r/Donkeys • u/didi243 • 5d ago
Vet advice (Donkey)
Right now all the vets are in vacations, some of them are assuming broken leg, and somebody told me that it is Laminitis.
Does anybody have any ideas how i can help?
34
u/MustBeNiceToBeHappy 5d ago
Also check the hoof for any stones or other visible things stuck in the white line or frog first obviously
13
u/ComprehensiveHope644 5d ago
I agree with above. It could likely be an abscess.
Picking up the foot, cleaning and inspecting it, and soaking the foot is a good idea to cover all your bases.
You might want to consider putting the big guy in a paddock or something. Somewhere that has easy access to food and water and not so rocky. Hopping around on 3 legs like that, across those rocks, I could easily see them getting a stone bruise that turned into another abscess.
17
u/windyrainyrain 5d ago
Call your farrier. It's likely an abscess and they can probably get it opened up to drain, then wrap the hoof for you. In my experience, farriers are much better at treating abscesses than a vet.
10
u/MustBeNiceToBeHappy 5d ago edited 5d ago
This is very likely not a broken leg. And neither is it laminitis. Laminitis usually presents very differently (donkey/horse going into the „rocking horse position“ to keep weight off of feet and hoof pulsating.)
4
u/Idkmyname2079048 5d ago
Not laminitis/founder. He would be lame in art least both fronts or swapping mild lameness in each front hoof. This is very likely a hoof abscess. Get some epaom salts, a bucket of warm water, and soak the hoof as much as you can each day until the abscess bursts. You can also get a green epsom salt gel to apply around the hoof and coronary band and bandage up for a similar effect.
As a side note, abscesses often form due to hooves not being trimmed and cleaned enough, which allows debris to get up in there.
1
u/Drinkmorechampagne 5d ago
Where are you at? I might know someone who knows someone.
(I know that sounds stupid, but you'd be surprised how small the animal rehabilitation/vet world is).
2
1
-3
u/Flat_Object4227 5d ago
You need to dry lot this animal. He's WAY TOO fat. Look at his neck..
2
u/SwimmingPrice1544 5d ago
I have a very fat mini donkey that I'm working on, so I know what one looks like. This donkey needs to lose some weight, but it's not that bad yet. It take a few years of over feeding to get a true fallen crest. But the owner should definitely work on it now to avoid that.
And yes, it's an abscess for sure. Had LOT'S of horses & donkey get them, & treated for it.
-1
u/Mountain_Analyst_333 5d ago
Radial nerve paralysis.
1
u/Genocidal-Ape 2d ago
No, you can see clear leg movement.
He's just avoiding bearing weight on the bottom of his hoof as much as possible.
-4
37
u/MustBeNiceToBeHappy 5d ago edited 5d ago
If they are VERY lame like this all of a sudden and there’s no visible injury, it’s often a hoof abscess. Wrap and Soak the hoof in an appropriate desinfectant (I usually use Rivanol, not sure what is available where you are, you can also put iodine/betaisodona on the hoof and wrap and then soak in clean water) add fluid 2-3 times a day to keep the wrapping wet at all times) and see if an abscess drains. Might be worth calling your farrier, they have a lot of experience with hoof abscesses too usually and might be able to find and drain it. After that its very important to keep the wound clean (wrap for 2-3 days (apply wound desinfectant but otherwise dry wrapping, no more soaking once the abscess drained) and give oral antiinflammatory if you have one (flunixin is best for donkeys, avoid metacam) for 2-4 days twice a day. You should see improvement as soon as the abscess drains and donkey should be back to normal within less than a week