⚠️ Not veterinary advice. This guide is for education on minor issues only. If you are unsure, or your animal is in pain, call your veterinarian. In an emergency, call immediately.
Overgrown hooves / seedy toe in donkeys
Should I call the vet?
Typical signs: Long or curled hooves, crumbling white line, uneven gait.
Call your vet now if you see
- Lameness
- Black discharge, foul smell
- Hollow sound on tapping
What you can do
- Book a farrier experienced with donkeys (every 6–10 weeks).
- Keep footing dry — donkey hooves are adapted to arid ground.
- Pick daily.
When to call the vet
If lame.
Normal adult vital signs (at rest)
Donkey
| Vital | Normal | Concerning |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 98.0–100.5 °F (37–38 °C) | Over 101.5 °F |
| Heart rate | 36–68 /min | Over 70 at rest |
| Respiration | 12–28 /min | Over 30 or labored |
| Gums / CRT | Moist pink, refill < 2 s | Pale, dark, tacky |
| Gut sounds | Present both sides | Silent |
| Behavior | Alert, eating | Dull or not eating = urgent (hyperlipemia risk) |
Young animals differ. Learn each animal's healthy baseline and record it.
More from Should I Call the Vet?
All 51 topics · Donkey records · Parasites & toxic plants by state
Other donkey topics
- Minor cuts & scrapes
- Hoof abscess
- Mild colic warning signs
- Thrush
- Rain rot / rain scald
- Eye irritation
- Laminitis (founder) warning signs
- Choke (esophageal obstruction)
- Mild cough / nasal discharge
- Scratches / mud fever
- Donkey off feed (hyperlipemia risk)
- Lameness / limping
- Puncture wound / nail in the foot
- Nosebleed
- Fever (high temperature)
- Diarrhea (adult horse)
- Not drinking / dehydration
- Leg swelling / stocking up
- Hives (raised bumps)
- Weight loss / poor condition
- Dental problems / quidding
- Stumbling / neurological signs
- Snake bite
- Toxic plant eaten
- Cast horse (stuck lying down)
- Lost shoe / hoof crack
- Tail rubbing
- Vaccine reaction
- Lice / mange / skin irritation
- Heat stress
Keep every record in one place
Herd Papers keeps vaccines, Coggins, vet and farrier visits, weight and body condition for each animal, and reminds you before things come due.
Free to start. No card needed.