Help!! My mini mare was attacked

[mini horse mania]

well- Missy is doing better,she is so sore..and still not eating much...her temp was up a few degrees also -the colt is dehydrated and listless, The vet came out and doctored on mama, and gave her banamine...she had to cut back some of the hair from around the wounds. eeew.... the flies are horrible, and even saw a few maggots...

. the foal is nursing- thank GOD, but is still weak acting. I was instructed to keep the wound clean and open, and give her banamine,which we had some on hand for our boer goats...her skin is crinkled, but i am using salve to help keep it moist..I will be adding foal-lac pellets to his and her feed. The foal just isnt eating enough, and I am so worried about them both. The donkey hasnt messed with the other mares. I was told he was a gentle breeder....the lady I bought him from will get a nice little disappreciative phone call. This has been a disaster...my poor babies.

 

[miniwhinny61]

I know someone that had a miniature donkey jack(in his own pen) next to a mini mare and foal and he reached thru the fence and pulled the baby thru the fence, (he had the baby by the neck) tried to shake the foal. The owners were home and were able to get the foal away from the jack. Everybody was okay but my friend put wire fencing over board fencing so the jack couldn't get his head thru again....scary

 

[Mareish Mom]

Do everything you can to keep mama and baby hydrated. Electrolytes in the water wouldn't hurt. Dehydrated and listless in the colt is NOT good! She's probably not producing enough milk to keep him hydrated if she's dehydrated and suffering (poor little mama!). Get him to drink some water in addition to nursing until she's producing more milk, and maybe you could interest them both in a nutrient rich tempting wet mash.

 

[cretahillsgal]

Are you giving her probios or ulcergard? With all the stress shes had, I for sure would be giving Probios at a minimum.

 

[Chelley]

I am so sorry for your little ones. We had a mini donkey at one time. He was the sweetest thing to us and the kids and loved attention, but one time he got ahold of one of our little goats and I thought he was going to kill it. She got away and ended up being okay other than sore and terrified. The donkey also hated our dogs and would try to stomp them when they went into the pasture, so as cute as he was, he could not stay at our house and fortunately the lady we bought him from took him back. I was shocked at the change in his personality when around the other animals, so beware if you have other animals that have not yet been introduced.

 

[Joanne]

It sounds like you do not live on the site where you have your horses.

Keeping both the mare and foal by themselves through this recovery is important. Due to their injuries, they would do best in a barn stall at night and out in a small grass pen during the day if the weather was appropriate. Seperating the foal from the mare would just add greater stress to them both.

Your mare was likely trying to protect her foal from the donkey. She likely did everything she could to keep him away, but in the end lost.

It sounds like you are trying to breed minis to your Jack? This mare was clearly not ready to be bred and without someone there to check on them, the jack has nearly killed them both. As he has already shown he is aggressive, I do not think keeping him with the rest of your mares is appropriate unless you are there to watch them.

These two may need more nursing care than you are able to provide at this time. If they are dehydrated, IV fluids may be necessary to turn them around. Foals this young can die quickly.

 

I agree with the others that it would be wise to seek experienced equine veterinary care for these two horses.

 

[HGFarm]

I know someone who has a Mini donkey that is gelded and he can't be put out with the Mini horses either. He was even too rough to be put out with the young stallions. Some donkeys are extremely aggressive it seems.

I had a yearling colt attacked by a stallion one time- huge lumps all over- swelling and bites everywhere. The skin was not broken either, but every place there was a bite, the skin sloughed off and took weeks for him to heal. It was awful.

I would see if the foal needs additional feed- if the mare is not producing enough, the foal is going to go downhill too. I hope they improve... sounds like he about ran this mare into the ground, and I am sure the foal was panicked trying to stay with mama and avoid the attacks. Glad the donkey didnt kill the foal!!

I hope your mare is on antibiotics... and would have the foal looked at too if the foal is listless. This is not a good sign at all.

 

[JAX]

I think I'd be asking my vet to go ahead and give IV fluids to both mare and foal unless my vet could give me a good reason why it would not be a good idea.... JMHO

I will admit though that I am pretty quick to give my guys fluids and Omeprazole in any case of stress. I just figure that its cheaper than if I wait till they definately need it and it could be too late. I'd rather have my bases covered early on.

 

[a mini dream come true]

Any updates on how your mare and foal are doing? I too have a couple of mini Jacks, but they are kept seperate from the mini horses. I do hope your little chips are doing better.

 

[Sandy B]

I completely agree here! If mare and foal are still weak after 24-48 max hours after initial injury I would for sure ask the vet to run the fluids. It is the best way to hydrate and perk them up. Most of the time that is all the boost you need to get them going again. Don't wait until it is too late. It might also help to find some goats milk to supplement the foal with, but do not separate mom & foal. Offer all the soaked feed you can- quality hay, beet pulp, bran mash, pellets etc... Gatorade offered sometimes works to get them to drink as well.

I think I'd be asking my vet to go ahead and give IV fluids to both mare and foal unless my vet could give me a good reason why it would not be a good idea.... JMHO

I will admit though that I am pretty quick to give my guys fluids and Omeprazole in any case of stress. I just figure that its cheaper than if I wait till they definately need it and it could be too late. I'd rather have my bases covered early on.

 

[mini horse mania]

They are doing better today. The foal is nursing more and more-and mom is picking up her appetite some and moving around more. I added electrolytes to their water, and probios for them both. we do not live where they are - our house was ruined by the hurricane ,we have nowhere else to put them until we get the house fixed, so we are travelling twice a day to check on everyone. I am glad they are doing better....

 

[CMC]

Heather,

you certainly have alot to deal with right now. Our prayers are with you and your little mare and her baby

 

[mini horse mania]

We lost them both....the vet came out again and eithanized Missy, her wounds went septic, she got to where she couldnt even stand up. The foal passed shortly after. They were doing better and then mom went downhill. I wish I would have taken the foal from her, and at least tried to save him. I feel so bad...The vet thinks there were internal injuries in addition to the brutal wounds Missy suffered. I emailed the lady here in Turkey NC and told her about it. she said the donkey was fine while she had him. he is going to another home soon...

I am just so upset that I lost my babies, and was traded a very aggressive animal....

 

[Eagle]

I am so sorry for your loss, there are no words at this point to help you only time can help.

((((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))

 

[chandab]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Lizzie]

So very sorry for your loss.

Lizzie

 

[Royal Crescent]

I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs.

Barb

 

[AnnaC]

Oh Heather, I'm so very very sorry to hear that you lost little Missy and her sweet baby.

I hope you will take comfort from the fact that you did all that you could possibly have done to save them.

Sending you sincere sympathy and ((((HUGS))))

 

[mrsj]

So sorry to read this, I lost a mare and foal this year too, sending you lots of sympathy. x

 

[Helicopter]

Heather, my heart is breaking for you. Life can be so cruel. So very sorry for your loss.