For two years, Ghita and her son suffered in silence.
If you’ve ever had a severe earache, then you know how terrible they can be. Now imagine having one for two years.
But Ghita was dealing with much more than that. By the time this 6-year-donkey arrived at our doors, she’d been suffering from chronic nodular lesions in both ears. So had her 3-year-old son Khalid. Not to mention the fact — she was also pregnant!
As you can imagine, Ghita and Khalid were in a world of hurt. More importantly, open lesions are a strong attraction for deadly disease-carrying insects. It’s a miracle they made it to our doors.
Imagine for a moment that the American Fondouk was not here in Fez, Medina, offering free veterinary care to the working animals of this ancient land. Where would they have gone?
You may know there’s a long line of animals waiting for our free veterinary care each morning. The worried owners … waiting nervously.
The wait can be a difficult one. At any given moment, there are 40-50 equines being treated behind our hospital walls. I can tell you firsthand, many would not have survived without us.
We are working in poverty-stricken Fez. And so many need our help …
Ghita’s case of protothecosis was much more severe than that of her son Khalid. Her drooped ears added to her picture of misery — but we didn’t dare begin her treatment. She’d need surgery, and anti-fungal drugs so powerful, they could kill her baby.
So we sent Ghita home with her owner to foal, with instructions to bring her back as soon as possible. Then we began treatment on Khalid.
Thank goodness, Khalid was both young and strong. During his delicate surgery, we focused on removing his nodular lesions but leaving as much healthy ear cartilage as possible. Then, he received six weeks of sodium iodide.
Mom Ghita came back to the Fondouk more than a month later — on the same day we discharged Khalid! The timing could not have been more perfect, and we were determined to stop the suffering of this noble animal for good.
In Ghita’s case, we weren’t expecting a good “cosmetic” outcome. Her ear lesions had inflicted too much damage during the past two years for that. But I can tell you, her ears are no longer drooping, and she responded very well to her medication. Her suffering is over!
This year, we’ll perform thousands of life-saving surgeries. We’ll provide thousands of hours of medical treatment for reparable injuries and basic maladies. It’s unacceptable that these animals should suffer so greatly for lack of primary medical care.
Together, we’re making a world of difference — a world away.
Click here to donate now!
