Two elderly donkeys join us in the Donkey Valley

It is not the first time Vets in Action have got ‘two for the price of one’. At the request of a family we travel to the village of Dolno Osenovo to pick up their donkey. And so it happens that their neighbors ask us to give home to another.

First up, Maycho, age 27. Maycho was born in the month of May, hence his name – the suffix -cho in Bulgarian culture is added to a name to make the diminutive form and is often a sign of endearment. It is rare to know the exact age of a donkey since most of them change owners over the course of their lives. But Maycho never did. 

Maycho is on the small side, weighing around 130 kilos. He was a working donkey from one-year-old, mostly helping with the transportation of tobacco. In the last few years, however, he was retired and set free to go about his day. He comes home by himself every evening.

Then Maycho’s neighbors show up with another grey donkey, 30-year-old Hassancho. They have a second, younger donkey to help them with their farming so they ask us to take Hassancho to the Valley with us. Hassancho’s people told us they bought him 25 years ago for 60 levs. (In 2000, that would have amounted to approximately 47 Swiss Francs)

So here we are in the Valley with two new friends.

After the obligatory roll around on the ground, Hassancho has priority as the eldest and gets his treatment against any parasites, internal and external, as well as his medical checkup – both also obligatory.

Maycho’s owners told us he often suffers from colic. Within a day of his arrival, we notice some lack of appetite and we immediately start with an intravenous infusion. We also do a colon detox.

We note an inflammation in his left eye and diagnose him with Uveitis – a form of eye inflammation that can cause pain, redness and blurry vision. It is very fortunate Maycho has joined us at this stage.

Prompt treatment is important; untreated, it could leave the donkey blind as was the case with our lovable giant Peter.

We start treatment immediately – antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication and eyedrops in both eyes.

Maycho is quite the character. Having become accustomed to independence, he is very creative in finding ways to sneak out from any confined territory. In the days after his arrival, the first sight greeting the workers in the morning is Maycho munching on the neighbors’ grapevine. Thankfully, we have good neighborly relations!