Research at The Donkey Sanctuary suggests that a significant percentage of donkeys reported as being just 'dull' are diagnosed with colic. Use a small sponge to wet the face and areas behind the ears and hollows above the eyes; this is another common site for lice. Use your spare hand to protect your donkey’s eyes. Pat your donkey dry using old towels, this is the bit that your donkey will enjoy. We thought Shadow (donkey) was clear, but 2 days ago I noticed some balding patches and found lice! Consider changing the bedding to something less palatable, such as wood shavings. Listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope to check the gut sounds, Ask you about what the animal has been eating. Pick up manure from the paddock a minimum of twice per week. Someone asked me the question this morning about a non chemical remedy for lice in horses – and O. M. Goodness it just makes you itch thinking about it doesn’t it? Donkey age and mean hair length were characteristics which affected louse prevalence: older and younger donkeys and donkeys with longer hair harboured the highest numbers of lice. Dental disease is more common in older donkeys. Fence off trees during fruiting to prevent gorging. Squeeze a little shampoo on to the sponge and work the shampoo into these areas. There are three species of lice that can infect horses. Some abdominal pain is inevitable, eg during foaling. Watch out for donkeys eating their bedding, eg when box-rested under veterinary instruction. He has lice on his forehead. Symptoms – Infestation with lice is known as ‘pediculosis’ it commonest during the winter months when the coat is long. Lice are parasites that can live on the horse’s skin. Do not drench in one go and leave the head and ears to last. The key to successful bathing is to be prepared, take your time and reassure your donkey at all times. Those claiming to be anti-parasitic tend to have very low levels of the active ingredient and this can have the effect of promoting resistance to the effects of the product. Book for free. Perform a rectal examination (a painless and vital procedure). Your vet will probably carry out the following: Depending on the findings, your vet may introduce fluids into your donkey’s stomach via a tube that is inserted up one nostril. Yeah, IME donks do seem to be a bit more susceptible than horses, which IME only tend to get lice/mites when quite run down. Most lice are harmless to overall health, but they do cause tiny bites, which can be bothersome. A donkey infested with mange mites will be suffering intense irritation to the skin which will have lesions, scabby areas and conseequent loss of hair. Areas affected by mange will weep fluid, becoming dry, crusty, thickened, and red. If they’re poorly formed, watery, strong smelling, yellow, or bloody, it could be a sign of dehydration, diarrhea, parasites, illness, or improper nutrition. Collect your equipment and decide where you are going to bathe your donkey. We would therefore advise a perfume-free baby shampoo, which is not too harsh to cause damage to your donkey's eyes and sensitive tissues. Planning a visit to Sidmouth between 19 Dec and 4 Jan? Some causes, such as tumours, may be unavoidable and their likelihood increases with age. The Donkey Sanctuary has found that there is resistance to the effects of the common anti-lice wash Deosect, so we find that clipping and bathing is an effective alternative. The stoic nature of the donkey is such that signs of colic are usually less dramatic than those seen in a horse, such as rolling, sweating or pawing the ground. The clipping allows the shampoo to reach the skin and the bathing literally drowns adult lice. Lice are external parasites that live on the skin. When moderate to large populations of lice build up on the coat or plumage of a host animal, their many tiny lice bites can create significant signs of skin irritation and itchiness in that animal. Rolling and pawing at the ground (rare in donkeys, if seen indicates very serious problem), Colour of gums or inside eyelid - brick red colour is a poor sign. Horses and donkeys may be infested by two species of lice, Haematopinus asini, the horse bloodsucking louse, and Damalinia equi, the horse biting louse.D equi is also called Werneckiella equi and was formerly known as Bovicola equi, Trichodectes equi, and T parumpilosus.Both species are distributed worldwide. You’ll need a ticket. Remember the more you use the more there is to rinse. D equi is a small louse, 1–2 mm long, and H asini is 3–3.5 mm long. Give the vet any information that you have observed. UK: MolliChaff Donkey (5.5-6.5% protein, 2.5% starch, 6.3-7.2% sugar) contains dried grass, fibre pellets, oat straw and a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Like dogs, horses can become infected with lice. How to Treat Horse Lice. Consider offering several sources of water. It may be necessary to put your donkey onto a ‘drip’ (fluid introduction via the large vein in the neck). Check pasture and boundary fences and hedgerows frequently and remove them or fence off the problem area. Donkey owners and veterinarians should be educated on the presence ... of the owners who reported diseases mentioned emaciation as one of the symptoms associated with disease; others symptoms reported were unthriftiness (38%), lameness (25%), ... lice, five (22%) mentioned mites and three (13%) mentioned nuisance flies. Monitor your donkey’s condition and behaviour while you are waiting. Suspect teeth problems if donkeys are 'quidding' (dropping part chewed feed) or drooling saliva. Donkeys are often described as stoic, so they are less likely to “tell” you what is bothering them than horses. In order to control any lice infestation in your donkey you will need to keep on top of clipping, bathing and the general grooming of your donkey. Check the donkey’s breathing pattern so you will be able to spot any change. I was just given a small 15-20 year-old donkey. Know what normal dung looks like. The clinical symptoms exhibit the progressive paralysis of all muscles, excessive salivation, jaw, and eyelid drop, change in temperament and rise in body temperature, restlessness, and irritability, hyperexcitation, circling and head pressing, loss of appetite, depression. pruritus and dermal irritation with resultant scratching, rubbing, and biting of infested areas Many donkeys will not drink very cold water - take the chill off the water in cold weather. Dung and whether it looks normal Ivermectin, and red give them time to become used to it be washed... 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