Do you think Donkeys stay more healthy?

[RJRMINIS]

What are your experiences? I find that my donkeys are almost never sick....(**knocks on wood**) Is it just me, or do the donkeys just seem sooo much hardier than the horses? I have mini mares that have beens sick this winter, snotty noses, coughs, everyone is doing great now, but so far the donkeys haven't given me ANY problems for a very long time!!!!!

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

(knocking on wood here too) but I would say my donkey seen to be really hardy compared to some of my mares. I have never had any problems with my donks either, not even as much as a cold. My mares hardly ever do have problems and when they do its usually just a cold, which I was expecting with this weird weather we were having for awhile, but out of all my mares (24) I only had one that ended up with a snotty nose and a cough and it went away as fast as it came on.

: YUP--I say thay are alot hardier. Corinne

 

[HobbsFarm]

[SIZE=12pt]I agree, my donkeys are never sick... knocking on wood here too...lol Shannon

[/SIZE]

 

[Marnie]

I think donkeys are healthier by far although I do have one, Gingersnap, who has this ugly bump on the side of her mouth, and it's been growing. I showed it to my vet and as soon as it gets a little warmer out, he's going to put her out and remove it. If I want him to send it in, it'll be $100, he doesnt' know if it'll return or not. One of these days, I'll take a picture of it and put it on here to see if anyones ever seen one like it before. Also, people say they have no foaling problems, I'm just starting with donkeys and already would have lost Evie and baby Kenny if she hadn't been under camera with my Equipage monitor on her. His head and neck were soooo twisted, we could barely get him out, she'd never had him by herself. So they do have problems but as far as health, I'm almost positive that they are healthier in general.

 

[Suzie]

I think donkeys are healthier by far although I do have one, Gingersnap, who has this ugly bump on the side of her mouth, and it's been growing. I showed it to my vet and as soon as it gets a little warmer out, he's going to put her out and remove it. If I want him to send it in, it'll be $100, he doesnt' know if it'll return or not. One of these days, I'll take a picture of it and put it on here to see if anyones ever seen one like it before.

Knocking on wood- our donkeys have been healthy too. I think they are just hardier than we think.

If you get the ADMS long ears magazine, there was a good article on these benign growths on donkeys and how to remove them. They had one giant one that was removed by a vet but even that did not leave a scar. If I get a chance, I will see which volume the article was in. Must have been a recent one, my memory does not go too far back these days. Seems that benign growths occur more frquently on donkeys and I think some spontaneously resolve on their own. You might check http://www.lovelongears.com/ and see if they mention anything.

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

knocking on wood here too... we have only lost one donkey (well, two) - complications from foaling, baby too big and very twisted... actually mom survived the birth, although baby did not... but she died two months later when scar tissue sealed her urethra... we have had NO donkey illness and with the mules, only one with a recurring cough the old cowboys around here call "dust pneumonia", generally resolved by wetting her food till it goes away...

even with the horses we have been very fortunate, lost one mini mare shortly after purchase to lipidemia, and my big colt died after being sick for a month and they never did figure out what was wrong. considering the numbers we have had since we first started in horses 10 years ago, we have been very very lucky having little illness. accidents aplenty, but for the most part nothing serious... :aktion033: :aktion033:

 

[Marnie]

Suzie, that is good information, can you look to see which magazine it is, if you have time? There were a few months that I missed getting it, I haven't found it yet. I need to see it and show it to my vet too. Thanks for the help.

 

[JumpinJackFarm]

[SIZE=8pt]ALLS I KNOW ARE DONKS ....THEY HAVE BEEN VERY HEALTHY AND HAVE NEVER HAD COLDS...KNOCK ON WOOD

: ... MY JACK DIED LAST YEAR DUE TO LIVER FAILURE AND BUNNY ALMOST RIPPED OFF HER EAR GETTING HER HEAD STUCK IN THE GATE. THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO TIMES A VET HAS BEEN OUT FOR EMERGENCY CARE AND THOSE WERE KINDA FREAK EVENTS.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=8pt]* I AM CURIOUS...WHAT DO YOU DO FOR AN EQUINE WITH A COLD?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=8pt]DO OTHERS CATCH THE COLD AS WELL?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=8pt]DOESN'T SOUND GOOD.[/SIZE]