Nawran’s hooves were overgrown and misshapen. We trimmed them so they were well balanced and encouraged his owner to bring Nawran back for regular farriery treatment.
Nawran is a four-year-old donkey from Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania. In a desert city where the piped water supply is extremely limited, Nawran has an incredibly important role. Alongside his owner Hadrami, he transports water around Nouakchott so that people can drink, cook and wash. He doesn’t just support a city by delivering much-needed water. He’s also the only source of income for Hadrami, who has a wife and four children to provide for.
Nawran transports water across sandy terrain and dunes, sometimes for up to 12 hours a day. The soft, unstable sand makes his work physically exhausting. This work started to take its toll on Nawran, who became lame. Hadrami took him to our mobile clinic for treatment.
The team examined Nawran and discovered that his hooves had become overgrown and misshapen. Donkeys’ hooves need to be trimmed regularly, especially if they work on soft terrain like Nawran. This is because their hooves are less likely to wear down naturally. Left untreated, Nawran would have been walking abnormally. This would have put strain on his tendons, ligaments and joints in his legs – potentially leading to serious long-term problems.
Our vet trimmed Nawran’s hooves so they were all well balanced and even again. He also encouraged Hadrami to bring his donkey back to our mobile clinic for regular checkups and farriery treatment, if needed.
Hadrami said: “Thank you for the free treatment you gave to my donkey. It’s not easy for us to find help when our animals are sick, so what you’re doing really matters. You helped my donkey without asking for anything in return, and I’m very grateful.”
