it's time for Flashy Hank....

[promiseacres]

Saturday we had some lovely 50 degree weather, Sunday it turned cold (20's) with freezing rain. Sunday night DH and I fed and checked all animals, all critters seemed good and came to eat nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Monday morning our 5 year miniature donkey (Howie) lay dead in the lot. Monday night with help of DH we moved Howie out so he could be buried. While doing that we put Hank ( 4 yr old mini donkey jack) in with my 5 year old mini stallion. Mini stallion pestered the jack some and Jack did end up slipping on some ice in the pen (not badly) . We got him up, he ate, put the 2 boys in the other pen w/o ice. Hank seemed depressed but ate very willingly. Tuesday morning all seemed fine, boys were getting along, even eating hay together. That evening around 4 pm I looked out and Hank was laying down (on sternum) which wasn't so abnormal....but DH went out and he wouldn't get up. So I tried some feed, he ate but struggled to get up, seemed weak. His gums seemed tacky and after losing Howie we called the vet. She finally got here about 2 hours later. Decided he was probably impacted and tubed some mineral oil in him and gave him some bananmine. We got him out the dry lot to our enclosed stock trailer with some straw for bedding. He walked but very unwillingly (he's not really broke to lead yet) and seemed off on front right but nothing else. Vet noted his hooves seemed soft. but no signs of founder.

This morning he's still down, won't drink...will eat...
They've been on grass hay only for about a month b/c they were getting too fat with 1/2 c of feed (pellet based horse feed)....nothing else has changed ....3 mini horses on the same and are fine

Any ideas?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Sorry about your loss. Hope that Hank feels better soon.

 

[sawfish99]

First, equids will definitely show signs of depression following the loss of a companion, which may include not eating. There are a number of documented studies of this, and it typically includes a mourning period of 3 days.

However, that doesn't sound like what you are dealing with. The fact that an apparently healthy 5 yo animal dropped dead and now a 4 yo from the same herd is showing distress, indicates a crisis to me. I would want to figure out what killed Howie via necropsy. Huge red flag to me that the same thing is about to kill Hank.

I would immediately switch to a different source of hay. It is entirely possible that there was something toxic in the hay. Go to a different farm and buy a few bales. I would also get a second opinion from a different vet. Tacky gums doesn't usually go with impaction (in my experience).

Is he drinking?

Were there any signs of founder on Howie? If he isn't buried yet, look at the hooves. Take pictures and post if possible. It is unusual for founder to kill a horse/donkey.

What did the vet say about Howie's death?

 

[promiseacres]

Sawfish do you really think the hay is a problem when it's the same was what is getting fed to 3 mini horses and 5 sheep? BTW (Vet did not) She did not see the other donkey and wasn't overly concerned about something contagious??

He did drink some warm watery mash I made around 9 am, took some more out and he just wanted to play with the bucket....so he must be feeling somewhat better (still lays there) . My thermometer still showed temp of 96 ( I might try a different one as this one's pretty old). He's pooped ALOT...somewhat firm but nothing out of the ordinary for him...oh and they won't necropsy the other b/c it's been too long. I can take some photos of hooves but ya no lameness in either.

I guess doing some research I got worried about EIA as they've never been tested....but again vet brushed that off. His color is good so I don't think lipadosis is an issue. Thanks for the input it always helps to bounce ideas around. I have dealt with collicky horses and never ever has one just layed down and died....only had to have a vet call for one when he got too dehyrdrated.

 

[sawfish99]

I don't know if the hay is the problem, but if I had an apparently healthy animal die unexpected, and then another animal showing signs of sickness (not just depression), I would be flipping out trying to figure out what was wrong before I had 5 dead animals. If I called a vet out in that situation and the vet didn't seem concerned about the first dead animal, I would likely never use that vet again.

I mean seriously! Did the vet have any concern at all for a suddenly dead 5 yo donkey? That is extremely ABNORMAL.

Maybe the hay is fine, but poisoning comes to the front of my mind for a sudden death like that. And if the donkey was only eating hay, it had to come from somewhere.

 

[promiseacres]

Good points to consider...wish there were other signs. The vet just thinks the weather change threw them off...so ya will probably be looking into another vet.... IMO the only that would of happened is if there was something underlying....so far no signs of liver issues but I am keeping that in mind. There were no signs of either donkey foaming, no respiratory distress, nothing just seemed to lay down to die....which so far Hank is maintaining at the same place. I'm going to get my DH to hook up a heat lamp or something since blankets and straw and being in out the weather is not doing it.

thanks again for replying.

 

[bonbean01]

 

[promiseacres]

Well his temp was up to 97.5 this am (had been around 96 prior)...tried to get up but hindend seems VERY weak. DH does not want to change vets but is willing to take him in today to be checked again and have tests ran....IDK what they'd run but I feel a CBC would not be unwarrented. Discovered he eats his mash good if I put it on pile of hay vs in the bucket (he just wants to play with the bucket otherwise....silly guy)...won't drink water otherwise but pinch test indicates he's no longer dehydrated. gums are good color and no longer tacky. He seemed lethargic yesterday after I give him banamine so thinking to not do that....guess I'll call the vet and see what she says. I'm floored.

DH is wondering if he injured himself Monday night or my little stallion kicked him and now he just hurts to stand??? the stallion is atleast 100# lighter and only 30" vs donkey at 36" but can be onery. there was no nastness just what I consider pestering when they were together. But he did not lay down til 24 hours AFTER he slipped/fell. so IDK!!!

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Oh, he is so cute! I hope you can figure out what is going on.

 

[promiseacres]

today he is the same...we tried to get him up in a sling (the only advice the vet had...grrr) but were unsuccessful...got some new ideas and will try again tonight. I did notice a decent sized ulcer on his uppper lip....