# Sad news about my young mini donkey



## Stacie1205 (Mar 26, 2011)

Went out to feed the animals yesterday and when I got to the mini donkey, she had lost her hoof! Looked like someone had just amputated it. Found the hoof a small distance away and it looks like she just stepped right out of it like it was a high heel. This was a back hoof and the other back hoof doesn't look good either. We think they got frost bite. Talked to the vet and took in the hoof but the only thing we can do pretty much is put her down. Said it would be a constant source of infection and continuous constant care and with her being less than a year old, it wouldn't really be any benefit for her to struggle through life that way. :tears:


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## dance4emily (Jan 20, 2014)

That's horrible I feel bad for you! 


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm so sorry.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Holy crap! How cold has it been there? Do they have some place to get inside and warm? I have only ever heard of something like that happening from untreated founder, and thats rarely in the back feet only. Poor little thing


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## fishin816 (Mar 4, 2011)

Do you have any idea how she could have lost it????? Did it freeze off or something?


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## fishin816 (Mar 4, 2011)

So sorry by the way


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

So sorry  :hug:


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## Mamaboyd (Oct 10, 2013)

i am so sorry :hug:


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

She could not have just gotten frost bite that bad over night. Did you know she had frost bite? i could have been there for a while


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## Stacie1205 (Mar 26, 2011)

Never been foundered, heck she isn't even a year old yet. She houses in a hog farrowing house that has a floor and small door. She must like it she has always spent time in there and I would think it would be warmer than some other structures since it is small and has a floor. I didn't notice it until yesterday but the weather this week has been horrible so I haven't done much with any of the animals short of feeding and watering them and getting back in. It is just her back hooves. I have tried to research online and talked to the local large animal vet. He did not offer any other explanation. She does put weight on it and has been standing. Just not much hope for her to recover in any way.


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## Hodgson (Jan 7, 2014)

Sorry to hear 

I found this info online:

"The reason frostbite is so serious is the way the tissues are damaged by freezing. As the cells of the skin, underlying tissues, and even red blood cells are frozen, the fluids inside and between the cells crystallize. These ice crystals cause the cells to rupture or burst. Small blood vessels can become blocked and thus do not supply the tissues with oxygen. Even when the area is warmed again, the ruptured cells can’t repair themselves, so these areas of the skin, and possibly deeper structures, will die. As a result, frostbite often results in a large amount of skin cells dying and skin or even hoof sloughing. Sloughing of hooves is most often a fatal event, and large amounts of skin loss can be life-threatening due to secondary infections."

I'd never heard of this happening, learned something new today.


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## dobe627 (Oct 16, 2007)

Maybe speak with a carrier, they are usually knowledgeable in areas like this.


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## Karen (Jun 22, 2010)

dobe627 - I am sure you meant a farrier, and your computer autocorrected that falsely. 

Stacie1205, you and your little girl will be in our prayers. What does what's left look like? Is there hoof there at all?


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

Pictures maybe


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## Stacie1205 (Mar 26, 2011)

We put her down last night. I was going to try and do something, to make an effort. So I cleaned it a bit by soaking it in epsom salt and water. Then bought a gel pad with tea tree and jojoba oil as a pad, and used a sock to hold it on. But it just didn't work, she wouldn't leave it on. The second hoof came off and there was just no hope. She was basically walking on the end of a bone, that's it. I would have thought there would be some sort of a foot structure there, I haven't looked at the equine anatomy lately as I have had horses and donkeys about 15 years and have never seen anything like this. Never even heard of it. Bt the hooves themselves when they came off had nothing at allin them. Just a hollow shell.


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

Your story just breaks my heart


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## Hodgson (Jan 7, 2014)

So sorry  You tried your best, it's just one of those rare unexpected things that many people probably never even knew could happen.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

I'm so very sorry.


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## christinajh (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm so sorry about what happened. That is shocking, and I didn't know it could happen. I used to have nightmares as a kid about horses losing hooves, but I never even dreamed it could really happen.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Oh Stacie, I am so sorry. I know it was a very hard decision but I am sure you did what was best.:hug:

there was a steer down the street from me that pretty much did the same thing as your Donkey. It was only one hoof and it was a front one as well. That poor guy you could tell was in pain. I had never seen a steer in pain like that. He was always walking around on his knees, you never saw him stand, it broke my hear. 

They put weight on him and butchered him. I am sorry, I would of just put him down. The idea of making him suffer just so you could eat him that broke my heart.


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## giddysmom (Mar 12, 2014)

Im so sorry. Sometimes we have to think about the quality of life they have had with us and the love shared when accidents or events shorten their time. I pray you find comfort and peace.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

What a terrible thing for you and your poor little donkey. No matter how much we care for our critters,
strange things happen that is just out of our control. He is past the pain now, you did the right thing.


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## mountainminilynn (Jan 14, 2014)

I'm so very sorry 


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