Care of Donkeys - George's Case

Medical care of donkeys can be a challenge. Read the case story of " George", a donkey treated with acupuncture. Treatment helped him gaining back a better quality of life.

George is an average sized, 28 year old gelded donkey that lives in a donkey sanctuary here in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He has been living there for the last 10 years.

He suffers from hip and hock arthritis and receives regular visits from the normal vet and the farrier. He was getting phenylbutazon painkiller regularly four times a week. The owner of the sanctuary is dedicated to the care of donkeys and was very concerned about George's symptoms becoming worse.

He needed assistance in the mornings to raise him up and he was having long resting periods during the day when he was lying down. He was not able to stand for long on his back legs and shifted his weight constantly from one hind leg to the other. The skin over his hock joints was open, hairless and weaping. His appetite had not changed and was still fine.

In March 2009 George had his first acupuncture treatment. He was dry needled on acu-points in his back, shoulders and hind legs. The skin wounds at the hocks were treated by a method called "fencing the dragon".

The next day after the first treatment, he was perking up remarkably, was on his feet and in the pasture and was moving around a lot. The following day he was lying down most of the day, probably due to being so mobile the day before. However, during that week, he needed only twice a dose of phenylbutazon.

After 6 treatments on a one-week interval he was switched to fortnightingly sessions. During this treatment period he improved slowly, but constantly: he is now off painkillers, his owner could stop giving it after the fourth session.

He is much more mobile, does not need any assistance to get up in the mornings any more and is during the day out on the pasture with all the other donkeys.

He still lies down, but only for about 10 - 20 minutes, getting then up again and walking around. He is also still shifting his weight from one hind leg to the other. The wounds on the skin over the hock joints healed up, are dry and hair is growing there again.

Now in May 2009 we switched him to monthly treatments and will try to increase the intervals between sessions even more.