Treating Modibo’s painful back wounds

Modibo was bitten by another animal, leaving him with painful wounds on his back. Find out how SPANA vets treated his injuries at our mobile clinic in Ségou, Mali.

Modibo the donkey works tirelessly for his young owner, 15-year-old Aboudou, transporting bales of straw from the banks of the Niger river in Ségou, Mali, into the city. But one day, Modibo was bitten by another donkey. As a result, Modibo was left with painful, open wounds on his back.

Modibo is good-natured and Aboudou takes great care of him, so the boy was devastated to see his beloved donkey in such pain. Modibo required veterinary care straight away and Aboudou knew SPANA would be able to help. He took Modibo to SPANA’s Ségou mobile clinic to get him the emergency treatment he urgently needed. SPANA’s mobile clinics are a lifeline for working animals, providing free veterinary treatments, administering essential vaccinations and distributing humane equipment.

At the clinic, SPANA vets inspected Modibo’s wounds. His injuries were thoroughly cleaned with water and a disinfectant solution, and all the infected tissue was carefully removed. The vets also applied a soothing lotion to encourage the wounds to heal faster. They explained to Aboudou how to make up a disinfectant solution at home so he could gently clean the wound without hurting Modibo. Modibo also received a general health check. SPANA vets carefully examined the condition of his hooves, checked his teeth to ensure there were no sharp points causing wounds in his mouth, and gave him a deworming injection.

Aboudou was grateful for the treatment Modibo received from SPANA. He stroked Modibo’s head to soothe him while he was being examined, watched very carefully and asked the vets questions. He said: ‘It’s good that SPANA is here in Ségou. SPANA is for everyone.

Working animals like Modibo are at risk of serious injuries because of the hazardous environments in which they live and work. Our veterinary teams must be ready to provide emergency treatment for working animals suffering from serious injuries, such as those sustained from animal attacks. We have to act quickly because a serious injury can soon become life-threatening. This work is only possible thanks to your ongoing support – thank you!

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