Ombra takes care of her friend Marisa
Posted on 26 October 2018.As the cool season arrived and insect decreased in numbers, our vet has resumed surgeries. Among the first donkeys on the waiting list was Marisa, Ombra's best friend.
As you may already know, within their social group donkeys tighten strong pair bonds. Noticing friendship is easy: if two donkeys are always together,eat and rest side by side (and often, while one is drowsy, the other stays on guard), groom each other ... here you are in front of a pair. And there's no doubt that Marisa and Ombra make beautiful friends. Their relationship is of mutual support and sometimes a bit of jealousy, especially from Ombra, always very protective of her friend.
So, when we moved Marisa to Vet Area for the surgical removal of sarcoids (skin tumors), Ombra also came with her.
Two is better
It is not an exception, but our common practice: when a donkey must be operated or cared for in Vet Area, the place for operations, periods of convalescence and more complex care, we never leave him alone, but we keep together with his friend. Just like for humans, the company of loved ones helps to relax and deal with stress and pain; over the years we have seen how the support of donkey friends helps patients get well earlier and better.
During the operation, the patient's friend remains in a part of the vet area from which can observe what is happening, but without coming into contact with the donkey being operated - the direct meeting is postponed to complete awakening.
"Why don't you bray back?"
Ombra has been quiet until the time of anesthesia, but when Marisa fell asleep ... panic broke out: Ombra started calling her with continuous, worried and then desperate brays, for the duration of the operation (which, for its complexity, kept the vet busy for hours).
After the surgery, and after the effect of anesthesia was over, Marisa awoke and ... do you know what her first action was? Still dazed and with a kneaded throat, she responded with a low bray of reassurance to her friend Ombra, who finally calmed down.
This happened a few weeks ago. The post-operative course of Marisa is going well, the wounds are clean and healthy and, luckily, the surgery has managed to perfection. Ombra, of course, has always been at her side, verifying with scrupulous our medications and veterinary checks. And above all, without ever leaving Marisa alone, dispensing great doses of a medicine that alone, unfortunately, is not enough, but that does so much and helps those lucky enough to receive it: pure donkey love.
Saving lives
As we wrote at the beginning of the story of Marisa and Ombra, a few weeks ago the surgical interventions of removal of sarcoids, skin tumors that are transmitted among donkeys by viral route, have resumed. The vectors are insects, which are also the reason of the summer break of the operations: the risk that they cause wound infections is too high.
Unfortunately there are several donkeys to be operated, because less invasive therapies, such as chemotherapy ointments or ligation, have not had any results. In addition to the risk that every intervention brings with it, there is the problem of costs: those, alas, are not free as Ombra's love for Marisa, but they cost, and a lot.
If you want to help us ensure the best cares for donkeys, you can adopt Ombra or another donkey or make a donation of any amount. With Teaming you can give us € 1 per month . Every donation will help us do more and better for donkeys. Thanks from all of them.