what to feed a donkey with laminitis

It also means that if a donkey is let loose in a lush pasture, he’s more likely to put on too much weight. (And yes, overweight donkeys can develop laminitis.) Ideally, a donkey’s year-round diet should include more mature hay than grass, to help keep his condition in check.

Full Answer

What should I feed a donkey with dental disease?

Donkeys with dental disease require a slightly different diet, but it should still be low in sugar and high in fibre. Remember that donkeys with endocrine conditions such as EMS and PPID are particularly susceptible to laminitis if their diet is not managed. See factsheet Feeding the donkey with laminitis for more information.

What should I know about feeding a donkey with laminitis?

Remember that donkeys with endocrine conditions such as EMS and PPID are particularly susceptible to laminitis if their diet is not managed. See factsheet Feeding the donkey with laminitis for more information.

What do you feed a horse with laminitis?

Cereals (oats, barley, maize) or bagged feeds containing cereals or molasses with combined sugar/starch exceeding 10%. Never starve a horse with laminitis - this can cause hyperlipaemia (which has a high fatality rate) particularly in pony, donkey and miniature horse breeds.

How to take care of a donkey?

Avoid dusty or mouldy feeds. Access to an equine salt or mineral lick is advisable (avoid mineral licks designed for other types of livestock as they may contain inappropriate mineral levels). Always have clean water available. Donkeys require a diet high in fibre and low in protein, sugars, starch/carbohydrates and calories.

What can you do for a donkey with laminitis?

Care for a donkey with laminitiscall your vet immediately to arrange an urgent visit. ... provide a deep bed with bedding that will mould around the hoof and provide support, such as shavings or straw.ensure easy access to food and water.

What should you not feed donkeys?

Avoid feeding potatoes, anything from the brassica family, onions, leeks, garlic, stoned fruit and anything which is old, fermented or mouldy as these are toxic to donkeys. Carrots, apples, bananas, pears, turnips and swedes are all safe and usually very popular with donkeys.

What is the best thing to feed donkeys?

The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months).

Are donkeys prone to laminitis?

Foot Problems and Foot Care As with horses and ponies, donkeys are very prone to laminitis if their weight is not controlled. As obesity is very common in UK donkeys, this results in a high risk of laminitis, particularly in spring and summer months.

Is sweet feed good for donkeys?

You should never feed Longears (donkeys, or mules) any pre-mixed sweet feeds, or products high in alfalfa. Equines in general should never be turned out in a pasture with Fescue grass.

What is toxic to donkeys?

As little as 20% of black walnut in the shavings can cause toxicity in horses or donkey. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) ingestion can cause destruction of the red blood cells when ingested by horses or donkeys. This can cause secondary kidney damage as well. Red or dark colored urine is typically the first sign seen.

Is a salt lick good for donkeys?

Donkeys need salt and, if suffering from a salt deficiency, they may eat dirt or lick/chew objects. To avoid this, pour some loose salt into a separate container to other food or give a little at night. You can also buy equine salt lick blocks, but make sure you do not buy a cattle salt block by mistake.

Should donkeys eat hay or straw?

Straw should make up the majority of most donkeys' diets, with grazing and hay or haylage being considered a top-up only. Feeding a donkey on grass and hay without providing any straw will end up over-supplying them with calories and energy, causing them to store the excess calories as fat.

How much grain should I feed my donkey?

An average sized (175 kg) healthy, adult donkey needs 2-3 kg of fibrous food per day to satisfy their appetite. In the majority of cases this should be solely provided by straw, hay/haylage or restricted grazing plus a vitamin and mineral balancer.

Can you give bute to a donkey?

Some of their research has shown donkeys to metabolize phenylobutazone (bute) and flunixin meglumine (Banamine) approximately five times faster than a horse, so an owner may need to administer bute or Banamine more frequently to a donkey. Always consult with your veterinarian for any drug administration.

How do you tell if a donkey has foundered?

Foundered animals will assume a characteristic “sawhorse” stance with their hind feet up under their body and their front feet placed farther forward than normal. This is because the equine is trying to shift its weight off its painful front feet to its hind legs.

What causes lameness in donkeys?

The result of questioner survey and visual study reveal that the main causes of lameness in donkey are ;28.3% is muscular and tendon problem,21.5% is joint problem,5.4% is bone problem, 20.0% is tendon problems,13.2% is hoof problem and 27.0% is other associated risk factor were shown to cause lameness in working ...

How do you know if a donkey has laminitis?

The signs of laminitis may include: lying down more than usual. taking shorter steps when walking, also known as 'pottery' gait. subtle shifting of weight when standing. heat in the hooves.

How to treat a donkey with a disease?

As with many diseases, prompt treatment can make all the difference to the outcome for your donkey. provide a deep bed with bedding that will mould around the hoof and provide support, such as shavings or straw. ensure easy access to food and water.

What is laminitis in dogs?

Laminitis is inflammation of the ‘laminae’, the sensitive soft tissue structure inside the hoof that joins ...

What does it mean when a donkey has heat in his hooves?

heat in the hooves. a strong pulse on either side of the fetlock (digital pulse) dullness. In long-standing cases of front foot laminitis there may be a loss of muscle over the shoulder area, as the donkey attempts to take most of its bodyweight on the hind limbs.

Why do donkeys get stressed?

Causes of stress can include travel, changes in management and the loss of a companion.

Do donkeys have dental disease?

Donkeys with dental disease require a slightly different diet, but it should still be low in sugar and high in fibre. Remember that donkeys with endocrine conditions such as EMS and PPID are particularly susceptible to laminitis if their diet is not managed. See factsheet Feeding the donkey with laminitis for more information.

Can you put a donkey on a diet?

Remember that prevention of laminitis is always better than cure. Never put a donkey on an extreme diet in order to manage laminitis.

What Is Laminitis?

Laminitis is an ailment which is caused by damage and severe inflammation to the hoof of the animal and the coffin bone.

What Are The First Signs Of Laminitis?

The clinical signs of laminitis which can be noticed at the onset of the ailment include:

How Do You Treat It In Donkeys?

Once you notice signs of laminitis in your donkey ensure you call the veterinarian for immediate treatment.

How Quickly Can Laminitis Come On?

Laminitis can be triggered by its different causes such as overeating lush grass and the first signs of laminitis can begin to show between 20 – 72 hours of the trigger event depending on the cause.

Can A Farrier Cause Laminitis?

Some donkey owners have reported their donkeys going lame and contracting laminitis after visiting the farrier.

Can Donkeys Get Laminitis From Hay?

Donkeys cannot get laminitis from hay. Grass hay, haulage and straw is the ideal nutritional feed proportion your donkey needs to grow without having any medical problems or getting obese.

Should You Walk A Donkey With Laminitis?

You should try to keep a donkey with laminitis off his feet as much as possible to ease the pain.

What do donkeys eat?

High fibre requirement. Donkeys require a diet high in fibre and low in protein, sugars, starch/carbohydrates and calories. The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body ...

How do donkeys survive?

Donkeys have evolved over thousands of years to live in semi-arid environments where the nutritional quality of the food available is very poor. They have adapted to eat fibrous plant material in small quantities throughout the day. This is known as trickle feeding and helps to keep the donkey’s digestive system healthy and to keep ...

What is trickle feeding?

This is known as trickle feeding and helps to keep the donkey’s digestive system healthy and to keep the donkey occupied. Please note that, while donkeys are a member of the Equidae or horse family, they are a different species to horses and therefore have different needs.

How to keep donkeys indoors?

Donkeys kept indoors require a floor-level feed bin or corner-floor feeder placed so that feed cannot get soiled. Hay nets are not recommended as it is better for donkeys to eat from the floor and empty hay nets can be a hazard. Place enough straw in the feeder so that they can browse through it. There will be no waste as the remainder can be used for bedding. If possible, position the feeder so that the donkey’s feet are not on the bedding while they are eating, so they have a chance to dry out. It is recommended to allow ‘paddock’ time to exercise and for environmental enrichment.#N#Donkeys should always have access to a clean water supply and they may be quite fussy about what they drink. A securely supported bucket or a self-filling trough should be constantly available and should be cleaned out daily after the stable has been mucked out to avoid a build up of dust or dirt in the water.

Why do donkeys need veterinary attention?

These donkeys will require veterinary attention to address the dental issues and special dietary attention to ensure they receive adequate nutrition. They may require supplementary feeding with high fibre products that are more easily eaten e.g. short-chop high fibre products to reduce the need to chew.

Do donkeys need special diets?

Elderly donkeys. Please note that elderly donkeys may require special dietary attention. Dental disease and/or other health problems may mean that older donkeys have trouble chewing long strands of straw/hay and therefore they may require supplementary feeding to provide an alternative fibre source.

Do donkeys need water?

Donkeys should always have access to a clean water supply and they may be quite fussy about what they drink. A securely supported bucket or a self-filling trough should be constantly available and should be cleaned out daily after the stable has been mucked out to avoid a build up of dust or dirt in the water.

Can donkeys eat cereal?

Donkeys, on the other hand, don’t need this kind of supplementation. In fact, cereal grains should never be fed to a donkey; a donkey’s increased metabolism of energy and protein makes cereal grains completely off-limits.

Can donkeys get laminitis?

It also means that if a donkey is let loose in a lush pasture, he’s more likely to put on too much weight. (And yes, overweight donkeys can develop laminitis.) Ideally, a donkey’s year-round diet should include more mature hay than grass, to help keep his condition in check.

Is a donkey a pet?

Donkeys are growing in popularity as pets, even here in Kentucky, home of the Horse Capital of the World! Because donkeys look so similar to ponies, their owners may think Hallway Feeds is a good option to ensure they get all the nutrition they need. However, donkeys and ponies are very different—with different digestive systems, ...

Is a donkey a browser?

For example, ponies are grazers, and they can meet a lot of their nutritional needs out in the pasture. Donkeys, however, are both grazers and browsers.

Can a donkey have a ration balancer?

A product like Hallway Feeds Pure & Simple Balancer can support a healthy digestive tract and has the protein, vitamins, and minerals that many equines need to ensure overall health. Note , though, that a donkey would be fed a balancer at a much lower rate than a pony. Consult your vet for appropriate advice.

What is the diet of a horse with laminitis?

Diets for horses with laminitis/EMS/PPID will usually be based on low energy, low sugar/starch high fibre forage with nutrients targeted to meet deficiencies in the forage, identified by forage analysis (or typical values). The diet for your horse will depend primarily on whether:

What to feed a horse with PPID?

Some experts recommend feeding good levels of anti-oxidants to horses with PPID, including vitamin E, zinc, copper and selenium.

How to increase fibre in horses?

Increase fibre - feed 2 - 2.5% of the horse's bodyweight as forage (hay, haylage or grass depending on the need to restrict sugar/starch). Increase the DE content of the diet using rapidly fermented low sugar/starch feeds such as unmolassed sugar beet.

What minerals do horses need?

Minerals/vitamins with an established requirement are: macro minerals (amounts given in g): calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium, sulphur.

How much should a 500 kg horse eat?

So to lose weight, a 500 kg horse might eat 7.5 kg DM, and a 250 kg pony 3.75 kg DM per day, and to maintain weight, a 500 kg horse might eat 10 kg DM , and a 250 kg pony 5 kg DM per day. NB ideally the energy content of the feed should be analysed and matched to the energy requirements of the horse.

What does a horse's diet depend on?

The diet for your horse will depend primarily on whether: - he/she needs to lose, gain or maintain weight - horses that need to gain weight need to have more energy provided by their diet, horses that need to lose weight need to have less.

Is sugar in bucket feed higher than mineral?

Although the sugar/starch content of a balancer is likely to be higher than a mineral supplement , when mixed with a low sugar/starch carrier such as a non-molassed chaff or unmolassed sugar beet, the total sugar/starch content of the bucket feed is unlikely to exceed 10%.

How to treat laminitis in horses?

The best way to deal with laminitis is preventing the causes under your control. Keep all grain stored securely out of the reach of horses. Introduce your horse to lush pasture gradually. Be aware that when a horse is ill, under stress or overweight, it is especially at risk.

How to tell if a horse has laminitis?

Signs of acute laminitis include the following: Lameness, especially when a horse is turning in circles; shifting lameness when standing. Heat in the feet. Increased digital pulse in the feet (most easily palpable over either sesamoid bone at the level of the fetlock).

What is the difference between founder and laminitis?

However, founder usually refers to a chronic (long-term) condition associated with rotation of the coffin bone, whereas acute laminitis refers to symptoms associated with a sudden initial attack, including pain and inflammation of the laminae.

What is the cause of laminitis?

Laminitis results from the disruption (constant, intermittent or short-term) of blood flow to the sensitive and insensitive laminae. These laminae structures within the foot secure the coffin bone (the wedge-shaped bone within the foot) to the hoof wall. Inflammation often permanently weakens the laminae and interferes with the wall/bone bond. In severe cases, the bone and the hoof wall can separate. In these situations, the coffin bone may rotate within the foot, be displaced downward ("sink") and eventually penetrate the sole. Laminitis can affect one or all feet, but it is most often seen in the front feet concurrently.

What are the factors that increase the risk of laminitis in horses?

Factors that seem to increase a horse's susceptibility to laminitis or increase the severity of the condition when it does occur include the following: Heavy breeds, such as draft horses. Overweight body. High nutritional plane (feeding large amounts of carbohydrate-rich meals)

What is the name of the disease caused by excessive amounts of lush forage before the horse's system has had time

Sudden access to excessive amounts of lush forage before the horse's system has had time to adapt; this type of laminitis is known as "grass founder.". Toxins released within the horse's system.

Why is my horse's foot so heavy?

Excessive weight-bearing on one leg due to injury of another leg or any other alteration of the normal gait. Various primary foot diseases. Bedding that contains black walnut shavings. Although controversial, prolonged use or high doses of corticosteroids may contribute to the development of laminitis in some horses.

How to reduce risk of laminitis in horses?

Keeping your horse at a healthy weight for their breed and height is an essential part of minimising the risk of laminitis. We recommend fat scoring your horse and weighing them, using our scientifically validated weigh-tape, every fortnight. You should aim for a fat score of between 2.5-3 on a scale of 0-5.

When is laminitis most likely to occur?

The risk is higher in the spring and autumn when grass growth is most rapid, and grass is higher in non-structural carbohydrates such as sugars, starch and fructans. This may increase the risk of laminitis for individuals that are insulin resistant.

What to do if your horse has gained weight?

If your horse has gained weight then winter can be a great time to kick start weight loss. Trace-clipping or using a lighter rug will mean that your horse will burn off some of his excess weight keeping warm.

Can horses get laminitis from starch overload?

Feed Small Meals: Laminitis due to starch-overload is very rare as most horses and ponies prone to laminitis are not fed large amounts of high starch concentrate feeds. It can occur occasionally, for example if a horse or pony breaks into the feed room. You should always ensure feed is kept secure and you feed small concentrate meals.

Do horses need concentrate meals?

As most horses and ponies prone to laminitis tend to hold weight easily it is unlikely that they will need large concentrate meals, however, it is still very important that they get a balanced diet, providing all the essential vitamins and minerals for health and well-being. Consider feeding either a low calorie, ...

Does laminitis affect the laminae?

This is thought to affect blood flow to the laminae in the hooves, possible through Insulin Growth Factor Receptors. Laminitis can also be associated with sepsis or endotoxaemia and this includes grain-induced laminitis due to starch-overload and health problems such as retained placenta.