Care and advice
Colic
Colic basically means pain in the abdomen and can sometimes be fatal. There are many causes of colic and as it can be very serious we always call the vet immediately if we think a donkey may have it. Common causes include: sudden changes in diet, worms, stress, poisoning, eating the wrong food, and bad teeth. Donkeys tend to hide pain and so often the first symptom we notice is that the donkey looks very dull and is not keen on eating. The difficult bit for the vet is trying work out what type of colic it is so he can give the correct treatment.
Laminitis
When we are talking to visitors and school children who come to the Sanctuary, the term Laminitis often comes into the conversation followed by the question 'what is it?'. Laminitis is a very serious, painful and sometimes fatal condition that affects the hooves and donkeys are very susceptible to it. The inside of the hoof becomes inflamed, the blood supply is reduced and the small bone in the hoof can separate from the hoof wall.
Teeth
Up until recently we had two UK Equine Dentists come out to check and treat our 120+ donkeys. You might be surprised to hear that donkeys need their teeth checked but, just like us, poor dentition can cause a lot of problems and discomfort. Sharp hooks, loose or missing teeth can cause all sorts of problems; weight loss, sore mouths, digestive problems and, of course, bad breath. Although it's generally the older donkeys that have loose or missing teeth, we check the young ones too as again, like humans, it is much better to identify any problems early.
Fact sheets
The Donkey Sanctuary, UK have produced a number of fact sheets to help owners of donkeys which are available to download from the list of attachments below.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Battle of the Sexes | 191.58 KB |
| Body Condition Score Chart | 100.6 KB |
| Colic | 21.39 KB |
| Cost of keeping a Donkey | 302.01 KB |
| Dealing with Euthanasia | 60.71 KB |
| Foaling - A Guide | 105.99 KB |
| Foot Care | 40.55 KB |
| Guide to caring for your Donkey | 375.24 KB |
| Hyperlipaemia | 11.92 KB |
| Insect Protection for the Donkeys | 279.76 KB |
| Mules and Hinnies | 88.39 KB |
| Nomogram | 111.67 KB |
| Orphaned and Rejected Foals | 28.96 KB |
| Respiratory Disease | 11.57 KB |
| Sarcoids | 52.9 KB |
| Treatment of Wounds | 8.12 KB |
| Understanding Donkey Behaviour | 16.86 KB |
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