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Vet unblocks donkey's stomach with cola
“It was touch and go for a while whether we continued treatment, as the impaction was quite severe” – Jamie Forrest.
Fizzy drink used to treat gastric impaction.

A rescue donkey’s stomach blockage has been successfully treated using 24 litres of cola.

Joey, a fifteen-year-old donkey at The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, stopped eating after his elderly mother died in November.

Soon afterwards, it was found that he had developed a large gastric impaction. The veterinary team at the charity used an abdominal ultrasound and conducted a gastroscopy to diagnose the problem and he was placed on a restricted diet to stop the impaction from growing bigger.

Jamie Forrest, one of the sanctuary’s veterinary surgeons, said: “Intensive treatment was required to resolve the impaction. As well as pain relief, we flushed Joey’s stomach with cola several times a day to dissolve the solid.

“We used six litres of full-sugar cola a day, spread out over three treatments, for four days, to soften and dissolve the impactions in his stomach so the ingesta could once again travel to his intestine.

“In essence, the cola acted like a drain cleaner. It eats away at the firm matter and eventually softens it to a point where it can pass.”

As well as dissolving the blockage, the full-sugar cola helped reduce the risk of hyperlipaemia. A second gastroscopy, conducted after the four days of treatment, showed the blockage had cleared.

Dr Forrest added: “We are really pleased with Joey’s recovery. It was touch and go for a while whether we continued treatment, as the impaction was quite severe.

“Thankfully, he pulled through. We thought he had the strength to survive the whole time so we persevered with the treatment, and we couldn’t be happier with the result.”

Fizzy drinks such as cola should never be given to a donkey by anyone who is not a qualified veterinary surgeon.

Image © The Donkey Sanctuary

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
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The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.