# Why is my donkey so lumpy?



## mangomelon (May 11, 2012)

My grandma's 8 year old donkey is really lumpy.... She says it's because she's fat but I've never seen a fat horse that was lumpy. Is that what is causing it or could there be something wrong with her. She doesn't get worked much; mostly she just keeps my grandma's horse company.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Pictures would be very helpful - "lumpy" doesn't really give us much to go on as to the size, location, nature, etc of the "lumps" you are talking about. IS she overweight?


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## Lockwood (Nov 8, 2011)

Yes, a pic would help, but donkies do accumulate fat "pads." They lay up fat in specific places and it can make them appear lumpy, as opposed to overall plump like a horse.


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## mangomelon (May 11, 2012)

I can't figure out how to post a picture of her on here from my phone... There just lumps vertically across her back. There big like the size of a grapefruit but less circular all along her sides and on her rump. They're hard, not squishy. She is overweight because all she does is hang out in her corral and eat but it just looks weird. It probably is just that she's really fat....


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Donkeys are even more susceptible to problems due to cushy management & environment - that is, to obesity, insulin resistance, cushings, laminitis & such. They have evolved to do well in an even more arid, harsh environment than horses & my thinking is that donks really NEED the type of environment & management that horses want.

What you're seeing are fat pads due to long term obesity which has caused insulin resistance or 'Equine Metabolic Syndrome'. Effectively just about the same 'lifestyle disease' as type 2 diabetes in people(muffin top, anyone?) This donk is now at extra high risk of laminitis - assuming he's not already foundered - and other health issues, especially if not carefully managed & got healthy. Please suggest to your mother to do some research on the serious health problems that are caused by allowing animals to get into this state.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

It is called adipose tissue or adipose fat. It develops from chronic obesity and is a symptom of Insulin Resistance. 

It, indeed, is associated with founder or a increased danger of severe founder. 

Once it is there, it usually stays and the risk factor stays. I would sure keep the donkey off of good grass and would not let it even get a sniff of grain. You might visit www.safegrass.org and see what the sugar content of different grasses is and its connection to founder on horses, ponies and donkeys.


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## mangomelon (May 11, 2012)

Thank you guys for your response. I'll look more into those things. She has been acting weird lately, too (kind of like she's depressed) so we thought maybe she wasn't getting enough nutrients and stuff so we started feeding her grain. (apparently not a good idea) I'll stop giving her that... 
Also here are two pictures of her but from what you guys are saying I think it is just fat.


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## mangomelon (May 11, 2012)

Cherie, what should I be feeding her? Just regular grass (my grandma feeds bermuda grass) with no grain and no alfalfa or anything? Just grass. They are also in a corral so they can't graze.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Wow! I thought I've seen 'lumpy' but haven't seen it that... ripply! Please DO NOT feed her anything that even looks like grain, apples, even 'good' grass or hay! I'd be feeding her on soaked & drained hay(to leach out a lot of the sugars) with a good nutritional supp. I'd also be looking up an equine vet asap & consider an equine nutritionist. Her 'depression' is very likely because she's in pain, probably with laminitis. Donks IME tend to be even more stoic than horses & when they are lame or showing obvious pain you know it's very serious.

In the meantime... ecirhorse.com safergrass.org & hoofrehab.com will give you some more info.


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## OurLizardsHope (Feb 19, 2012)

Wow! That's weird, could it be tomurs? Hope not.


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## TheAQHAGirl (Aug 10, 2012)

I'm no expert on Donkeys, but I would definitely say that I would get that poor boy seen by a vet.


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

I had donkeys once and they had that to.. I was told it was just fat.. It's definitely NOT attractive.. I wonder if exercising her would get rid of them?


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

It is just adipose fat and it is probably permanent no matter what you do other than let him get VERY thin. I am not sure it would go then. I would have a good farrier *that know how to trim donkeys* trim his feet and see if you are dealing with any founder now. DO NOT let anyone lower his heels or try to make his feet look like horse feet. Many donkeys have been permanently crippled that way.

Donkeys, like many Shetlands are more resilient to founder and have less pain than horses and also get over it a lot better. They just need good hoof care by an experienced donkey and mule man.

Very small feedings of dry old grass hay would be best. If may even warrant testing (sugar content) or routine soaking to remove some of the sugar.

You will not be able to keep him with 'normal' horses when they are fed. He will over-eat no matter what the other horse is or does.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

That's call an extremely obese donkey and those lumps will keep getting bigger and bigger. The funny part even if they lose the weight, they always seem to have lumps they will never really go away for good. There all fat stores because donkeys are desert animals they had to store as much fat as possible so during drought they would survive.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm with everyone else on this one. Your donkey looks very much like ours, although ours has buildup mostly around his belly area and shoulders. There isn't a thing you can do about it, but follow everyone's advice closely and get her off of the grain/bermuda hay immediately.

Our donkey came to us in this condtion and with a fallen crest. At first, we though that he was extremely wormy, so had a fecal done. He had no worms. Thats when the vet told us about adipose fat. He had unfortunately already foundered by the time we got him (though his old owner didn't realize it) and he was in fairly significant pain. However, after some corrective trimming and a huge diet change (he was being fed 12% sweet feed and grass of all things!) he made a big turn around and is now very healthy. However, he still does have the fat build up and its been three years. He also has to be trimmed every four weeks rather than every 7, like our jack. We have him on a flake and a half of cow hay a day (he's a miniature donkey, which is why he gets so little), stuff we wouldnt even think about feeding our horses- and he looks great.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Cherie said:


> ...a good farrier *that know how to trim donkeys* trim his feet and see if you are dealing with any founder now. DO NOT let anyone lower his heels or try to make his feet look like horse feet.


Agree fully Cherie, except I'd say "lower his heels _inappropriately_" as IME, people seem to take the 'donkey feet are upright & not the same as a horse's' to extreme & in my experience, it's the ultra high heels & steep toes that have been more common on donks. So saying, I think donks & certainly mules are far less common over here, so my experience is not huge & most of them are kept as pets on soft ground, overfed, not worked, etc too.

OP, Pete Ramey has got a fair bit of info on donkeys on his site hoofrehab.com & also has a DVD specifically on donkeys & their feet & different needs.


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## mangomelon (May 11, 2012)

I've tried adding more exercise to her routine and there's no way to get her to move anywhere very fast or for very long and I think it's because it hurts her. She enjoys going out but only a little ways and then coming back to the barn.

We've already had a bad farrier screw up her feet before a few years ago and then my friend's dad (also a farrier) came up to look at her and he's been doing her ever since. He finally got her feet back to the way they should be and I think the reason it kind of hurts her to walk is because she's SO heavy and never does anything.

I think my grandma's going to have the vet out to look at her and I'll ask him specifically about this because in the past when he's been out to do vaccinations and stuff he hasn't mentioned anything....

Thank you guys for your help! I really appreciate it


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Pix of her feet? Yes, if she's suffering laminitis, she will be sore & that will have to be addressed before exercise - I don't believe in forcing a sore animal.

It may be worth a second opinion, finding an equine vet who has also good knowledge of donkeys, because the current vet may not have mentioned it because he's just not knowledgeable in that area.


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