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Donkey:  Most frequent diseases.   Vet Dr. Tiger gives information and advice.

One of the most feared incidents that may overcome the       solipeds horse, pony and donkey are first and foremost       injuries of the legs and the affection of the complicated       coffin mechanism with tendons, tendon sheaths and bones.       Many an animal had already to be put to sleep because the       vets did not see a chance for recovery.       Besides that, change in feeding or misfeeding often       generates colics. The table hereafter shows the most       frequent diseases with regard to donkeys and horses.

Disease	Causes	Symptoms	Visit veterinarian?
Affection of the airway and the lungs	Infections, allergies	Nasal discharge, cough, shortness of breath, weakness, fever, lack of appetite	Consult vet, vaccination against equine influenza (skalma) possible, basic immunization 2 x at intervals of 21 days, yearly booster
Diarrhoea	Parasites, infections, abrupt change in feed, tainted food	Watery to bloody diarrhoea, emaciation, shaggy coat, weariness	Consult vet, regular dehelminthization, high quality food with a high proportion of crude fibre content, slow change in feed
Colic (abdominal pains)	Diseases of the gastro-intestinal wing	Restlessness, sweating, appetite disorder, pawing with the forelegs, laying down,rolling on the floor, beating against stomach and belly	Emergency! Consult vet
Injuries	Diverse causes	Injuries of the skin, the musculare system, the blood vessels, the bones, the articulations, the tendons	Disinfection with antiseptic agents in case of peeling skin wounds, in case of more serious wounds consult vet
Lameness	Diverse causes (hooves, bones, tendons, tendon sheaths)	Depending on location and type: minor lameness up to extreme lameness	Consult vet or blacksmith (especially in case of shoeing problems), regular shoeing, good care of hooves
Intestinal parasites	Different worms, above all ascarids	Emaciation, weakness, shaggy coat, diarrhoea, constipation	Dehelminthization: deworm 3 to 4 times a year, depending on husbandry conditions

Self-Medication

It is important to take good care of the donkeys: Care of hooves, bandaging of the legs, administering tea, removing parasites, change in feeding, using special food. One can do a lot of good in order to avoid a visit to the vet. Prevention is better than cure. In case of insecurity, however, consult the vet at once!

Emergency situations

For the most part accidents in road traffic, or when harnessed to a cart, while riding in the open ground or accidents with barbed wire fences require immediate transportation to the animal hospital for an emergency operation. These are very bad moments for the donkey lover who may lose his faithful comrade maybe forever. Just remain calm and try to do what is needed most!

When to consult the veterinarian?

Donkeys are big animals and it is easy to see and to feel immediately if the symptoms observed have a serious character. The table above shows the cases when the vet must at all costs come to the stable. He might give first instructions over the phone. Sometimes the blacksmith is the right contact, if for instance it is a matter of shoeing problems. It is always better to react too early than too late!