donkey teeth

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.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Rocket Man is one of our three miniature gelding donkeys, he stands 28 inches tall age twenty-five. Rocket Man is the star of our business logo “donkey sitting down On Donkey Time ®”.

Donkeys can live to fifty years of age. Like people the teeth start to fail with age. As my hubby and I sit in the truck waiting for the oral surgery to end my mind travels back to the day we met him. Rocket Man came into our life at age 13 with Rio our Mammoth donkey age 9 months.

Rocket Man is waiting at our vets office recovery room. One horse standing next to him is waiting to go home. She adores Rocket Man, every time Rocket Man goes for a walk she screams and prances. Most horses do not like donkeys right away due to the smell. Donkeys do not have a smell. Donkeys have fur and personality.

Please make sure your vet is experienced in donkeys healthcare. Donkeys digest drugs different than a horse. Pain relief is Usually banamine. Please do not take a chance for colic with a donkey. Donkeys are stoic will not show pain until it is too late. We are waiting for Rocket Man to start making normal gut sounds and he will go home.

We are happy to report Rocket Man is on his way home. Three days of home care and he should be back to perfect health again. Home care is making sure Rocket Man does not colic, washing out the pockets where the tooth was, home pain medication.

We are very grateful to our vets, equine Oral Tooth Surgeon and our veterinarian who does the wellness for our farm.

Thank you Jesus. 🙂