Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys: Signs, Diagnosis, and Care

Quick Answer
  • Gastric ulcers in donkeys are painful sores in the stomach lining and can be easy to miss because donkeys often hide discomfort.
  • Common clues include reduced appetite, weight loss, dull attitude, teeth grinding, recurrent mild colic, poor coat quality, and behavior changes around feeding or work.
  • Your vet usually needs gastroscopy to confirm ulcers, because symptoms alone are not specific enough to tell ulcers from dental disease, parasites, colic, or other digestive problems.
  • Treatment often combines acid-reducing medication such as omeprazole with feeding and management changes to lower stress and keep forage available more consistently.
  • Mild to moderate workups and treatment commonly fall around $500-$1,500 in the US, while advanced diagnostics, hospitalization, or complicated cases may reach $2,000-$4,000+.
Estimated cost: $500–$4,000

What Is Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys?

Gastric ulcers are erosions or sores in the lining of the stomach. In equids, this problem is grouped under equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS). The stomach has different regions, and ulcers can affect the squamous portion, the glandular portion, or both. Donkeys share the same basic stomach physiology as horses, including ongoing acid production, so they can develop ulcers when the stomach lining loses its normal protection.

Donkeys can be especially challenging patients because they are often stoic. A donkey may keep eating some of the time, stay quiet, and show only subtle changes until the problem is more advanced. That means pet parents may notice vague signs first, like weight loss, a dull hair coat, reduced interest in feed, or a change in attitude.

Ulcers are not always caused by one single event. They often develop from a mix of stress, pain, illness, fasting, transport, medication effects, and feeding patterns that leave the stomach without enough forage for long stretches. While much of the veterinary research comes from horses, donkey-specific reports and sanctuary data show that gastric ulceration is a real welfare issue in donkeys too.

Symptoms of Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys

  • Reduced appetite or picking at hay and feed
  • Weight loss or poor body condition
  • Dull attitude, less interaction, or seeming "off"
  • Recurrent mild colic or discomfort after eating
  • Teeth grinding or signs of abdominal pain
  • Poor hair coat or decline in overall thriftiness
  • Lying down more than usual or stretching out
  • Behavior changes with handling, work, or girthing
  • Intermittent diarrhea or manure changes in some cases
  • Poor performance or reduced willingness to move

Some donkeys with gastric ulcers show only mild, nonspecific signs, and others may show almost none at all. That is one reason ulcers can be missed until weight loss, repeated discomfort, or a drop in appetite becomes more obvious.

See your vet immediately if your donkey has severe colic signs, repeated rolling, marked depression, black or tarry manure, weakness, dehydration, or stops eating. Those signs can point to a more serious digestive emergency, bleeding, or another condition that needs urgent care.

What Causes Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys?

Ulcers develop when stomach acid and digestive chemicals overwhelm the stomach's protective lining. In equids, acid is produced continuously, even when the animal is not eating. If a donkey goes too long without forage, acid can contact more vulnerable stomach tissue for longer periods. This is one reason fasting, irregular feeding schedules, and limited access to roughage can raise risk.

Stress also matters. Transport, hospitalization, social disruption, pain from another illness, heavy work, and abrupt management changes can all contribute. Donkeys are sensitive to changes in routine, and even subtle chronic stress may affect appetite and stomach health.

Some medications can increase ulcer risk, especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when used at high doses, for long periods, or in animals that are dehydrated or already ill. Concurrent disease, poor dentition, parasite burdens, and inadequate nutrition may also make the stomach lining more vulnerable or delay healing.

In many cases, there is not one single cause. Your vet will usually look for the bigger picture: feeding pattern, forage access, body condition, recent stressors, medication history, and any other painful or systemic disease that could be contributing.

How Is Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys Diagnosed?

Your vet will start with a history and physical exam, then look for other problems that can mimic ulcers. Dental disease, parasite issues, sand accumulation, colic, liver disease, and chronic pain can all cause appetite changes or weight loss. Basic bloodwork may help assess hydration, inflammation, anemia, protein levels, and whether another illness is present.

The most reliable way to diagnose gastric ulcers is gastroscopy, also called endoscopy of the stomach. This lets your vet directly examine the stomach lining, see where ulcers are located, and estimate severity. In horses, endoscopy is considered the only reliable way to confirm gastric ulcers, and that same principle guides donkey care as well.

To prepare for scoping, your donkey usually needs a period of fasting so the stomach can be seen clearly. Sedation is commonly used for the procedure. If gastroscopy is not immediately available, your vet may still recommend a treatment plan based on history, risk factors, and clinical signs, but that approach is less specific because ulcers are only one possible explanation.

In more complicated cases, your vet may also recommend fecal testing, dental evaluation, abdominal ultrasound, or additional imaging and lab work. These tests do not diagnose stomach ulcers directly, but they can help rule out other causes and guide a safer, more complete care plan.

Treatment Options for Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys

Spectrum of Care means you have options. Here are treatment tiers at different price points.

Budget-Conscious Care

$500–$1,000
Best for: Stable donkeys with mild to moderate signs when pet parents need a practical first step and advanced diagnostics are not available right away
  • Farm-call or clinic exam with history review
  • Empirical treatment plan from your vet when gastroscopy is not immediately feasible
  • Prescription acid suppression, commonly omeprazole-based therapy
  • Feeding changes such as more consistent forage access and fewer long fasting periods
  • Review of NSAID use, stressors, dental care, and parasite control
  • Short-term monitoring of appetite, manure, comfort, and body condition
Expected outcome: Often fair to good if the donkey responds to medication and management changes, but recurrence is more likely if the underlying trigger is not identified.
Consider: Lower upfront cost, but ulcers are not confirmed directly. Another disease could be missed, and treatment may need to change if signs persist.
Most Common

Recommended Standard Treatment

$1,000–$2,000
Best for: Most donkeys with ongoing signs, recurrent discomfort, weight loss, or cases where pet parents want a clearer diagnosis before or during treatment
  • Complete exam plus targeted bloodwork or fecal testing as needed
  • Gastroscopy to confirm ulcers and identify location and severity
  • Prescription treatment, often omeprazole for several weeks, with sucralfate added in selected cases
  • Nutrition and management plan focused on forage availability, stress reduction, and routine consistency
  • Recheck exam and, in some cases, repeat gastroscopy to assess healing
Expected outcome: Good in many uncomplicated cases when ulcers are confirmed, treated consistently, and contributing factors are corrected.
Consider: More complete and specific than empirical care, but requires fasting, sedation, equipment access, and a higher cost range.

Advanced / Critical Care

$2,000–$4,000
Best for: Complicated cases, donkeys with severe colic-like signs, suspected bleeding, repeated relapse, or pet parents wanting every available diagnostic and treatment option
  • Hospitalization for donkeys with severe pain, dehydration, anorexia, or suspected complications
  • IV fluids, pain control, and close monitoring
  • Gastroscopy plus broader diagnostics such as ultrasound, repeated lab work, and evaluation for concurrent disease
  • Adjusted medication plan for refractory, glandular, or recurrent ulcer cases, which may include combination therapy directed by your vet
  • Structured recheck plan for body condition, appetite, and ulcer healing
Expected outcome: Variable but often reasonable if the donkey is stabilized early and underlying disease is addressed. Prognosis becomes more guarded if there is severe concurrent illness or delayed treatment.
Consider: Most intensive option with the highest cost range. Travel, hospitalization stress, and repeated procedures may be challenging for some donkeys.

Cost estimates as of 2026-03. Actual costs vary by location, clinic, and individual case.

Questions to Ask Your Vet About Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys

Bring these questions to your vet appointment to get the most out of your visit.

  1. Based on my donkey's signs, how likely are gastric ulcers compared with dental disease, parasites, or another digestive problem?
  2. Do you recommend gastroscopy now, or is it reasonable to start with conservative care first?
  3. Which medications are most appropriate for my donkey, and how long should treatment usually continue?
  4. Should sucralfate or another stomach protectant be added, or is omeprazole alone the better starting point here?
  5. Are any current pain medications or NSAIDs increasing ulcer risk for my donkey?
  6. What feeding schedule and forage plan would best support healing in this specific donkey?
  7. What signs would mean the ulcers are not improving, or that this could be an emergency instead?
  8. When should we schedule a recheck, and would repeat gastroscopy change the plan?

How to Prevent Gastric Ulcers in Donkeys

Prevention focuses on protecting the stomach lining and reducing long periods without forage. Donkeys do best with a steady, appropriate fiber intake and a routine that avoids abrupt feed changes. Trickle-feeding strategies and regular access to suitable roughage can help reduce acid exposure in the stomach.

Stress reduction also matters. Keep housing, companions, transport, and work routines as predictable as possible. If your donkey must travel, be hospitalized, or go through another stressful event, ask your vet whether preventive management or medication is appropriate.

Review all NSAID use with your vet, especially in older donkeys or those with other health problems. Good dental care, parasite control, hydration, and prompt treatment of painful conditions can all lower ulcer risk indirectly by supporting normal eating and reducing chronic stress on the body.

If your donkey has had ulcers before, prevention usually means a long-term management plan rather than one single product. Your vet can help tailor that plan to body condition, age, workload, pasture access, and any history of recurrent digestive trouble.

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