Sick Baby Donkey

[bombay_43]

I just brought in a 2 day old baby miniature donkey. It appears too weak to suck its mother, does not want to stand anymore, and is fighting to throw its head a neck backwards.

Can a donkey need selinium just like a calf or lamb? This looks almost like white muscle.

Any advice out there?

[cakadu]

I feel so badly for you bombay and wish I knew more about baby donkeys. Maybe a bit more information might help to get the advice that you so need.

Were there any signs of birthing difficulties?

Do you know if it got any colostrum at all?

[bombay_43]

This is the third baby this female has had, both previous babies were dead when we found them. This one, we kept a close eye on her, and were really happy when the baby seemed to be ok.

I don't know if it is a bit premature, as it does not have any teeth yet. I don't know if that is the case with baby donkeys.

It is still alive, but I am not holding my breath with this one.

[bombay_43]

Linda, it did appear to be sucking the mother ok all day yesterday.

[cakadu]

In looking through my veterinary manual, horses do need selenium, but it doesn't say anything about donkeys or foals. It does say that white muscle is more a condition of sheep and goats than other animals.

The donkey book that I have doesn't mention anything about weak foals or the conditions associated with them, just orphaned babies.

The head going back makes me wonder if it is a vitamin B deficiency of some sort, which can cause them to do that.

I wish I could be of more help, but maybe someone else like kato or emrald can be as they seem to know a great deal about them.

[cakadu]

sounds like it could possibly be a genetic defect in the female that caused stillborns and now this little fellow that is weak. If you want to save it, a vet should see it as soon as possible.

[kato]

I agree totally. Get it to the vet as soon as you can. Little ones are quite delicate, and I wouldn't delay.

Have you checked it's temperature and it's navel?

[bombay_43]

I did try calling the vet, but as it was Rememberance day, no one was answering. I did also administer 1cc of selinium, but to no avail. She died late yesterday, so perhaps it is a genetic thing.

Part of living on the farm, we take the bad with the good. The mother is sure looking for her baby today. Pretty sad ole girl.

Thanks to all for the advice.

[bombay_43]

I will always remember something an rough old cowhand told me when we were new to the cattle business and lost a calf . He said ' you can't save all the people so there is no way you should expect to be able to save all the critters !!!'
Tough break to lose the baby, but maybe it was for the best. Just curious, has the jenny been bred to the same jack for all three of her foals ? If so, I would try breeding her to a jack with a different blood line to see if that might have a different result.

[cakadu]

I'm sorry to hear about loosing the baby, Bombay. That is never easy and is always heartbreaking to hear the mom looking for her baby.

I do know that we can't save everything, but it sure feels horrible when you can't, at least to me it does. I see the animals as being in my care and dependant on me, so when I can't do something, I feel really bad.

My heart goes out to you Bombay.

[kato]

Too bad about the baby. Sometimes it just happens, and there's not much you can do about it. That doesn't make it any easier, though.

If you think it may be genetic, I think emerald has a really good idea about trying a different jack. What the heck, it might work.

Talk to your vet. If he/she thinks it may not be genetic, perhaps you could have some bloodwork done. I don't know if donkey's get rhino, but horses do, and it causes the same kind of premature births, abortions and such that IBR does in cattle. If you know when she was bred, the gestation should be exactly a year.

[bombay_43]

Emerald, same Jack all three years. We did not pay much for these donkeys, as they were old, and the feet were getting bad on them. I think when we chose to buy them, they were heading for a glue factory.

We have had a lot of fun with them, we purchased 2 Jennys and 1 Jack. We already owned a full size Jenny, but the miniatures always intrigued us. An old neighbor who sold us them, told us that if we were waiting for our "golden years" to get the miniatures...those years were here! Haven't regretted buying them, they are wonderful pets! The babies are just a bonus!

[bombay_43]

bombay, sounds like the mini donkeys were the fortunate ones to end up in your care. I feel the same as Linda does, if we have animals we are responsible for their care, but when we have done all we can, I always feel the rest is up to the Man upstairs. I still get sick inside if I lose a calf or an old cow dies, but that is the way the cycle goes.
I know I feel a lot better knowing that my critters are well looked after,don't know how some folks can neglect their animals, and still call themselves farmers or ranchers.
I have and old border collie that is nearing the end of her road, she is catered to, and spoiled rotten, but she has given me years of faithfulness and is the best buddy anyone could have, so she will get the best treatment possible as long as she is able to enjoy a quality of life.