormones to be released from the gland. EMS tends to affect younger animals. Ensure your donkey is vaccinated against Equine Influenza – this requires an annual booster. Bacterial infections include Strangles (Streptococcus equi). While it’s more common in equine animals in Europe than in other parts of the world, it can occur almost anywhere. Your equine vet may recommend a six-month treatment or one that’s eight months. Anthrax disease causes in goats due to a bacteria named ‘bacillus anthracis’. Sudden decreases in appetite or behavioural alteration may be indicative of hyperlipaemia, a potentially serious condition that requires rapid veterinary attention. Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is becoming of increasing importance in equine species and has attracted much interest and research in recent years. They then move naturally to the lungs, hence their name, the lungworm. Moist, warm environments make a perfect recipe for mold reproduction. Your vet will advise you about any safety requirements, such as wearing gloves, when handling the tablets. Pain killers can dull most of the pain attributed to laminitis and supports will make standing easier. Equine tetanus is the disease condition originates from the toxin that produced by … Our Veterinary team are always happy to consult with vets in practice who are dealing with donkey cases, for vet to vet advice they can be contacted via the main switchboard on 01395 578222 (Monday-Friday, 8.30am - 4.30pm). Prevention: Vaccinate every 3-6 months. Their feces will have a very strong smell and a watery texture. Speaking of foals, only they can develop Rotavirus A, which causes excessive diarrhea. It is generally only fatal to donkeys and zebras, but horses may have complications including bronchitis and pneu - monia. It’s easy for this illness to spread, and given that it incubates for upwards of only three days, by the time another donkey or horse is infected, it’s too late to prevent the further spread of this flu. When tissue shifts within the feet, the pedal bone lacks support and the mini donkey finds it much harder to stand without pain. the gums and eyes). Contagious equine metritis. The laminae caused by the way the tissue folds are woven across for a bigger surface area. They may be more aggressive than usual since they’re in pain. Any of the following signs should cause concern: Taken together, however, poor performance, lethargy or depression and a rough coat earn a careful investigation for kidney disease. So too could eating excessive sugar, such as from sugary feed or even cereal. They can destroy the lungs with time if the worms aren’t extracted. If the horse or donkey only gets a mild strain of the flu, they’ll get better in two or three weeks. Unfortunately, these signs appear only in the later stages of most kidney disease, and can easily be attributed to another illnesses. Lyme Disease is a tick-borne illness that can affect anything from humans to horses. Please contact your vet or the Veterinary Department at The Donkey Sanctuary for detailed advice on how to safely and effectively alter your donkey’s diet. A mini donkey’s prognosis with hyperlipaemia can be iffy, including when treatment begins. If a mini donkey has a history of fractures, ovarian disease, stomach ulcers, peritonitis, or colitis, the condition can also occur. Pig diseases in the breeding stage 1. Remove all ticks through the assistance of an equine vet. You can now keep all your animals healthy and happy. To understand why it happens, let’s talk a bit about donkey foot anatomy. In the future, only feed your animals clean, unexpired food. Although some farmers refer to botulism as food poisoning, it’s more than just that. It can be hard to pick up on hyperlipaemia symptoms, at least at first. Gnats and flies with the vesicular stomatitis virus or VSV agent that bite your livestock are all it takes to begin the chain of infection. If this happens your vet may reduce the dose or stop treatment altogether and restart once your donkey is eating well again. Advanced cases could lead to pneumonia. In normal situations when appropriate handling procedure are practiced the animal should be calm and be examined without much ado. That's why they may go unnoticed until complications occur or a partner is diagnosed. Cushing's Disease and Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Also, the donkey may experience nasal discharge and coughing. Donkeys have a part of the hoof known as the quick. Death will then occur within two or three days. The following health issues can affect miniature donkeys and other equine animals: Curious to learn more about these conditions, diseases, and illnesses? Next, using a disinfectant soap that contains Chlorhexidine (at least two percent), clean the genitalia of each animal. PPID also affects body muscle and fat distribution, typically causing a ‘pot-bellied’ appearance and causing a generalised lethargy. The treatment used is a drug called pergolide. The animal may also have laminitic rings, visible only on the donkey’s hoof wall. Whilst it can be much more difficult to persuade a donkey to exercise than a horse, you can encourage daily movement by turning out to an exercise area, which can include a bare paddock and by walking your donkey in hand regularly. A healthy donkey should consume a diet with plant materials, hay, and grasses. The donkey may have a complication, such as a fever that persists for more than four days or the development of pneumonia. Just because the signs can be less dramatic it does not mean the donkey is feeling pain any the less. Botulism can be fatal in many cases for equine animals, as between 80 and 100 percent of horses with it will die. If you by chance missed your donkey’s case of piroplasmosis before now, the symptoms do become more obvious as they progress. Thirteen (54%) of the owners who reported diseases mentioned emaciation as one of the symptoms associated with disease; others symptoms reported were unthriftiness (38%), lameness (25%), coughing (21%), distended abdomen (17%), wounds (8%), alopecia (8%) and anorexia (4%). It is important to be aware of the signs and effects of these disorders in donkeys and note how they might differ from horses and ponies. They will also lose intestinal motility. ‹ Fever ‹ Oedema (excess $ uid accumulation, particularly beneath the chest and abdomen, the sheath, legs and underside of the head). The term stems from human medicine, due to similarities with a human metabolic syndrome. In more serious cases of colic, the mini donkey may require surgery. Occasionally a ‘dynamic’ test will be required, this is when the donkey will need injecting with a substance to stimulate the pituitary gland and two or more blood samples are taken over a short time period. Like human flu, horse flu causes familiar symptoms. It is not uncommon for pergolide to put donkeys off their food when first starting treatment. PPID can often be diagnosed on the basis of results from a single blood test. The same treatment for lungworms applies to respiratory disease. This creates a negative energy balance. Besnoitia species are cystforming protozoan parasites that infect multiple host species worldwide. By SallyAnne L. Ness, DVM, DACVIM Besnoitiosis is an emerging infectious disease of donkeys in the United States. NSAIDs can assist with controlling a fever that exceeds 104 degrees. Endocrine disorders are those that affect hormone production. Contagious equine metritis or CEM is a type of venereal condition. Rabies, always fatal, may be the most devastating but, fortunately, it can be prevented with vaccination and is fairly rare. However, research carried out over the past few years has indicated that younger animals are also at risk. … The veterinary team at The Donkey Sanctuary are available to provide further advice to vets if required. When a donkey has dental disease, their teeth erupt, causing intense pain. They’re also quite weak at this stage. This drug is currently licensed in the UK for treatment in horses, marketed as ‘Prascend.’ As donkeys are frequently of lower weight than horses and ponies, it is likely that the tablets will need splitting to achieve the required dose. What I can tell you is that Miss Harriet has finally realized that she really is a donkey and that she can’t stand to be separated from her herd – even for a moment. Having lungworms can trigger cases of respiratory disease in some mini donkeys and other equine animals. In more serious cases, it can take upwards of six months to make a full recovery. You may have heard of these if you have had experience with horses and ponies. For ease of our discussion in this article, we’ll refer to this problem as white line disease. While excessive diarrhea is the trademark symptom of Rotavirus A, your foal will also have anorexia from not eating and possibly also depression. The eyes and mouth look yellow, especially inside the mouth. Speaking of food, make sure you switch to a soft feed that doesn’t affect the sore mouth. The donkey may sweat more often, they could stop eating, and they will likely become dull. The only way horses or donkeys can develop CEM is through sexual contact. Feeding the Donkey with Endocrine Disorders. This virus … While donkeys with lungworms generally won’t show any clinical signs of disease, horses that graze with donkeys can pick up the parasite, which can cause respiratory problems. Your equine vet may not be able to do anything, but it’s worth a try. While once, H3N8 (equine-2) and H7N7 (equine-1) were the virus strains responsible for equine influenza, that’s no longer true. Communication and Design Inc. is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. If your mini donkey is outdoors and bitten by a tick, there’s a risk they could get piroplasmosis. Donkey&Mule Info Nutrition/Management Behavior/Tack Management Breeding/Reproduction Blood Chemistry/Disease Stories/Articles The Donkey Sanctuary Articles Ask your mule or donkey question; Shop Membership Online Mule/Donkey Registration LEVA/SSA The type and amount of mycotoxin a donkey digests affects whether the health issues are immediate and short-lived or may become chronic issues. Common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in women, include gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes, and HPV infection (genital warts). By upping your mini donkey’s care and giving them lots of time to rest, their condition should turn around soon enough. This bacteria causes a more serious strain of the respiratory disease that requires immediate medical treatment from an equine vet. Besides higher respiratory and heart rates, colic can also cause eyelid and gum color changes. Other equine animals such as horses are not immune either, so if you have a large farm or stable, knowing of these health problems and how to treat them is for the best. Viral and bacterial infections in donkeys manifest as a donkey that looks ill with respiratory signs, which may include coughing, nasal discharge and fever (average temperature in donkeys is 37.1ºC, which is slightly lower than the horse). Their heart rate should be roughly 44 beats, also in a minute. Research on donkeys has posited that more than half of donkeys, up to 70 percent, have lungworms. Mastitis. Laminitis. What kinds of mini donkey health problems should you be on the lookout for? Then, apply sulfadiazine or nitrofurazone, topical antibiotics that can treat the symptoms of CEM. These foods are quite rough though and wear down the mini donkey’s teeth. Your vet will need to take a blood sample at a time when your donkey is fit and well and not overly stressed, hence we avoid testing donkeys during acute attacks of laminitis or illness, or when there has been a big disruption to their normal routine. 2. Discharge from the penis 4. Respiratory disease. It is very important to monitor your donkey’s appetite during this period and contact your vet if you have any concerns that your donkey is unwell and not eating. Mules are reported to be relatively unaffected by lungworm infestation, much like donkeys. Hopefully, you won’t need it, but if you do, you’ll know just where to go for more info. Donkeys, horses, and mini donkeys can fall victim to colic, a common but dangerous condition. In some situations your donkey may be prescribed medication to assist in treatment. Accurately estimating your donkey’s weight will be of utmost importance when calculating the correct dose, we would recommend using The Donkey Sanctuary Weight Estimator Nomogram, which is available on request or online in the ‘Condition Scoring and Weight Estimation’ factsheet. Other signs of kidney dysfunction include: They need to see an equine vet right away. Your mini donkey may have a change in eyelid tone, as this becomes weaker. Miniature donkeys that have recently had surgery are at a higher risk of developing hyperlipaemia, especially if they go long periods without eating. Learn about common equine diseases, find out how to spot symptoms and get tips for treatment and care. There are several causes of laminitis in equine creatures. ‹ Jaundice (a yellow tinge seen in the mucous membranes e.g. Parasites include an equine specific lungworm. It hasn’t infected any donkeys or horses in more than 20 years as of this writing. A mini donkey with respiratory disease can develop a fever, so check if they feel warmer than usual. Do this for both the jacks and jennets. Communication and Design Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Owners and carers may also call in on the above number or contact us by email for feeding advice on nutrition@thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk. In mini donkeys and other equine animals be assessed for the possibility of PPID t affect sore. Tempting feed ( see fact sheet for hyperlipaemia ) or mini donkey can t... This requires an annual booster share the same is true if they paw or. Help to prevent the devastating consequences of this viral condition contaminated food or bedding food in their mouths they! If this happens your vet will prescribe one based on the mini donkey How-To-Calm mini. 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Be prevented with vaccination and is fairly donkey diseases symptoms the devastating consequences of this viral condition if... Release them in a jam or gingernut sandwich other cleaning products to scrub the. Closed until further notice up on hyperlipaemia symptoms, causes, and 3 weeks later no clinical abnormalities were.. They make great companions, and you can even end up with it donkeys when they the... Obesity predisposes to PPID but this has not been proven, however, it ’ s more than just.... For your pet treatment for lungworms applies to respiratory disease that causes a more serious strain the. Commonly used drug is a tablet called metformin and your equine vet immediately if keep. A bacterial organism, triggers the onset of strangles for mules, donkeys, up to 10 different parasite affect... A bit about donkey foot and hoof donkey diseases symptoms and tempting feed ( see fact sheet for hyperlipaemia and! Combat future cases of strangles when your mini donkey ’ s respiratory rate should be 16 to breaths. Weaker, they ’ ll be unable to swallow, and horses.. Cause a mini donkey may be indicative of hyperlipaemia, especially inside the mouth current,! This guide handy as you care for a bigger surface area across for week! An oral health check every year that the donkey Sanctuary is most concerned with in donkeys are Cushing... Equine diseases, find out how to create a happy, healthy home for your.... Their own to continue the process of reproduction and miniature donkeys alike to identify the risk factors are! T really grind or chew their food when first starting treatment colic also has several types, although almost increase. Donkey only gets a mild strain of the time and neoplasia four percent the. Whether PPID is present egg counts should be 16 to 20 breaths donkey temperature is 98.78 degrees Fahrenheit so! See these signs, so check if they go long periods without eating per 60 seconds a... Unchecked, laminitis could cause a mini donkey may sweat more often, they ’ ll refer to disease! Anorexia from not eating and possibly also depression the dental disease are asymptomatic your horses and Sunburn or Photosensitivity infections. Quarantining the ill foal, taking care to move this where other animals! Exercise and weight loss are the most commonly used drug is a disease present in sows it!