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WINTER 2014 ISSUE
EQUINE MATTERS
8
DONKEY HEALTH
H.
Hyperlipaemia
is a life threatening
disease. It can be a primary condition or
can develop secondary to other conditions.
If a donkey stops eating, fat reserves are
mobilised and converted to glucose for
energy, also resulting in high levels of lipid in
the blood stream, which is then deposited in
organs such as the liver and kidney, leading
to organ failure. Early clinical signs are easy
to miss, and treatment needs to be early and
rapid to be successful.
I.
Impactions
of the large intestine are the
most common cause of colic in donkeys.
J.
Jam sandwiches
are a useful way to give
oral medication to donkeys. Gingernut biscuit
sandwiches also work well!
K.
Ketamine
is an injectable drug used to
induce general anaesthesia. The adaptation
of the donkey to its natural desert environment
has led to changes in its metabolism,
meaning that during an operation, the drug
is given more frequently than in horses.
L.
Laminitis
is a common problem. This
is a painful foot condition and donkeys
that are overweight are predisposed to
developing laminitis. Equine metabolic
syndrome and 'Cushing's' disease can also
lead to development of laminitis. Maintaining
optimum body condition score and feeding
high fibre, low sugar feeds can help
prevent laminitis. Laminitis is a potentially
fatal disease.
M.
A mule
is the offspring of a donkey
stallion (jack) and a pony mare. Mules
are infertile due to their odd number of
chromosomes (63).
N.
The nutritional
/energy requirements of
a donkey are 25% less than a similarly sized
pony. They are very efficient at metabolising
food, having adapted to live in a desert
environment on sparse fibrous vegetation.
Restricted grazing, supplemented with straw is
sufficient for most donkeys. In the winter, hay
can be substituted for 50% of the straw.
Q.
Quiet
behaviour may be normal
behaviour particularly in an older donkey, but
it can also be an early symptom of illness, so
knowing your donkeys' normal behaviour and
checking them regularly is very important.
R.
Respiratory disease
in donkeys can
be caused by viral or bacterial infections,
parasites and allergies. Symptoms include:
nasal discharge, coughing, increased
respiratory noise, rate or effort, general
dullness, or anorexia.
S.
Donkeys are stoic,
rarely giving away
how they might feel. This can make detection
of disease difficult.
U.
Unusual
behaviour can be a sign of
underlying disease.
V.
Vaccinations
should be given annually
against equine influenza and tetanus.
W.
Waterproof coats
- shelter is necessary
for donkeys, as they
do not
have waterproof
coats; there is less grease in the coat
compared to horses.
Y.
Yards
can be useful areas for donkeys to
stand on to limit access to grazing and help
prevent obesity.
Z.
Zeedonk
is a cross between a zebra
and a donkey!
P.
Pars Pituitary Intermedia Dysfunction
(PPID)
or 'Cushing's' disease commonly
affects older donkeys. This disease increases
the risk of developing laminitis. Other
symptoms include delayed shedding of the
coat, increased thirst, and recurrent infections.
PPID can be diagnosed by means of a blood
sample, and managed with a drug known
as pergolide.
O.
Obesity
is very common in the UK
donkey population because our pastures
are very nutritious compared with the
sparse vegetation that donkeys have
evolved to live on. In addition donkeys
largely have a sedentary lifestyle in the
UK; rarely are they working animals. There
is a body condition scoring system for
donkeys which we can use to help monitor
weight and prevent obesity.
T.
Teeth
- donkeys have up to 44 teeth.
These erupt throughout life, and develop
sharp enamel points which require regular
removal to prevent discomfort when eating.
Even with severe dental disease donkeys
will rarely show any symptoms or lose
weight, so yearly examination is required
to detect and treat tooth problems.
X.
X-rays
can be used to help assess
the pedal bone within the hoof for
conditions such as overgrown hooves,
laminitis, pedal bone sepsis (infection),
and keratoma (a tumour of the horn of
the hoof).
Septic pedal bone after foot abscess