Yasmine’s colic emergency

When Yasmine came to the SPANA centre in Marrakech, she was in unbearable pain. The young mare had arrived in the back of a flatbed truck, too weak to stand. The SPANA vets immediately diagnosed her with a severe case of colic – a condition on the rise in the wake of Covid-19. Yasmine rolled constantly in discomfort, exhausted, dehydrated and getting worse by the hour.

Covid-19 has made the lives of working animals like Yasmine even more difficult. As owners can no longer afford horse feed due to the lockdown, they have no choice but to let their animals loose to graze. Yasmine had been picking through rubbish when a plastic rope became lodged in her digestive tract. As horses are unable to vomit, Yasmine couldn’t dislodge the rope.

Within 48 hours, Yasmine was noticeably better and, as the pain continued to subside, she became more alert and was back to her playful self. Her owner was given advice on how to avoid colic in the future and Yasmine was then sent home to rest.

There are tens of thousands of animals across the world just like Yasmine, suffering as a result of Covid-19. At this critical time, SPANA is more important than ever. We are providing the only emergency treatment for these animals who would die without our expert care. On behalf of the animals you are helping, thank you for continuing to support our vital work.