Equine influenza has killed 46 wild donkeys in Riverside, CA, since mid-October and more are expected to die from the disease.
DonkeyLand, a nonprofit burro rescue located in California, reported that more than 50 additional donkeys are coughing and showing signs of respiratory issues. The Riverside County Department of Animal Services reports that the majority of the deaths have occurred in Reche Canyon, but dead donkeys have also been found along Pigeon Pass Road, Heacock Street and Redlands Boulevard.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture veterinarians, Moreno Valley Animal Services and San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control are assisting DonkeyLand Rescue with care of the sick animals. Ill burros are being transported to DonkeyLand or to the SoCal Equine Hospital and quarantined; they will be released back into the wild upon recovery.
Donkeys that are around the sick donkeys are also being transported to the clinics, where they are vaccinated for flu and other diseases before being released back into the wild once they show no sign of the disease. Donkeys are more susceptible to equine influenza and develop severe secondary bacterial infections, which is what is killing the wild donkeys.
The public is advised to avoid contact with the wild burros and to keep horses away from wild donkeys to avoid disease transmission. Owners of horses in the area are encouraged to vaccinate their horses and put biosecurity measures in place to keep from spreading the disease.
Read the AAEP Equine Influenza Fact Sheet here.
Read more at EquiManagement.
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