When Zine the donkey suffered a serious wound on his leg, he needed to stay at SPANA’s stables in Tunisia for two weeks.
Zine is a friendly donkey who helps his owner, Ben, earn a small income. The 12-year-old donkey has worked with Ben for many years. Together, they transport goods around the town of Kebili, in southern Tunisia.
One day, Zine and Ben were making their way through Kebili when goods from a passing car suddenly fell into the road and under Zine’s cart. After the incident, Zine could only manage a few steps. He was limping heavily, unable to put his weight on his left hind leg.
Ben managed to coax Zine to the side of the road where he discovered that some kind of sharp object from the fallen goods had caused a deep wound to the inside of his left hind leg. Luckily, Ben knew about SPANA’s veterinary centre in Kebili and was able to arrange transport to take Zine there straight away.
At the busy centre, SPANA’s veterinary team examined Zine’s wound. The wound was deep, and the surrounding area was inflamed and swollen. Thankfully, the sharp object that had caused the wound had missed Zine’s joints and other key structures in his leg, which meant he had a good chance of a full recovery. Our vets first gave Zine some painkillers to make him more comfortable, then set about cleaning the wound and applying an antibiotic spray. Next, they fitted a drain that would allow the wound to heal.
Zine was admitted to the stables at the centre to ensure that the drain remained clean and in place, and to make sure that infection was not introduced into the wound, while allowing the donkey to rest. During Zine’s stay, our team monitored his wound closely and administered follow-up treatment and rehabilitation regularly.
After 16 days of dedicated veterinary care, Zine was able to return home with Ben. The vets took the opportunity to give Ben advice on the benefits of regular health checks to ensure good welfare for Zine.
Ben was extremely grateful for the treatment Zine received. He said: ‘I am thankful for the vets at SPANA. They have always helped my animals.’
By becoming a Stable Sponsor, you can play a special role in helping sick and injured working animals like Zine make a full recovery. The stables at our 16 SPANA centres across Africa are a lifeline for many thousands of horses, donkeys and other animals. Every day, with your help, our teams will be there to provide lifesaving care. Your support will provide expert treatment, medicines, food, rest and recuperation that these vulnerable animals urgently need. Thank you so much for your support.
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