COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE

Tula has been with us for about 10 years.  She came in distrustful of people and to this day, hasn't changed much.  We can work with her in the safe corner of her pen to put a fly mask on her, but she isn't comfortable, and if you want to get touchy feely, her skin crawls and she will usually take off at speed.  In the last year she has started taking animal crackers from visitors, if they are on the other side of the corral panels, which is a giant step for her.  

Earlier this week, we noticed she was drooling, but still eating and taking treats, then she stopped taking treats, so it was time to call the vet.  We've never had a vet for her and because of her issues and really hoped we'd never have to.  

E-mailed Jackpot Equine my "go to" vets, in the evening and Dr. Lindsey was here the next morning at 10am.  We've had both Dr. Lindsey and Dr. Karla out and they are both really caring and compassionate vets.

I had given Dr. Lindsey a head's up in my e-mail, so she was aware of the limitations working with Tula.  We got her in a squeeze, and she got a happy shot.  Then she got another one.  Donkeys can be very hard to get cooperative even with drugs sometimes.

She has never been dangerous, she doesn't kick, rear, or strike out with her front feet like some do.  She just wants to get away, but finally the drugs took effect and we could take the squeeze away, so Dr. Lindsey could get to work.

 1st she got her mouth flushed out. 

 Frijolita is trying to figure out what is going on with her friend, Tula

 Tula had some hooks, but this is about when Dr. Lindsey found a hole in the top of her tongue about half way back.
Thanks for the pictures, Linda

She used a hemostat to poke in the hole, which was about 3/4's of an inch deep.  Didn't find any foreign matter, so she probably poked it with a mesquite thorn or cactus spine.  It probably was in there for a couple of days when we noticed the slobbering, and then worked it's way out.   

It got flushed and she is on antibiotics for the next few days.  She seems fine and no more slobbering.  She also got her teeth floated, I would imagine for the 1st time in her life. 

What I find interesting is, after we have "controlled" her like this, you would think she would be stand offish for awhile.  It's almost like she knows it needs to be done, but she just can't bring herself to participate.  When it's all over her behavior is just like it was before we corralled her.  No better or no worse.  

Coquette had an ACTH blood draw for Cushings.  She has been heavy every since we got her about 3 years ago, which is probably more Insulin Resistance than Cushings.  We've got some weight off her, but not much.  She has excessive hair growth and she is always hungry.  So while the vet was here I thought it might not hurt to get her tested.  Quilla and Daisy are already on pergolide, one more wouldn't make that much difference, but I hope she isn't.

Everyone is wearing a fly mask now except for BlackJack.  The flies don't like him very well.  We aren't having much of a fly problem so far, BUT, they do like to get in the donkey's eyes.  Buddy has already lost his mask.......somewhere........!!!!