Review Article
Donkey Internal Medicine—Part I: Metabolic, Endocrine, and Alimentary Tract Disturbances

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2018.02.001Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Donkeys are different to horses.

  • Numerous physiological and clinic-pathologic idiosyncrasies are reported in horses.

  • Data published for horses should not be extrapolated for donkeys.

  • Specific reference ranges, doses, and protocols have to be used for donkeys.

Abstract

Metabolic and endocrine disturbances are common in donkeys. This species has an inherent ability to thrive with limited and poor-quality roughage. Donkeys are extremely efficient in energy storage and mobilization, which predisposes to hyperlipemia, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of dyslipidemias is higher in donkeys than other equids, which is more evident under stressful conditions. Diagnosis of endocrine and metabolic disorders in donkeys should be based on species-specific information considering that differences in a multitude of variables compared with horses have been demonstrated. Protocols to assess endocrine disorders (e.g., pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, and thyroid illness) are unavailable, and extrapolation from horse data can be misleading. Treatment guidelines for these conditions in donkeys are currently not reported. On the other hand, the typical stoic and hardy behavior of donkeys can hinder prompt diagnosis of gastrointestinal problems, specifically colic, which is commonly caused by dental issues in this species. Moreover, subclinical gastric ulcer syndrome appears to be a common pathology in this species, especially in working donkeys.

Keywords

Colic
Gastric ulcer syndrome
Hyperlipemia
Metabolic syndrome
Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction

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Animal welfare/ethical statement: It is not applicable for this review.

Conflict of interest statement: None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the article.

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