It's not as bad as it sounds. Really!
Since I am a Satellite Adoption Center for Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, the Rescue sends me all of the meds I need for the donkeys in my care. I love this. I received this cute box in the mail that had these little, single-serving, plastic cups with worming medicine in it:
And these helpful directions:
Despite the picture showing various injection sites, I was ever so grateful that one doesn't do injections for worming. I was equally relieved that I didn't have to do the paste wormer. That's the stuff that comes in a long, plastic syringe thingy that you have to stick in the backs of their mouths and squirt down their throats:
Now, maybe some people's donkeys will stand still for this squirting-in-the-mouth sort of thing, but my donkeys run at the mere sight of the fly spray bottle. There is no way they're going to let me put some big plastic thing with foul tasting medicine in their mouths.
So, still feeling extremely fortunate, I followed the instructions. Based upon their weight, I choose the appropriate number of plastic containers and pour the worming medicine on top of a bit of sweet feed (they LOVE this):
The sweet feed is a very special treat, as they normally only get grass hay and occasional treat carrots, watermelon, etc. Donkeys are very prone to weight issues, so I monitor their intake pretty closely. After adding the medicine, I mixed it up a bit, just so it wasn't sitting right on top, looking all medicinal and such:
I thought for a minute Brownie was on to me:
But then he and Ian settled right in and practically moaned with delight over getting a bit of grain:
My son, Aidan, monitored the other donkeys who were getting their grain (tee hee - worming medicine) in the stalls. We separated everybody so we could ensure they each got the appropriate amount:
Aidan's friend, Chris, assisted Ian in getting the last little bit (sheesh - look at the dust covering my camera lens - ugh):
Ta daaaa...absolutely painless. It was over and done in virtually no time and I was amazed:
Donkeys need to be wormed every three months, so this will become a regular part of the routine here on Critter Farm.
"Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down . . . the medicine go down . . . the medicine go down!"
ReplyDeleteWay to go Donks . . . come back in three months for some more.
You lucky dog! I always wormed my horse with the paste. You'd have thought I was trying to squirt poison down his throat. I would wait with dread every 3 months as the day approached. It was definitely a two person job.
ReplyDeleteGood job, Donkey Girl! I dont think they had the slightest idea that you were actually tricking them.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way I could inject an animal, and the tube down the throat thing sounds rather traumatic. I think i too would be glad of something I could sprinkle on food.
ReplyDeleteOur old dog would never take a tablet, until you threatened to take it off her. We tried wrapping it up in meat, covering it in cheese and peanut butter, but nothing worked. One night, she spat her tablet out, so I went to pick it up. She growled at me and hoovered it right up.
After that, we just left her to it.
The rescue donk that I had LOVED paste wormer! She would literally suck the tube right out of my hand! Jasmine, is just Ms. Cooperative so I'm not sure if she really doesn't like it or not! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like our goats but we have been getting a pellet form that you can put in their sweet feed too.
ReplyDeleteMuch better than wrapping a pill in a peanut butter sandwich and watching my dog eat around it!
ReplyDeleteOoo, sounds like you have it easy: No tubes to shove in their mouths, and only every 3 months, ;-). I have a tube to administer every 2 months...and you just reminded me, I have to deworm Daisy...thanks for the post. :D
ReplyDeleteWow I wish feeding my family was that easy...just mix and serve!!
ReplyDeleteWow. I used to worm horses and I remember a lot more contact and, well, struggle. I think hooved medical technology must be improving!
ReplyDeleteSent a long comment, but it didn't show up.
ReplyDeleteReading the de-worming account, I waited for the 'other shoe' to drop. I held my breath to see what chaos would ensue or how the donks would spit out the stuff all over everybody. But no, nothing of the sort. In fact, they were sure that they had been waiting for this treat all of their lives! You DO have the touch for making them believe that this was exactly what THEY wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and educational! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJust put MY worm medicine in a dirty martini. And, FYI, I don't cuss like a truck driver.
ReplyDeleteI cuss like a sailor.
I think I win.
The goatmother says to tell you it is WAAAAAAY easier than trying to worm a goat. :) Me, I'm for no worming at all. Worms don't need to be fed.
ReplyDeleteI will say it again...
ReplyDelete...I *dream* of having a barn as cool as yours!
honestly - it's beautiful!
Gold star on the worming success!
Oh worming brings back the day of when we wormed out cows. I only wish we had a barn to do this in...Job well done!
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