Finally back to work! I spent most of the morning with an influx of goats and sheep. One ewe had been in labor for 6 days, and we extracted an emacerated fetus. A billy goat came in with an obstructed urethra and severely distended bladder, which we were able to relieve by amputating the urethral process and passing a urinary catheter. A handful of others were treated for respiratory infections.

Houssine places the trochar to release gas from this donkey’s massively bloated abdomen.

We saw one donkey with colic and obvious severe abdominal distension. In ideal conditions, exploratory abdominal surgery would have been the best option. Here at the Fondouk though, his last chance was the placement of a trochar through the body wall into the large colon to release gas and relieve the severe bloat. After we placed the trochar, foul-smelling air rushed out for a solid 10 minutes while the bloating decreased before our eyes. It seemed to me that the donkey started feeling better immediately. Now, only time will tell whether he will make it. If there is a primary lesion such as an intestinal torsion which does not resolve solely by releasing the gas, we expect that the gut will continue to distend and the condition will worsen. The owner kindly agreed to leave the donkey with us for observation, continued treatment, and/or euthanasia as needed. This afternoon, the donkey appears much more comfortable, his vital parameters have improved, and his abdomen still appears normal