Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

 Any advice welcomed. My large mini donkey came to me last year kicking if 
you tried to touch his feet. I worked with him some, but alas, not like I 
should have, the mommy syndrome,4 horses--donkey got neglected with his foot 
training.
 His feet were overgrown, and had a misunderstanding with my  farrier. So 
figuring he'd trim down some on our terrain like my others do, and him 
making a negative comment, discouraged me from pushing him on it. Later I 
begged him to do  him. He said," of course", we had to twitch, he was 
rearing around, but got some trim on fronts,told me to work on backs.
 Fast forward to him wearing some down, but not really right. I got where I 
could touch his legs and begin to pick up his fronts, but still jerking 
backs away(and me not do it as often as I should). Got to where I could 
touch and pick up a little on fronts to clean out, backs not as far.
  Then he went lame about 3 weeks ago. No swelling, heat ,etc. I put him up 
and gave bute 3 days,stopped, 3 days ,gave again for 2. Worked with feet and 
cleaned  the fronts and bathed him  and cleaned with hose..  He was 
obviously foot sore. I figured abcess.
   Sure enough  after working daily  and him still lame on fronts I found a 
hole in sole and further up on overgrown toe  On LF. I manged to get him 
where I could  squirt betadine on it, He didn't like that.
   I have read and studied some  "foot books' and am not sure what I am 
seeing --as he is a donkey.  His frogs look ok. But I see a sort of round 
light color oval sole, I see the bars, but then in front it is darker and 
pointed and long. Sort of a circle with a darker  cone  in front of it. I 
hope I am not seeing  the coffin bone..... or a seperation.
   He is walking sort of on his heels. I know he isn't right , and 
obviously sore, doesn't like the rocks.
   Should this be done, with timming, in  stages? --But,  may be tricky, he 
reared and danced around,and we twitched him. Gain his trust, only  to lose 
it.
  Or have the vet  traq. him , do everything and give him a good once over 
?
    After finding the two holes and there looks to be a front hole in the 
overgrown part  on the other foot too... I am worring about  white , line or 
seedy toe.
   Or, since the  abcess has already blown, should  I just  work on 
cleaning out the hole (as my daughter suggested,  squirt Iodine in the hole) 
 and work with his feet ,and then  get the farrier to trim again?  Should I 
leave him out or  stall him ?  Try to soak or wrap?
  Or call the vet, have him tranqualized, examined, trimmed etc?
 I have dwelt with  two horse abcesses.... but not a donkey. Not like I  
could put an easyboot on him and medicate it..... and he is arguing with me 
about his feet.... Sort of trying to gain trust... but messing it up with 
the  doctoring.....



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=