Syringing in the Rain

Posted on August 30, 2017August 30, 2017 by Gareth Thomas

The usual end to the summer last night: a spectacular thunderstorm. Lightning flashes every three seconds and torrential rain all night. It was like being in a ship in a storm here. Quite nice to put the gas fire on for the first time since March, and indeed a pullover!

The rain continued into this morning as I was preparing the new cunning plan to get medication and vitamin supplement into Aitana. This now involves liquidising the Equin Tonic (200gm) and Biotin (10gm) in warm water, soaked overnight, then put into two 50ml syringes bought yesterday in Finestrat.

It is a heck of a palaver, but since the method works with Aitana, as seen in the following video, I can now do a bulk mix and keep it in the fridge. (I will warm it up to put in the syringes in the morning, as Aitana doesn’t like anything cold. I discovered she rejected carrots mainly because they were too cold from the fridge, and when they are warmed up she will eat them…)

As it was raining and I was syringing the medication into Aitana, I couldn’t resist “Syringing in the rain…” as a blog title. Of course it was the famous Danny Kaye number, but I always remember it from the film, A Clockwork Orange and that spookily connects with the medication theme, if you know the film.

Thanks to my new equine vet Dorothea for suggesting the large 50ml syringe after having a good laugh at my failed equine tonic pie. Hopefully we are now on track for recovering Aitana’s health. She still looks remarkably small compared with the way she looked two months ago, but she was overweight… So we may end up with a much healthier donkey at the end of all this.

20170825_084538 — Aitana covered in straw, thanks to Morris throwing it out of the manger..

Update 5.25 pm

Exercising Aitana slowly on slight downhill gradient. And coffee at neighbour’s house (for me not Aitana).

Here she is, slowly walking home. It was only 500 metres each way, and easier for her uphill home than downhill, due to pressure on front feet sinews. She needs exercise but we have to be very gentle.

6 thoughts on “Syringing in the Rain”

orthodoxgirl99 says:

August 30, 2017 at 3:18 pm

Good job Gareth! Hopefully that will work well now and Aitana will accept her hors d’oeuvres without flinching! 🙂

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Alys says:

August 30, 2017 at 3:53 pm

Ahoy there! Vitamins in the donk at last. Hopefully it will be plain sailing from now on… Morris stop throwing straw overboard!

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Gareth Thomas says:

August 30, 2017 at 4:13 pm

Out walking Aitana now… Gently. ( No “short cuts”)

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Alys says:

August 30, 2017 at 4:44 pm

No, I think you’ll receive a very stubborn donkey attitude, if you suggest one of your “shortcuts”. Enjoy your stroll!

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Gareth Thomas says:

August 30, 2017 at 6:37 pm

Pretty good experience, walking slowly with Aitana. I usually prefer a brisk 20 kilometre walk, but this situation requires going at her pace for a very short stretch. Half an hour to walk 500 metres, edging slowly downhill.

Half an hour talking to my neighbour Martin over coffee and plums he just brought back from France.

Then half an hour walking Aitana home. Time for me to stop and observe the trees, hills, insects. Very relaxing actually.

PS: Aitana is a very special donkey. She has always been quite delicate and also quite remote. Unlike Matilde. Rubí and Morris, I’ve never really found a way to get close to her.
The present situation is proving an opportunity to try and bond more with her. Unfortunately, as anyone with pets will know, administering unpopular medications through uncomfortable methods doesn’t give you a great headstart…

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asbosheel says:

August 31, 2017 at 7:13 am

Glad you’re getting there.

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