Diagnosis and Treatment Methods for Donkey Diseases, a Must-Read for Donkey Keepers

In terms of habits, meat donkeys are more tolerant of coarse feed than horses, cattle and other livestock, and have stronger disease resistance, but this does not mean they do not get sick. Donkeys have a strong tolerance for ordinary diseases, so during diagnosis and treatment, attention must be paid to this in order to prevent the occurrence of epidemics.

1. Observation and diagnosis of donkey diseases

A healthy donkey always holds its head and neck high, with both ears erect, moves freely, and chews powerfully when eating grass, making a "ge ge" sound. The mouth color is fresh and moist, the nose and ears are warm, and the dung balls are moderate in hardness, moist and glossy on the outside. If a donkey lowers its head and droops its ears, is listless, has a cold or overheated nose and ears, and dry, hard, tightly compacted feces with a small amount of mucus on the outside, and although it eats grass, it drinks little or no water, this indicates that the donkey is about to become or is already sick. If a donkey lies on the ground and cannot get up, is mentally depressed, and clings to the keeper and is unwilling to leave, special attention should be paid, as this is a sign of serious illness.

2. Prevention and treatment of common diseases in meat donkeys

1. Acute gastric dilatation

A donkey accidentally eats too much concentrate or eats feed that ferments easily, causing restlessness, obvious abdominal pain, rapid breathing, sometimes a sitting-like-dog posture, and weakened or absent bowel sounds.

Treatment: First use a stomach tube to expel the gas and fluid from the stomach, and repeatedly lavage the stomach with physiological saline, then administer orally 15-25 grams of chloral hydrate, 50-70 milliliters of alcohol, 15 milliliters of formalin, add 500 milliliters of warm water, and give as a single drench. It can also be given as a drench with 0.5-1 kilogram of edible vinegar or 1-2 kilograms of pickle water. Liquid paraffin 500-1000 milliliters, dilute hydrochloric acid 15-20 milliliters, procaine powder 3-4 grams, and plain water 500 milliliters can also be used, given as a single drench.

2. Stomatitis

It is often mainly characterized by drooling and reddening, swelling or ulceration of the oral mucosa.

Treatment: First check whether there is a foreign body in the mouth, replace with soft feed, and rinse the mouth with 1% saline, 2%-3% boric acid, 2%-3% baking soda or 0.1% potassium permanganate or 1% alum, etc.

3. Gastroenteritis

Feeding moldy and spoiled feed or unclean drinking water, or eating toxic plants, sudden climate changes, etc., causes decreased appetite, a thick tongue coating, diarrhea, and feces that are thin and porridge-like or watery, with a foul odor, and the feces contain mucus, blood and shed necrotic tissue, and some contain pus.

Treatment: First, inhibit bacteria and reduce inflammation. Give as a drench 2000-3000 milliliters of 0.1% potassium permanganate solution or 20-30 grams of sulfaguanidine. Second, stop diarrhea. Orally administer 500-1000 milliliters of liquid paraffin, 10-30 grams of ichthammol, and 50 milliliters of alcohol: it can also be given as a drench with 0.5-1 kilogram of roasted flour and 1000-2000 milliliters of strong tea. Third, provide fluid replacement and cardiac support. Intravenous potassium chloride should not exceed 0.3%, and 10-20 milliliters of strychnine heart fluid should be injected subcutaneously or intravenously.

4. Intestinal obstruction

Sudden weather changes, eating coarse, hard, indigestible forage, sudden changes in feed and overeating, insufficient drinking water, and insufficient salt cause standing restlessness, abdominal pain with lying down and getting up, a dry and foul mouth, weakened bowel sounds, and increased abdominal circumference, and hard impacted feces can be felt in the intestines.

Treatment: First, relieve pain. Use 100-200 milliliters of 5% chloral hydrate alcohol injection and 20-40 milliliters of 30% analgin injection; second, orally administer a phosphate buffer or use 300-500 grams of vinegar starter, 500 grams of yeast powder, and 1000-2000 milliliters of warm water; third, provide fluid replacement and cardiac support. Compound sodium chloride injection, 5% glucose injection, and 5% sodium bicarbonate injection are suitable.

5. Donkey stomach botfly

Because a large number of donkey stomach botflies parasitize in the stomach, they stimulate local inflammation and ulcers, causing the donkey's appetite to decrease, indigestion, abdominal pain, and emaciation.

Treatment: Orally administer 30-50 milliliters of trichlorfon or use 15-18 milliliters of carbon disulfide. Before administration, fast for 18-24 hours, with only water provided.

6. Foot rot of the frog

Foot rot of the frog is caused by unclean donkey sheds, damp ground, insufficient exercise, and improper hoof trimming.

Treatment: Thoroughly trim away the rotten horn and dirt, clean with 3% Lysol or 1% potassium permanganate solution, apply 5% iodine tincture to the frog area, then pour in hot pine tar, bandage it, or plug it tightly with cotton balls.