Donkey Dictionary – A-Z of Donkey Care

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Ask for Advice

 We all have been first time donkey owners and regardless of how many other animals we have cared for in the past, caring for a donkey is a whole new experience. They have very specific needs and as their carers we need to learn what these are so we can accommodate those needs appropriately. The fastest and best way to learn what to do with your donkeys is to ask for advice from people who have been doing it for a while. The Trust has guardians throughout the country that can advise you on the best way to care for your donkeys or can put you in contact with someone in your area who can help when you need it. Always be willing to ask for advice.

Alopecia

 A condition that can affect your donkey at any time but often affects them at the junction of seasons. There are three main reasons for alopecia: hair has been broken or rubbed off due to itching from fungal infections or biting insects or self-trauma due to stress; the immune system is not working properly and an infection has taken root possibly due to medication the donkey might be on, changes in diet or a lack of nutrients in the diet; or an allergy has developed where the immune system targets the hair as a foreign invader. This may occur due to environmental or seasonal changes.

Treatment depends on the underlying causes and often they are hard to determine. Ensuring the donkey in clear on mites or lice, deworming in case there is a parasitic infestation is a good first step. Regular grooming and washing the affected area with lotions containing tea tree or neem oil can help. Checking your donkeys’ diet to ensure they are getting sufficient minerals and providing a mineral block. And check the environment for changes like excessive pollen in the air. Your donkey might have an allergy and may need an antihistamine containing cetirizine to help. Your vet is the best person to advise on this.

B

  

Bonding

 Donkeys can form very strong bonds with another donkey.  If this is broken usually due to the death of one donkey, you must watch the remaining donkey closely and ensure it continues to eat as per usual, and either rehome your remaining donkey or acquire another donkey or two.  Donkeys will grieve for their lost partner and stop eating and this can quickly lead to Hyperlipidaemia (see H).

Be their buddy

 Donkeys come in twos or more. They are very social animals and need buddies to make life interesting. If you have two donkeys that’s a good start. But they need more than just each other. Human buddies, other animals on the farm: chickens, cats, dogs, alpacas, sheep and horses, can all buddy with your donkeys to add to the stimulating environment.  The best buddy for your donkeys though is you. The relationship you build with them is what makes being their carer all the more worthwhile

Browsers not grazers

 Donkeys are browsers not grazers. They need a variety of foliage and feed to pick and choose from. The worst feed for a donkey is a paddock full of green grass, the best is an arid landscape full of thistle, bramble, wild flowers, puha, tree branches, herbs and roots. Grow hedgerows along fence lines or vegetables (silverbeet, celery) and herbs (parsley, oregano, coriander) in special spaces around your property, drop logs in your donkeys’ field or branches from pruning of fruit trees or hedges and let your donkeys browse.  For more on safe browsing fodder for donkeys go to:  https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/for-owners/poisonous-plants-trees/safe-trees-for-donkeys

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Colic

 Colic and Choke are common causes of sudden donkey illness. Colic is potentially life threatening and while very distressing, choke is not usually fatal, but it can be.

 

Donkeys cannot vomit so if for some reason they have an upset stomach they cannot get rid of the issue.  This can lead to colic.  They will have limited or no gut sounds (just put your ear to their stomach and listen for rumbling sounds), and/or they won’t poo.  They may just stand there and not eat. They will not roll around on the ground like a horse because of their sore stomach – donkeys are very stoic.   You need to call a vet who can administer drugs to get things moving.  Walk your donkey around gently if you can until the vet arrives.

Choke

 Choke is when they get something stuck in their oesophagus. This can be a piece of apple or carrot (you should always cut your treats lengthwise) or even a wad of wet hard feed.  The donkey will not suffocate like a human.  They can still breathe but it is very distressing for you and them.  They will stand with their neck outstretched and possibly have mucus discharge from their nose.  If there is mucus and the choke lasts longer than 30 mins or you just can’t stand it, call the vet.  Mucus can lead to an infection if it gets into the lungs.  So the vet will give them penicillin.  They can also give them a muscle relaxant.

 

Custodianship

 When you take custody of a Trust donkey, you are taking on the care and concern for that donkey, hopefully for the remainder of the donkey’s lifetime.  You do not own the donkey, but in every other respect the donkey is your concern.  This is so if your circumstances change or we believe it is in the best interests of the donkey, the donkey will be returned to the Trust with no questions asked.

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Diet

 Donkeys need roughage every day.  So daily hay and barley straw are a must.  They don’t need a lot of grass, if at all.  You need to make sure they do not get fat.  You should be able to feel their ribs but not see them. If they have fat pads down their neck, on their sides, or on their rumps, do not try and starve this off.  This is old deposits of fat.  Exercise is the only thing that you can try.

Watching your donkeys’ weight will save you and them a lot of heartache in the future.

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Emotions

 Donkeys are very emotional.  That is why they can bond so strongly with another donkey and grieve if they lose their companion even when not particularly bonded.  They also can bond with their humans, and they love routine.  Changes to their environment are not usually an issue if they have their friends and their humans.  But you need to watch their eating if there is a change to their situation.  When you adopt a donkey, observe it closely until you are happy they are eating consistently and not standing around looking depressed.

Exercise

 Donkeys in the wild typically walk 15 kilometres a day. Exercise is critical to the well-being of your donkeys. A track they can run around, undulating terrain they can romp over, hills they can climb, all help to provide the exercise they need to keep them fit and strong. If you don’t have a lot of space for your donkeys to run around, walking them on a lead down the road or around the block is an excellent way to provide them with exercise, and an opportunity for training.

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Farrier

 A good donkey farrier is worth their weight in gold.  It is a lot to do with how the farrier feels about donkeys.  Donkeys need their hooves trimmed every 6 weeks.  The farrier needs to realise they need to go down to the donkey’s level to trim as donkeys cannot lift their feet and legs as high as a horse can relatively.  They bend at the knee but do not tend to lift their knees high.  Trying to lift a donkey’s hoof too high is often the cause of donkeys being difficult to trim.

Feet

 You need to feel comfortable picking up your donkeys’ feet.  Abscesses and other issues can occur that may need you to treat their feet, so get in the habit of lifting your donkey’s feet on a regular basis.

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Gelding

 All jacks should be gelded (unless you are a breeder, and you know how to manage a jack).  All jacks are gelded by the Trust before being assigned to guardians or rehomed to custodians.  We do not take in entire jacks unless it is an exceptional circumstance. If you geld a donkey later in life, they may continue to exhibit jack like behaviour but will not get anything pregnant.  Donkeys do bleed more than horses so you need to get a vet that takes the extra precautions.

Grass

 Grass is not good fodder for donkeys. It should be a limited commodity and donkeys should only graze grass that is mature and dry, certainly not the sweet green grass of spring.  See N for an alternative to a grassy paddock.

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HYPERLIPIDEMIA

 This condition is in capitals because HYPERLIPIDEMIA is the curse of donkey and their carers.  Donkeys die because carers are unaware of how dangerous this state is and how quickly it happens.  In layman’s terms, if a donkey stops eating for any period of time or does not eat as much as it normally does, its body thinks it is starving and has an extremely efficient way of keeping the donkey alive by pumping fat into the blood.  This is a brilliant system for the skinny donkey out in the deserts of Africa where they can’t find any food and have to walk 50 kms to get something to eat. The fat keeps them alive until they can eat.

However, in New Zealand, all our donkeys are too fat.  They are regularly fed, often have grass and hard feed, and of course are never hungry which is as it should be.

So when HYPERLIPIDEMIA strikes, it means the donkey’s liver (in particular) is already processing a high level of fat and then it is dumped with a whole lot more because the donkey’s body thinks the donkey is starving because it is not eating as it normally does.

HYPERLIPIDEMIA can cause organ failure within 8 hours of not eating properly so you need to get onto it very quickly. Once it has taken hold, it is often irreversible. 

 The best thing to do is…call your vet. They will take blood samples to test the levels of fat in the blood.  In the meantime, molasses is your friend.  Under the guidance of a vet, you need to syringe molasses into the donkey’s mouth.  It is a lot and often – regularly all day and all night.  What the molasses is doing is tricking the body into thinking that it is not starving and will stop the process of pumping more fat into the blood.

Equine hospitals are able to put in an IV of sugars which again can help dramatically. However, nothing is foolproof. Taking an older donkey to an equine hospital is distressing, expensive and there is no guarantee of success.  You need to weigh up the pros and cons.  It is a dreadful situation to be in.

You need a vet and as much support as you can muster to help you through this very upsetting time.  You cannot believe the donkey won’t eat.  They will walk around and sniff at food, but they are in so much pain as their organs are shutting down they cannot eat.  So often the decision is when not if you put them to sleep.  Again, your vet can advise you especially once they have those blood results.

We cannot emphasis enough the importance of noticing when your donkey is not eating as it should. Many of us have suffered through the loss of donkeys from HYPERLIPIDEMIA and it is so often not a good outcome. You may hear of donkeys that just dropped dead in the paddock, chances are this was the cause and their owners were totally unaware of it. Now you know about it, keep it in mind when you are with your donkeys, it could save their lives.

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 Intelligence

 While donkeys may be susceptible to the horrors of HYPERLIPIDEMIA, the positives of donkeys outweigh the negatives. One positive is that they are is very intelligent.

Being prey animals, they have a very strong sense of self-protection which is why they have had the reputation of stubbornness.  They do not have the physical ability to get out of situations that a horse can.  For example, they often hate walking through creeks as they don’t know how deep they are.

Donkeys who have led safe and happy lives and nothing bad has ever happened to them are very happy with new people and new situations.  But if life hasn’t treated them that well, they may make be reluctant to do what you want initially. They remember everything so if they slipped on the ramp of a float 10 years ago, they would dig their heels in when next you try to load them.

They love routine and if they know you will go and get them from the paddock after they have been out only an hour, they will eventually just come in when called.  Even if they don’t want to, because they know you will go and get them.

They learn from other donkeys.  If you have a donkey that does not like its feet to be trimmed, let them see the others being trimmed and they will work out they are in no danger.

Trust is an enormous part of caring for your donkeys successfully. Once a donkey trusts you, you can pretty much do anything with them.  But you have to earn that trust.

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Just call the vet

 Donkeys do not cure themselves.  If they are not eating or they are limping, or they have lost part of their coat, or have a swelling under their stomach, or looking depressed, just call the vet.  Don’t dilly dally around.  It will cost you more if they start to decline. If you can’t afford to call a vet, you cannot afford donkeys.  They are expensive animals especially once they get over 20 years old.

K

  

Keep them safe

 Good fencing is imperative, along with fresh water, and regular good feed.  Post and wire fencing is fine.  Preferably not barbed wire.  Donkeys will also stay happily behind an electric fence though if you turn it off, be prepared for them to walk through it – they can hear the ticking. Wooden railings in the yard are not the best as they will eat the wood and timber is usually tanalised.  They can also pick up infections and bugs from wood.  But is it what most of us have so there is a trade off.

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Lice

 Lice are not life threatening or painful for your donkeys – just uncomfortable and your donkey looks moth-eaten. Lice can occur early Spring and will show up as loss of hair in patches particularly down the back and near the tail.  You need to treat lice with a lice solution.  It is very transferable so if one donkey has it, the rest have and so do your horses.  Treat them all quickly and things will get better within 10 days.

Laminitis

 Second only to HYPERLIPIDEMIA, laminitis is potentially a life-threatening issue.

Laminitis is an issue with your donkeys’ hooves from too much sugar. This is usually caused by being on rich grass especially in the spring and autumn flush.  Short grass is worse than long grass and grass in the early afternoon is the worse time for the levels of sugar during the day and sugars are also high after a frost. When grass is struggling to grow after winter or summer, the sugars are high as it is in the afternoon and after a frost. Many people only let their donkeys out at night on the grass.  Donkeys do not need any grass at all.  We struggle with this concept in New Zealand but putting your donkeys on pasture can be the cause of laminitis.  This is when the blood vessels (laminae) between the outer hoof and the pedal bone swell due to increased sugar.  This causes pain to the donkey – almost like a severe case of bruising.  They are tender on their feet especially in the front. Long term laminitis can cause separation between the pedal bone and the outer hoof causing the pedal bone to twist as it no longer has the support of the outer hoof. This can cause severe irreversible pain and often a donkey has to be put down.  If your donkey becomes lame, call the vet.  They can diagnose the issue.  If it is laminitis, the donkey needs to be taken off all pasture for at least 6 weeks, put into a small pen with soft bedding and given hay and straw.  Put its friend with it – won’t do either of them any harm. It will have to have pain medication.  Be aware that once a donkey has had a bout of laminitis, it will probably get it again later in life.  So watch their food intake carefully.

Some donkeys are more susceptible than others.

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Manure

 You have to poo-pick every day! Donkeys should have their areas where they eat cleared of poo every day, twice a day.  This is to prevent worms and ensure they are eating good fresh food – be it pasture or hay and straw they have dropped on the ground. Their yards should definitely be poo picked every day.  Some people harrow in the paddocks and if you have minimal issue with worms this is definitely an option.  Pasture rotation will also mean less poo picking.

N

  

No grass tracks

 As mentioned before, donkeys can survive happily without any grass at all.  Having your donkeys on a bare track system and fed hay twice a day and 24/7 access to barley straw is absolutely fine for donkeys.  If your donkey is prone to laminitis or you just want to avoid the risk of laminitis, this is ideal.  A bare track system means you can take them off grass in the susceptible times in spring and autumn, or during the day while having them out on pasture at night.  They are desert animals, not pasture animals.

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Overnight vacations

 For you, not the donkey! If you are away overnight, make sure you have someone feeding and checking on your donkeys. Things can go wrong in one day.

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PPID (Cushings-like syndrome)

 Equine PPID is more commonly known as Cushings-like syndrome.  It usually affects older donkeys over 25 years old.  It is an immune system disease and can affect them in many different ways.  If they don’t lose their coats in the summer, or their coats are long and woolly, if they suffer from regular eye ulcers, if they have a pot belly behind their ribs, if they have laminitis – these can all be signs of PPID.  Your vet will take bloods and put them on a medication called Prascend that is very effective but must be taken daily and for the rest of their lives.

Q

  

Quality shelter

 Donkeys do not like to be wet and cold.  They need access 24/7 to a shed. They do not have a waterproof coat like a horse so if they get wet and it is cold and/or windy, they will suffer.  Trees are not sufficient and rugging them is a constant job.  Like horses, it is better that donkeys are not rugged consistently as they then don’t regulate their own temperature and also do not grow a good winter coat.  A roomy good quality shed means their straw can be protected as well and will not spoil.  Don’t make the shed too dark.  Donkeys won’t go into a shed that is too dark.  Yes, they will stand out in the rain and sometimes you wonder why you built a shed, but they will be in there when they need to be. It is easier to have a shed than to rug them.  Outside the shed, they need a grass free, hard fill yard.  This is so if it gets really wet, you can shut them in the yard and shed and their feet can dry out.  They are desert animals, and their hooves can suffer from seedy toe if left out in wet muddy ground.

R

  

 Rotate their pasture

 If you have your donkeys on pasture, rotate them around.  This minimises the risk of worms and gives them interest.

S

  

Straw

 24/7 access to good quality barley straw is excellent for donkeys.  Their system like many animals need to have constant food but as mentioned elsewhere, constant grass may be an issue.  It is good practice to give them straw in their sheds all day and everyday.  It has minimal sugar and is great fibre.

T

  

Teeth

 Donkeys’ teeth need to be “floated” i.e. rasped every 2 years as a minimum.  This is to remove any hooks and prevent ulcers inside their mouths which make it painful to eat.  It also means their teeth can be checked for any loose ones, or holes where food gets stuck and can get infected.  The first time should be about 3 years old.  The problems with not having teeth floated can mean a miserable time for donkeys in their old age.

We recommend you use a vet so the donkey can be sedated at least every second time to make sure a full inspection can happen.

U

  

Ulcers

 Eye ulcers are very painful and need to be treated as soon as possible.  If you donkey has a weeping eye for more than a day and especially if it is rubbing its eye on its leg, call the vet.

Mouth ulcers can be why your donkey is quidding its hay – i.e. chewing but dropping out wads of uneaten hay.  Get its teeth checked.

V

  

Vaccines

 Tetanus is a must.  Donkeys (and horses) can die of tetanus.  A wound or even a foot abscess can cause blood poisoning.  It is a horrible way for an animal to die for the sake of an injection every 5 years after the initial first one and a booster.

Strangles is not common in New Zealand but there is a vaccine.  It is not foolproof so you may want to consult your vet about the benefits.

W

  

Worming

 Your donkey should have a faecal count every three months.  But you need to know whose poo is whose.  Not all donkeys are the same when it comes to worm burden.  Some won’t need drenching but this needs to be confirmed by a faecal sample. With the level of drench resistance around now, if they don’t need drenching, then do not drench them. Drenching every donkey regularly regardless may result in drench resistance.  It is still standard practice to drench once a year with a moxidectin regardless but please take your vets advice.

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X-rays

 If your donkey is limping badly and for a prolonged period, get their foot/feet x-rayed.  Most vets have portable machines and can come to you.  If your donkey has a twisted pedal bone from laminitis, the x-ray will give you a better idea of the next course of action. What appears to be a never-ending hoof abscess may be something more significant.  Knowing is better in the long run.

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YOU

 You are responsible for the care and wellbeing of your donkey. Research donkeys.  We have not covered everything here. For many years donkeys were not understood but now there is plenty of information online.  The Donkey Sanctuary in the UK is a wealth of knowledge.  It is up to you.  Of course, if you adopt an older donkey, you may not know it history or its previous treatment means you are dealing with someone else’s neglect, but you can do a lot even if it means the best course of action is to end your donkeys suffering.

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the end of the alphabet

 And the end of a donkey’s life maybe when they are 40 years old.  They live longer than horses if well cared for so taking on a donkey can be a lifetime commitment.  They may outlive your ability to care for them.  You need a back-up plan.  The Trust is there is help.  Get in touch if you need to. This is what we do – help donkeys and their carers.