# Preggers or Fat????



## Holly Chisholm

This is Petunia who we have had since November 2019. She was huge when we got her. She's on a straight Bermuda diet, and she really doesn't eat that much! She's gained about an inch a month. We had our vet do a blood pregnancy test. It came back positive, but the vet said the timing wasn't right on the due date the test gave, and that donkeys are notoriously hard to test accurately.

The rescue we got her from said there was no way she was bred. I haven't felt any movement, but then I didn't on my pregnant mini, Sally, either. Her udder is just two little deflated balloons.

I don't know what to think!


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## Taz

Donkeys go longer than horses so you have time to wait/stress. I'll try to get a picture of my not pregnant fat donkey who eats almost nothing. Two inflated balloons is interesting. Could your vet palpate her so you know? I love donkeys, she's a cutie.


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## Taz

Oh, didn't read that well, sleep deprived is my excuse .
You've had her since Nov. How long was she at the rescue? Any studs there of any kind? Sterling might be getting a playmate!!!!!! Haha!!!!


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## Holly Chisholm

Yes, there are studs at the rescue, but the rescue says they didn't get to her - she doesn't think.  I don't know how long she was at the rescue. I must be brain-deprived; I meant two DEFLATED little balloons. I'll go back and edit.


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## Pitter Patter

I am going to start off by saying I know absolutely NOTHING about donkeys, but if she's not pregnant I would be very shocked! I can't imagine anything else unless donkeys bloat like goats, but I doubt it. She looks like I felt in my last month of pregnancy all three times! Do donkeys have multiples? Just wondering...she is huge. I'm with Taz--you're sweet Sterling may get a cousin! Best wishes and (maybe congratulations are in order!)


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## Taz

Holly, I tried to get you a couple of comparison pictures tonight but it didn't work well. The vet was here today for shots and Alice(my donkey) hasn't forgiven me yet. I'll try again tomorrow. If Petunia is like my two she won't even show in season which makes it even harder for you. Wait and see if she starts to show anything definite? It would be nice for Sterling to have someone to play and grow up with if she is in foal. I got Oliver a playmate when he was 4 months, he had his mom and two donkey aunts but they didn't play with him. Back to the rescue I went for a 3 year old gelding. My one rescue(mom) turned into three


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## Ryan Johnson

Can you grab a pic standing from behind her ? Any udder development ? 

From the above pics she looks Pregnant to me


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## Holly Chisholm

Well, Petunia IS starting to show a little udder development! The last time we checked her, there was nothing. Now she has slight in front of her udders.


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## Holly Chisholm

For some reason, it says my photo of her from behind is too big for the server, but here's one of her udder.


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## Holly Chisholm

Here's a picture of her from the back.


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## Ryan Johnson

There used to be quite a few that bred Donkeys on here a few years back. They always seemed to carry much longer than 11 months. Good Luck Holly , you are going to be exhausted by the time this summer is over


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## Holly Chisholm

Thanks Ryan! I sent the udder photo to our vet and waiting to hear back.


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## Taz

Hi Holly,
This is Alice. She's a large standard and had a foal before I got her. Please excuse how she looks, I just treated her for lice(had a boarder move in with it a few years ago and it keeps coming back now and then) and she's in the middle of shedding.




She is squishy on her sides but doesn't have a hay belly. I've seen donkeys that have huge pregnant looking bellies but it's always with squishy fat over their sides and quarters. I'm guessing your girl is a pretty good weight when you have your hands on her with a big belly? I think you're having another baby!!!!! 
Looks like it's not her first, she'll know what's going on and make your life easier.
Sleep now while you can.


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## Holly Chisholm

Well, I sent the udder picture to the vet and he said, "Think it is heat and body moisture."


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## Taz

Well, I guess it's wait and see.....


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## Pitter Patter

Holly Chisholm said:


> Well, I sent the udder picture to the vet and he said, "Think it is heat and body moisture."


That's what I'm going to give as my excuse when my doctor asks me why I haven't lost weight!! I can just picture her face now! LOL


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## Holly Chisholm

Here's a recent picture of Petunia. All she eats is Bermuda grass and a little bit of Timothy cubes. The vet said she should lose weight on that diet. NOT!!! She still has a little bit of an udder.


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## Taz

Do you know how old she is? It doesn't matter, just curious. Will she let you hang out feeling for kicks? Some of that belly could be from being swaybacked but it looks like it's hanging pretty low to me. If she's not eating enough to have a hay belly it has to be a foal, doesn't it? Have you tried to see it you can get any milk? I'm guessing preggers.


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## Holly Chisholm

Taz said:


> Do you know how old she is? It doesn't matter, just curious. Will she let you hang out feeling for kicks? Some of that belly could be from being swaybacked but it looks like it's hanging pretty low to me. If she's not eating enough to have a hay belly it has to be a foal, doesn't it? Have you tried to see it you can get any milk? I'm guessing preggers.



THere isn't enough udder to get any milk. The rescue said she's eighteen; the vet said ten which makes me suspicious that the rescue got mixed up on which donkey she was. There are A LOT of donkeys at this rescue, most of whom were bound for slaughter. We haven't seen her go into heat since we've had her (Nov. 2019). She does have a fat cresty neck. The vet thinks she's just fat.


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## Taz

I've never seen either of my donkeys in heat like a mare. I read they will talk more when they are but mine don't change that either. Well, I guess if she doesn't give you anything definite you'll know by Dec . Sorry, not helpful. . Does she feel fat when you put your hands on her other than her crest and the fat pads high on her sides? That really is a big belly if she's not obese. I have seen bigger on donkeys but they were fat enough you couldn't find a rib, hip etc. no matter what you did.


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## Holly Chisholm

Here's some pictures I took of Petunia today. Not sure if I see any changes.


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## Taz

Looks about the same to me.


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## Holly Chisholm

Taz said:


> Looks about the same to me.



Yeah, she's probably just fat.


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## Taz

Baby donkeys are SO cute but if she's just fat you don't have to do foal watch and worry.


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## MerMaeve

What did the vet say, @Holly Chisholm? Did they do an ultrasound and what was the results from that?


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## Pitter Patter

I don't know, but her udder seems firmer and a little bigger to me. The folds are gone. Maybe just wishful thinking for you, like I am doing with mine!


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## Holly Chisholm

MerMaeve said:


> What did the vet say, @Holly Chisholm? Did they do an ultrasound and what was the results from that?



The vet did a blood test. It came back positive, but the vet said the timing was wrong. Apparently, the test can tell how far along they are. He also said it's very unreliable in donkeys. His final opinion was "not pregnant."

He said to only feed her Bermuda, which we have been doing except for a small amount of Timothy cubes to lure her into a separate pen at lunch time. He said she will lose weight. She hasn't. She's getting bigger.

Soooooooo, who knows?


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## Pitter Patter

Holly Chisholm said:


> The vet did a blood test. It came back positive, but the vet said the timing was wrong. Apparently, the test can tell how far along they are. He also said it's very unreliable in donkeys. His final opinion was "not pregnant."
> 
> He said to only feed her Bermuda, which we have been doing except for a small amount of Timothy cubes to lure her into a separate pen at lunch time. He said she will lose weight. She hasn't. She's getting bigger.
> 
> Soooooooo, who knows?


I think you should keep some baby names in mind, just in case ☺


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## Maryann at MiniV

Don't know about pregnant donkeys .... but if she were a mini I would say PREGNANT and in her last trimester!


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## Holly Chisholm

So THIS is happening! I even got a bit of liquid out of her. Does anyone know if the ph strips work on donkeys?


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## mrichmond

Those look like real live teats getting ready for a baby, but I haven’t been around a mare in foal in 30 years, so I don’t know anything. Best wishes! Now I’m stalking this thread, too.


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## Taz

Try the test strips, I couldn't find anything about them with donkeys. I did find that they are a bit different than horses. Up to 4 weeks of udder development, milk can run for 72 hrs before foaling, muscles relax 48 hrs before foaling. I don't guarantee any of that though. Looks like you might be having another baby!! AAAhhhhh!!!!!


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## Pitter Patter

So excited for you mrichmond. Wish I could see your vet's face when you tell him/her!


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## mrichmond

Pitter Patter said:


> So excited for you mrichmond. Wish I could see your vet's face when you tell him/her!


Ah, Not me, but Holly Chisholm’s jenny. I’m just an an admirer of all things foal-ish.


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## Holly Chisholm

This is this morning! And just for fun, I threw in a pic of my Bristlenose Plecos that hatched this morning.


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## Taz

Is it me or is that udder getting bigger? What do Bristlenose Plecos look like grown up? You're having babies all over the place!!


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## Holly Chisholm

Yes, I think her udder grew overnight. Here's a picture of the daddy. These guys are great algae eaters.


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## Taz

Way to go Petunia!
Wow, cool looking! I have some goldfish in my 100 gallon tank who do a good job keeping the algae down. What are you going to do with all of them?


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## Holly Chisholm

Well, we have four aquariums and friends who want some. I would love to see your 100 g!


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## Taz

Well that's a bit of an embarrassing story.... I grew up with a big tank and loved to sit and watch them so when I saw one at a thrift store after buying the farm I thought 'what a great idea' and brought it home. After it sat in my den for a few years doing nothing I got a few feeder goldfish who are living in luxury. It turned out I have to drive at least 1 1/2 hours to get anywhere there are more than goldfish, guppies and betas so that's as far as it's gone so far. I grew up in the city and didn't think to check any of the local pet stores...... That guys really cool looking, I might find myself looking for one


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## Holly Chisholm

These Bristlenose Plecos are great algae eaters.


I LOVE gold fish! We have some koi in an outdoor pond. Hubby is building a deck around the above ground pond, so we can see them. Here's our biggest tank. It's a 120 g.


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## mrichmond

We have a pond and goldfish. It gets too much sun, so I’m forever battling algae. The fish seem pretty happy, and the dogs love having their own personal fountain.
.


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## Taz

I love koi but they don't do so well in some of our winters. Those are both gorgeous!

I sent an email to the donkey sanctuary in England, they've given me some good info in the past. They said that as far as they know there has been nothing done to determine if the test strips work with donkeys the same as horses and they don't use them. Maybe someone here has used them and will let you know? It's worth a try to see.


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## Holly Chisholm

Taz said:


> I love koi but they don't do so well in some of our winters. Those are both gorgeous!
> 
> I sent an email to the donkey sanctuary in England, they've given me some good info in the past. They said that as far as they know there has been nothing done to determine if the test strips work with donkeys the same as horses and they don't use them. Maybe someone here has used them and will let you know? It's worth a try to see.




Thanks, Taz. I am actually in contact with the people who make the strips. They don't seem to know either  . It seems like looking at the color of the milk is the ticket, but I won't do that since I don't want to lose any colostrum. Petunia would also need a much bigger bag before she is ready. In detailed pictures I've seen, the donkeys have udders that look like a cow's.

Apparently, donkeys don't have the issues giving birth like our minies do, so when she gets close, we will just put her in the maternity ward with a camera on her.

Petunia actually belongs to Hubby's sister who is coming to visit next week. She has no idea that Petunia is preggers, so this will be a fun surprise.


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## Holly Chisholm

Well, Petunia's udder is back to looking like nothing. We were hoping to have a surprise for my sister-in-law, but now I'm back to thinking she may just be fat.


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## Holly Chisholm

Had a little surprise today. Her teats are back to looking like non-preggers teats, but when my husband was checking her, SHE STARTED SQUIRTING MILK! What the heck?


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## Holly Chisholm

We just checked Petunia again. Hubby says it was easy to get out, and there was a bunch. It was clear, thick, and sticky. She tested about 7.1 on the Maybe Baby test strips, but I have no idea if these work for donkeys. Neither does Maybe Baby


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## Taz

Oh, exciting!! I know you will but please keep us posted!


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## Holly Chisholm

Her udder is back to being deflated. I don't get it.


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## Taz

Oh no! Poor you! I have no clue.


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## Pitter Patter

How is Petunia doing? It must be the year of fake outs!! Pepper is as big as a house, I swear. Vet said not pregnant. I even cut her back a bit ( and my others as I may have been over feeding). So everyone lost a little bit, except for Pepper who just keeps growing. Maybe she and Petunia have been signals to each other to drive us humans crazy!


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## Holly Chisholm

A couple weeks ago, we were positive Petunia was pregnant, but now, I just don't know. Her udders have deflated back to nothing, and Hubby can't get any liquid out. He got a maternity stall ready for her. The vet will be coming for Sterling's six-month check-up. I'll have him look at her again, maybe take more blood and do an ultrasound. 

Pepper sure looks preggers in your pictures! Yes, they are driving us nuts, but it's worth it!


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## Katrina

I rescued a mini horse and she started getting bigger and bigger. I had a pregnancy test done by blood and it was negative. I had a fecal done and she was loaded with worms, (I was told she was wormed when I got her). We wormed, and had a recheck still positive, long story short it took 9 months and multiple wormings to finally get an all clear. Not saying this may be the same for you, but may want to do a fecal just in case. I'm still wondering about the positive pregnancy test, that would make me think you have a little on the way. Best wishes❤


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## Holly Chisholm

Katrina said:


> I rescued a mini horse and she started getting bigger and bigger. I had a pregnancy test done by blood and it was negative. I had a fecal done and she was loaded with worms, (I was told she was wormed when I got her). We wormed, and had a recheck still positive, long story short it took 9 months and multiple wormings to finally get an all clear. Not saying this may be the same for you, but may want to do a fecal just in case. I'm still wondering about the positive pregnancy test, that would make me think you have a little on the way. Best wishes❤


Wow! Was she so large that she looked pregnant?


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## Katrina

Holly Chisholm said:


> Wow! Was she so large that she looked pregnant?


Yes she was huge, I even had a few other people that looked at her and were pretty sure she was pregnant. She definatatly was not just full of worms. Glad to say she is much better now


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