In the wars!

'Jenny' was admitted after being attacked by an entire male donkey. She sustained wounds to her face, her right fore and right hind limbs. We x-rayed her skull, her elbow and stifle (the joint above the hock on the back leg) and luckily for her she sustained no fractures.

The soft tissue where she was bitten were extremely swollen and infected and the swelling was compressing on some of her nerves (the radial nerve and facial nerve). Compression of the radial nerve left her unable to extend her right fore leg  whilst compression of the facial nerve meant she was unable to shut her eye on the left hand side. As she was unable to blink (which is essential in keeping the eye surface healthy by lubricating it with tears) she developed a corneal ulcer on the surface of her eye.

She was hopsitalised is in the hospital now still receiving pain relief and anti-biotics and having eye drops every hour. Drains have been placed in her leg to allow any pus to drain helping prevent further infection of deeper tissues.

As the swelling has gone down in the leg the nerves are no longer compressed and she is able to mover her right fore leg a little. The wounds on her right fore are still discharging but the drains are doing their job. Her blink is slowly returning and we hope that the ulcer in her eye will heal quickly.

Thank you to Jo Goliszek who is a vet currenlty volunteering at ACE for providing the words and pictures of this story. And for looking after 'Jenny' of course!