Clinical and pathologic findings in donkeys with hypothermia: 10 cases (1988-1998).
Abstract: To describe clinical signs and clinicopathologic findings in donkeys with hypothermia. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 10 hypothermic donkeys. Methods: Information on signalment, history, physical examination findings, results of diagnostic tests, treatments, and necropsy findings was extracted from medical records of all donkeys with hypothermia between 1988 and 1998 and compared with information from medical records of all normothermic donkeys and hypothermic horses admitted to the hospital during the same period. Results: Donkeys were more likely to be hypothermic than horses. The mean age of hypothermic donkeys was 6 years (range, 7 months to 11 years), compared with 4.2 years (range, < 1 month to 15 years) for normothermic donkeys; this difference was not significant. Ten of 12 horses with hypothermia were neonates; there were no hypothermic neonatal donkeys. At admission, 7 of 8 hypothermic donkeys were in good body condition and all hypothermic donkeys were weak. Six hypothermic donkeys were able to maintain sternal recumbency, 1 remained in lateral recumbency, and 3 were able to stand. Of the 10 hypothermic donkeys, 2 survived, 1 died, and 7 were euthanatized. Histologically, the thyroid glands from 4 of 5 hypothermic donkeys appeared abnormal and were similar to those of foals with hypothyroidism. During the months that hypothermic donkeys were admitted, there was not a significant difference in environmental temperatures on days of admission between hypothermic and normothermic donkeys. Conclusions: Hypothermia is a problem in donkeys during cold winter months, and may not be secondary to other disease or related to diet or management.
Publication Date: 2000-03-09 PubMed ID: 10707690DOI: 10.2460/javma.2000.216.725Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This study is a retrospective examination of ten instances of hypothermia in donkeys between 1988 and 1998, looking into the animals’ clinical signs and clinical-pathological findings.
Methods of the Study
- For this research, the researchers examined the medical records of 10 donkeys which suffered hypothermia between the years 1988 and 1998.
- Data on the donkeys’ details, history, physical examination results, diagnostic tests, treatments provided, and necropsy findings were taken into consideration. These pieces of information were then compared with the records of all normothermic (normal body temperature) donkeys and hypothermic horses that were admitted to the hospital during the same period.
Results from the Study
- The study showed a higher likelihood of donkeys, compared to horses, to suffer hypothermic conditions.
- The average age of hypothermic donkeys was six years, compared to 4.2 years for normothermic donkeys. However, this age difference was determined to be negligible.
- Of the 12 hypothermic horses researched, most of them were newborn, while there were no instances of hypothermic newborn donkeys.
- At the time of admission, most of the hypothermic donkeys were found weak but in suitable body condition. Varying levels of mobility were observed, ranging from maintaining sternal recumbency (lying on their chest), remaining in lateral recumbency (lying on their side), to being able to stand up.
- The survival rate was relatively low, with 2 out of 10 hypothermic donkeys surviving, 1 dying, and the majority (7) having to be euthanized due to their poor condition.
- In four of the five hypothermic donkeys that were dissected, thyroid gland abnormalities similar to those found in foals with hypothyroidism were observed.
Conclusions from the Study
- There was no observed correlation between the environmental temperatures on the days of admission and the instances of hypothermia in the donkeys.
- The concluded factors such as other ailments or concerns related to diet or management were likely not the cause of hypothermia in donkeys.
- The study determined that hypothermia in donkeys, which commonly occurs during cold winter months, is a significant problem.
Cite This Article
APA
Stephen JO, Baptiste KE, Townsend HG.
(2000).
Clinical and pathologic findings in donkeys with hypothermia: 10 cases (1988-1998).
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 216(5), 725-729.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2000.216.725 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Blood Chemical Analysis / veterinary
- Cold Temperature
- Equidae
- Female
- Hematologic Tests / veterinary
- Hypothermia / pathology
- Hypothermia / physiopathology
- Hypothermia / veterinary
- Male
- Physical Examination / veterinary
- Records / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Osthaus B, Proops L, Long S, Bell N, Hayday K, Burden F. Hair coat properties of donkeys, mules and horses in a temperate climate. Equine Vet J 2018 May;50(3):339-342.
- Restifo MM, Bedenice D, Thane KE, Mazan MR. Cavitary effusion associated with Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in 2 equids. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Mar-Apr;29(2):732-5.
- Stoeckle SD, Stage HJ, Gehlen H. Thyroid Disease in Horses-Retrospective Case Series on Patients Examined for Thyroid Disease in an Equine University Clinic (2009-2024). Vet Sci 2025 Nov 27;12(12).
- Mendoza FJ, Toribio RE. An Overview of Donkey Neonatology. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jul 6;15(13).
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