Six minis with pneumonia in a heat wave!

The 12 mini donkeys arrived last week and it was soon clear that several had clinical symptoms of pneumonia. As customary we had already prepared to separate our new arrivals from our other equine, but now we had to quickly prepare a nursing ward for the six that were sick. We have the jennys in one stall and the johns in an adjoining stall.

The youngest, now named Little, is only 3 months old, and two others a year or under. They are malnourished making them so susceptible to illness. Thank heavens for the counter top installed during our Spring Cleanup because we need it to keep and dispense all the medicines, syringes, needles, etc. Each of the six requires different drugs and doses and we log their vitals twice a day along with the drugs given at that time. They also get probiotics, electrolytes and various essential oil treatments.

The vet was out yesterday and we had to install a catheter on Blossom, she is so thin she has no muscles to put injections in. Now we can continue her drug therapy and for the next several day I will be giving her iv fluids four times a day to re-hydrate her and help her clear the crud in her lungs. Right now she is just too weak. In addition to the drugs, we are using peppermint and other essential oils to help with breathing and performing coupage to help break up the congestion.

We have fans in each stall and during the recent high winds have closed the barn doors and sprayed down all the stall and center isle to keep the dust down. Now we are heading into a heatwave said to last at least a week. Not what when want when they have spiked fevers as high as 105 degrees. Big thanks to Janie for the donation of box fans. Amore, Tanner and Little are responding to the treatment and starting to get better. Blossom, Millie and Walker have not shown much change. Recovery can take weeks so we are not out of the woods yet.

I have been out in the barn almost non-stop for the past week. There have been so many people that have come to help knowing we can't do all this care by ourselves. We hope to have more people offer time to help so we don't wear all of our volunteers out. If you would like to help, please text, call or send me a message 760-703-4860. I only have a short time to be on the computer early morning or late evening and am relying on my phone the rest of the time. We still have the 20 other equine at the ranch that need daily feeding, poop scooping, water troughs cleaned and more. We have spent hundreds of dollars on medicines and supplies and will need more over the next weeks. Celine at Ark Watch Foundation has been an important source of medical information for us having treated so many donkeys with pneumonia over the years and we thank her organization for the drugs and items they have sent to help. Vet bills will continue till all have recovered and get a clean bill of health.

If you would like to help with a donation it would be awesome and no donation is too small there is a donate now button below. For those that have already donated, THANK YOU! I have not had time to send personal thanks you, but I will as soon as I can.

This was unexpected but we are here for them and will do whatever we can to bring them to health so they can live normal lives with loving families. I hurt for their pain. Please say prayers for them and us as we all join together to help these very, very sweet and tender souls.

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