Volume 35, Issue 5, May 2015, Pages 376–382
Proceedings of the 2015 Equine Science Society Symposium
Abstract
As
a unique species of equine, the donkey has certain specific variations
from the horse. This review highlights the origins of the donkey and how
this impacts on its behavior, physiology, and propensity to disease.
The donkey is less of a flight animal and has been used by humans for
pack and draught work, in areas where their ability to survive poorer
diets, and transboundary disease while masking overt signs of pain and
distress has made them indispensable to human livelihoods. When living
as a companion animal, however, the donkey easily accumulates adipose
tissue, and this may create a metabolically compromised individual prone
to diseases of excess such as laminitis and hyperlipemia. They show
anatomic variations from the horse especially in the hoof, upper airway,
and their conformation. Variations in physiology lead to differences in
the metabolism and distribution of many drugs. With over 44 million
donkeys worldwide, it is important that veterinarians have the ability
to understand and treat this equid effectively.
Keywords
- Donkey;
- Ass;
- Equid;
- Mule
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
