DS research

This chapter highlights some of the differences between horses and donkeys. It is an important aspect of their welfare that donkeys are not treated as small horses.

While the majority of skin conditions seen in donkeys are similar to those found in horses and ponies, there are some characteristics and skin adaptations in the donkey that need to be considered.

Skin conditions tend to be in the advanced stages before they are presented because a thorough examination of the donkey is rarely carried out on a regular basis and the thick coat may hide early problems. Conditions in working donkeys tend to be caused by tack-related issues such as pressure sores due to ill-fitting harnesses or bits.

Poor detection of skin disease is exacerbated by the donkey’s stoic nature and reluctance to display signs of discomfort until lesions are advanced.

In general, many diseases of the respiratory system in donkeys can be investigated and managed in a similar way to horses and ponies. Knowledge of donkey specific problems and anatomy can aid in the approach to diagnosis and treatment.

Respiratory disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the donkey. As the donkey does not often perform at speed and has an insensitive cough reflex it may be easy to miss early disease. It is often the case that preventative health measures, such as administering anthelmintics and vaccinations, are not applied as rigorously as in horses and ponies. Examination of such cases needs to be detailed and thorough, and treatment plans created with appreciation of donkey specific differences.

While donkey reproduction and castration can be approached in a similar way to horses and ponies there are important differences to note.

Sexual behaviour is often more exaggerated in the donkey and stallion like behaviour may persist in the male donkey after castration. It is recommended that all male donkeys are castrated unless they are intended for breeding, and that this is carried out between 6 and 18 months.

The donkey is liable to skin injury through its relatively exposed limbs and the circumstances of its management. Whilst the horse has a reputation for 'poor healing' with respect to lower limb healing in particular, the donkey seems to have a reputation for good healing with the proviso that proper management is applied. It is always unfair to blame 'nature' for poor healing wounds when the care and attention given mitigates against a rapid and natural repair. These differences make the study of wound healing in equids particularly interesting and also add to the clinical challenges that the species offer to practising veterinary surgeons and owners under all circumstances.

Anatomical knowledge is possibly the most important single aspect of wound management in donkeys. Many problematic wounds have recognizable anatomical complications that could have perhaps been foreseen at the outset. The major constraint in the management of wounds in donkeys is the need to examine and treat wounds within the first few hours after wounding occurs. The second limiting factor is that, under many practical circumstances, the working donkey cannot be rested or hospitalized. A combination of necessity, poverty and ignorance (and unfortunately, in some cses, cruelty) means that many wounds are presented long after the acute stages. Once complicating factors are present, then the wound may pass into a continuing cycle of chronic inflammation and failure to heal as a result. Managmeent becomes problematic and the need for intensive treatment increases.

Where a wound fails to heal as expected the clinician should in most cases be able to recognise the possible reasons for this. The wrong treatment, or the right treatment badly executed, can result in failure of the wound healing process and may even endanger the animal's life.

This chapter describes the principles of wound management.

Donkeys belong to the Equidae family and as such are similar to equines in many ways. However, there are a number of significant features peculiar to the donkey that practitioners should be aware of when attempting to investigate and treat respiratory disease. These include differences in anatomy, physiology, pharmacokinetics, disease incidence and morbidity with certain infectious diseases. This chapter focuses on the differences as described in the published literature and recorded from cases at The Donkey Sanctuary in the UK.

Although many of the conditions of the nervous system in donkeys are very similar to those in horses and ponies, there are some subtle differences in presenting signs and requirements for examination. As with other conditions in donkeys, it is very important to monitor the animal regularly for hyperlipaemia, which may be secondary to a neurological condition.

The anatomy and treatment of the musculoskeletal system in donkeys is largely the same as in horses and ponies, with the exception of the foot and it is important to be aware of the differences in the anatomy of the foot, and the associated requirement for different management of conditions.

Conditions of the musculoskeletal system are one of the main reasons for euthanasia, and a lack of regular footcare frequently contributes to this. The stoical nature of the donkey can make lameness diagnosis challenging. This is exacerbated in the companion donkey by a lack of physical exercise, regular inspection and opportunities to be aware of issues.

Laminitis, one of the most common causes of lameness, can easily be overlooked and may go undiagnosed for a considerable time.

Hoof disorders and distal limb osteoarthritis and injury are commonly found in working donkeys globally, where as higher limb joint osteoarthritis is more commonly in older companion animals.