Why is it important to have your donkeys teeth checked by a vet once a year?
The role of routine dental care is to improve chewing, relieve pain, to treat and cure infection and to promote the general health, productivity and longevity of the donkey, horse or mule. It is important to remember that dentistry includes not only the teeth and mouth but the sinuses, bones of the jaw and the temporomandibular joint.
Facts:
1. Domesticated donkeys can develop high points on their teeth pushing on the gums making them sore and difficult to chew. Eating hay that is not chewed causes colic and can contribute directly to death in donkeys, mules and horses.
2. The gums can become inflamed and need a vet to do oral surgery. Most of the time these donkeys need to go to a hay mash and can no longer eat hay.
3. Sinus health issues are addressed by annual vet exam of the mouth.
If we do not do regular dental care we risk loosing our donkeys early in life. Eating hay that is not chewed properly will cause colic. Senior donkeys can be moved to a hay mash with restrictions to eating hay or straw 100%, these donkeys can graze on fresh grass for limited amounts of time to avoid obesity.
Please find a veterinarian that has experience with donkeys as donkeys digest drugs differently than a horse. Most vet’s in the U.S.A. give a mild sedative before opening the mouth, as it is safer for the donkey and the human.
Thank you for investing in your donkeys.
donkey dentist
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Donkeys evolved from the desert their gift is to survive on low sugar, low protein forage:
Equus asinus (Donkey) evolved in the desert regions of our world. Donkeys have been been given the gift to survive in the desert, a part of our world where very few other creatures can survive. Donkeys can survive and thrive on very low sugar, and protein diet. The donkey has one of the most efficient digestive systems seriously better than the horse helping the donkey metabolize low nutritional value shrubs and trees, grasses for survival. Donkeys digest foods much slower than the horse and this gift helps the donkey to absorb more nutrients from lower-quality forage. Drugs in donkeys are not the same as with a horse. Most vets must learn the hard way about giving far fewer drugs to a donkey as their bodies absorb drugs differently from the horse per weight and size.
Please remember donkeys are healthiest emotionally and physically when getting to live with another donkey. Never make a donkey live without another donkey in isolation. Can a horse work out? It depends, most donkeys prefer another donkey over a horse but will take any animal in lieu of being forced to live in isolation. If you decide to place your donkeys into a pasture environment with cows, horses, sheep, lama, etc. you will have to watch the diet of your donkeys as they cant eat foods the other animals eat without becoming obese. Obesity in donkeys is a life-threatening health concern as laminitis, hoof abscesses, insulin resistance, fat in the blood, and kidney failure are all due to a rich diet. Additionally, donkeys grab the neck in play with their pasture donkey buddy, and in battle, they can kill another small animal quickly.
How Do I Keep My Donkeys Happy and Healthy?
Tested low sugar/protein hay with portion control. Test hay atEquine Analytical Lab before purchasing enough hay for the year. Do not feed free-choice hay twenty-four hours a day or your donkey will become obese. No grain, oats, grazing full-time, eating brush as even brush can be high in sugar in the Pacific Northwest. Create a hot wire track (dry) but safe for exercise and enjoyment.
Geld jacks as jacks (stallions) are never a safe option for the farm. Only experienced donkey breeders should be keeping a jack.
Provide excellent fences, gates, and locks. Donkeys are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet they are capable of opening gates and doors that are not secure.
Shelter, donkeys need to get out of the rain, snow, and sun.
Clean Water and warm clean water in the winter.
Salt with minerals, add selenium if your hay does not have it, and remove if hay has selenium.
Vet care is needed for a donkey; spring shots, fecal samples (spring and fall) health checkups, and dental exams once a year.
Farrier visits schedule every six weeks in the spring and summer and seven in the fall and winter to trim and balance the hooves preventing white line disorder, seedy toe, and more.
Check for lice and rain rot in the winter months and spring.
Watch my free youtube video Bringing Your Donkey Home
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Donkeys NEED a strong playmate to grab a hold of the neck, play tug with a food bowl and chase after. Donkeys are not horses they are donkeys and they play different from the horse. If you have a herd of cows and a donkey chasing after them I would say your donkey is bored and more than likely young and has no donkey to play with he/she is bored to death. Or a Jack (intact) donkey.
Two donkeys will play donkey games.
Never leave a donkey with baby sheep, goats or baby cows as the donkey can get bored and pick up the youngster by the neck donkeys play really rough and can kill the animal not big enough to defend itself. Donkeys are not being crazy or mean they are just doing what donkeys do playing, they need a play mate that can play the way Donkeys play. Donkeys can and do kill baby sheep, calves, goats and dogs.
Ideas To Stop This Behavior – Remember Donkeys Are Thinkers and They Get Bored Easy:
1. Make sure your donkey has toys, black feed bowl or orange traffic cone – Donkeys like to play with their mouths all the time
2. If your donkey is a Jack turn him into a John
3. Please remember Donkeys go in two’s, get your donkey another donkey to play with and chase. Size matters, pair the donkeys up fair. Diet is easier to manage this way too. Never ever leave your donkey with an animal too small as donkeys are just being donkeys they play really rough with their mouths and grab the neck of the playmate. This is why donkeys have such thick necks compared to the horse as donkeys grab the neck of another donkey.
Please share information and enjoy your donkeys as donkeys are most happiest with another donkey and remember Donkeys are indeed precious gifts from GOD.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged.
Donkeys are smart not stubborn. Donkeys are visual learners meaning; Donkeys can watch you do something repetitively and repeat the process. Donkeys are wood eaters. Make sure you have excellent fences, gates and locks.
Donkey Whisperer Farm ®
Donkeys love wood!
Please do not confuse eating wood as cribbing as its not. Donkeys evolved from the desert.
“Horses Dream Of Being Trained The Way A Donkey Demands To Be Trained” Melody Johnson, Trainer
Working with donkeys and mules takes training to an entire new level. Donkeys have photographic memories. Mules are half horse and half donkey meaning some mules will be more like a donkey and some more like a horse. Not every mule is going to make it to the Grand Canyon. What’s the big deal? Horses are flight equine. Donkeys are seriously smart and into self-preservation. All equine have personalities just like people extroverted more go than whoa. Introverted more of a deep thinker and more whoa than go.
Dictionary:
Donkey – Equus Asinus or Ass
Three sizes
Minature
Standard or burro
Mammoth Donkey
Jack—The term used for the male of the ass species.
Jennet—Pronounced JEN-et, it is the correct term for the female of the species. The most commonly used term is jenny.
Burro—A word taken directly from Spain. It means the common, everyday working donkey found in Spain and Morocco. Many people call a wild donkey a burro in the Pacific Northwest.
Donkey sizes—Donkeys come in all shapes and sizes ranging from the Miniature Mediterranean 28 inches to Mammoth 16’2 hands. The ears of a donkey are much longer than the horse.
Mule – The mother is a horse and the dad is a donkey. Mules are Usually sterile.
Hinny – The mother is a donkey and the dad is a horse. The death rate is high when trying to breed this way.
Female mule – Also known as a Molly.
Health Concerns
Diet is number one in the U.S.A. Donkeys evolved from the desert meaning they are seriously easy keepers. The overweight donkey is prone to laminits, colic, founder, hoof problems, abscesses, fat deposits. I.E., Neck crests and breaks. Death is final all due to poor diet. Donkeys must live on a dry pasture for the majority of their day. Donkeys will eat themselves to death if given the chance. Never feed donkeys alfalfa, oats, grass full-time grazing, bread, grass clippings. A safe reward for your donkey is a bite of a carrot. A bite. Never feed apples, pears etc., to your donkey. Donkeys evolved from the desert think about what is in the desert. Donkeys are seriously Easy Keepers.
Fecal samples are a must to prevent worms. Donkeys must have vet checks and regular hoof trimming just like the horse when living in domestication.
Reproduction
Donkeys gestation is twelve to thirteen months. Vet care is a must if you think your donkey is pregnant get a vet check do not guess.
Donkeys are stoic – Meaning donkeys will never show pain until it is too late. Be sure to not wait too long to get medical attention as your donkeys life is depending on you.
Training?
The Donkey Whisperer Farm trains the owner or caretaker to train the donkey via our video training series Donkey 101 and Donkey 102. Take Melody Johnson to the farm with you via your smart device. Each training program has a written PDF to print out and take to farm with you. We train the owner or caretaker to train the donkey worldwide using resistance free methods. Select OUR STORE to purchase donkey halter/lead lines, donkey training stick and string and our Donkey Training Video Series.
Our farm is more than a business, our farm is our family.
Creating a farm takes lots of planning, savings and patience. The farm is a full-time investment of time, energy and funds. Each animal is unique, as time passes so does their health care requirements similar to people.
Why do people love owning a farm?
The farm is a wonderful place to work and relax at the same time. The human body was made to stay in motion. Not to sit around in front of the computer or other electronic devices. Fresh air and a purpose helps us sleep really hard at night.
The animals each have unique personalities and they are truly part of our life. We love each animal for life.
Farm visit do’s and don’ts or “Farm Etiquette”
You are visiting a working farm and a business. You are a guest on the farm. Please respect any rules and signs displayed at the farm.
Driving past a farm. Please slow down, do not honk your horn or throw food or garbage at the farm.
When you drive into a farm shut the gate behind you.
Leave your pets at home unless the farm specifies that pets are welcome. Most farms have their own animals.
Park your vehicle in designated areas only.
For your own safety, visit only identified areas.
Please keep an eye on your children to ensure a fun, safe visit.
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