FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice2019; 35(3); 419-432; doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2019.08.001

Gastrointestinal Disorders of Donkeys and Mules.

Abstract: A review of common gastrointestinal disorders of donkeys and mules is presented. Clinically relevant aspects of donkey behavior, anatomy, and physiology are highlighted. Diagnosis, management, and treatment of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract from stomach to rectum, including liver and pancreas, are discussed.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2019-10-03 PubMed ID: 31587977PubMed Central: PMC7126424DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2019.08.001Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Review

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research focuses on the analysis of common gastrointestinal disorders in donkeys and mules. It also highlights the clinically relevant behavior, anatomy, and physiology of these animals. The paper further considers diagnosis, management, and treatment aspects of the conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract from the stomach to the rectum and organ issues related to the liver and pancreas.

Gastrointestinal Disorders in Donkeys and Mules

The research article gives a comprehensive review of common gastrointestinal disorders in mules and donkeys. It delves into specific conditions affecting the digestive systems of these animals, which are often similar due to their close biological relations. This recognition is particularly vital given the significant roles played by these creatures in various human societies worldwide.

  • The study notes particular attention to disorders that can occur anywhere from the stomach to the rectum – the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Importantly, these gastrointestinal diseases may often hurt the wellbeing and active life of mules/donkeys, and can even be fatal in severe cases.

Relevant Aspects of Donkey and Mule Behavior, Anatomy, and Physiology

The article emphasizes the importance of understanding the behavioral traits, anatomical features, and physiological functions of donkeys and mules.

  • Behavior: The research underlines that the distinctive behavior of these animals has to get factored into their care and treatment. For instance, their dietary preferences, community interactions, and stress reactions can affect their health, specifically gastrointestinal wellness.
  • Anatomy and Physiology: Understanding the uniqueness of these animals’ anatomical and physiological features can help in identifying the causes and symptoms of the illnesses related to their digestive systems, thereby facilitating efficient diagnosis and management of such disorders.

Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment of Conditions

Finally, the research provides an in-depth discussion on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of the diseases affecting the digestive tract of donkeys and mules.

  • Diagnosis: The authors discuss various diagnostic procedures and tests that can be employed to identify the specific gastrointestinal disorder, thereby aiding in implementing effective treatment plans.
  • Management: The paper discusses ways to manage the health of donkeys and mules with gastrointestinal disorders. It covers dietary modifications, lifestyle changes, and best practices for caregiving.
  • Treatment: The study includes an overview of potential treatment methods for these diseases, which may range from medication to surgery, or a combination of both. It highlights the importance of specialized care for these creatures due to their unique biological attributes.

Cite This Article

APA
Thiemann AK, Sullivan RJE. (2019). Gastrointestinal Disorders of Donkeys and Mules. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 35(3), 419-432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2019.08.001

Publication

The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
ISSN: 1558-4224
NlmUniqueID: 8511904
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 35
Issue: 3
Pages: 419-432
PII: S0749-0739(19)30039-2

Researcher Affiliations

Thiemann, Alexandra K
  • Education, The Veterinary Department, The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 0NU, UK; The Veterinary Hospital, Brookfield, Honiton, Devon EX14 9SU, UK. Electronic address: alex.thiemann@thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk.
Sullivan, Rebekah J E
  • Education, The Veterinary Department, The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 0NU, UK; The Veterinary Hospital, Brookfield, Honiton, Devon EX14 9SU, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Equidae
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / diagnosis
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / metabolism
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / therapy
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / metabolism
  • Horse Diseases / therapy
  • Horses

References

This article includes 24 references
  1. Ashley FH, Waterman-Pearson AE, Whay HR. Behavioural assessment of pain in horses and donkeys: application to clinical practice and future studies.. Equine Vet J 2005 Nov;37(6):565-75.
    pubmed: 16295937doi: 10.2746/042516405775314826google scholar: lookup
  2. Burns CC, Dennison TL, Whay HR. Relationships between behaviour and health in working horses, donkeys and mules in developing countries.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2010;126:109–118.
  3. Jerbi H, Rejeb A, Erdogan S. Anatomical and morphometric study of gastrointestinal tract of donkey (Equus africanus asinus). J Morphol Sci 2014;31(1):18–22.
  4. Evans L, Crane M. Sedation, anaesthesia and analgesia. In: Clinical companion of the donkey. 1st edition. Evans L., Crane M., editors. Troubador Publishing Ltd; Leicestershire: 2018; p. 225.
  5. Yousef MK, Dill DB, Mayes MG. Shifts in body fluids during dehydration in the burro, Equus asinus.. J Appl Physiol 1970 Sep;29(3):345-9.
    pubmed: 5465483doi: 10.1152/jappl.1970.29.3.345google scholar: lookup
  6. Pearson RA, Merritt JB. Intake, digestion and gastrointestinal transit time in resting donkeys and ponies and exercised donkeys given ad libitum hay and straw diets.. Equine Vet J 1991 Sep;23(5):339-43.
    pubmed: 1959523doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1991.tb03734.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  7. Thiemann AK, Rickards KJ, Getachew M. Colic in the donkey. In: The equine acute abdomen. 3rd edition. Blikslager AT, White NA II, Moore JN, et al., editors. John Wiley and Sons Inc; Hoboken (NJ): 2017; pp. 469–487.
  8. Cox R, Proudman CJ, Trawford AF, Burden F, Pinchbeck GL. Epidemiology of impaction colic in donkeys in the UK.. BMC Vet Res 2007 Feb 2;3:1.
    pmc: PMC1800892pubmed: 17274808doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-3-1google scholar: lookup
  9. Matthews JB, Burden FA. Common helminth infections of donkeys and their control in temperate regions.. Equine Vet Educ 2013;25:461–467.
  10. Sgorbini M, Bonelli F, Papini R. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome in adult donkeys: investigation on prevalence, anatomical distribution and severity.. Equine Vet J 2018;30(4):206–210.
  11. Burden FA, Gallagher J, Thiemann AK, Trawford AF. Necropsy survey of gastric ulcers in a population of aged donkeys: prevalence, lesion description and risk factors.. Animal 2009 Feb;3(2):287-93.
    pubmed: 22444232doi: 10.1017/s1751731108003480google scholar: lookup
  12. Mellor NE, Bladon B, Foote AK. Successful treatment of chronic grass sickness in a donkey.. Equine Vet Educ 2013;25(12):628–632.
  13. McGorum BC, Pirie RS. Asinine typhlocolitis; 'scouring' the literature for diagnostic and aetiological clues.. Equine Vet Educ 2010;22(2):58–59.
  14. Getachew AM, Innocent G, Trawford AF, Reid SW, Love S. Gasterophilosis: a major cause of rectal prolapse in working donkeys in Ethiopia.. Trop Anim Health Prod 2012 Apr;44(4):757-62.
    pubmed: 21870062doi: 10.1007/s11250-011-9961-7google scholar: lookup
  15. Durham AE, Smitht KC, Newton JR, Hillyer MH, Hillyer LL, Smith MR, Marr CM. Development and application of a scoring system for prognostic evaluation of equine liver biopsies.. Equine Vet J 2003 Sep;35(6):534-40.
    pubmed: 14515951doi: 10.2746/042516403775467171google scholar: lookup
  16. Edery N, Rosenbaum A, Busnach A. Acute pancreatitis in a horse–a case report.. Israel J Vet Med 2015;70(1):49–52.
  17. Merridale-Punter MS, Parker RA, Prutton JSW. Outcome following exploratory laparotomy in 24 donkeys: a retrospective multicentre study.. BEVA Conference Proceedings 2017. Liverpool, United Kingdom, 13–16 September, 2017.
  18. Evans L, Crane M. Appendix 2, body weight estimator. Clinical companion of the donkey. 1st edition. Troubador Publishing Ltd; Leicestershire: 2018; p. 257.
  19. Grosenbaugh DA, Reinmeyer CR, Figueiredo DA. Pharmacology and therapeutics in donkeys.. Equine Vet Educ 2011;23(10):523–530.
  20. Matthews N, van Loon JPAM. Anaesthesia and analgesia of the donkey and mule.. Equine Vet Educ 2013;25(1):47–51.
  21. Durham AE, Thiemann AK. Nutritional management of hyperlipaemia.. Equine Vet Educ 2015;27(9):482–488.
  22. Fielding CL. Practical Fluid Therapy and Treatment Modalities for Field Conditions for Horses and Foals with Gastrointestinal Problems.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2018 Apr;34(1):155-168.
    pmc: PMC7126773pubmed: 29534809doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2017.11.013google scholar: lookup
  23. Fielding L. Crystalloid and colloid therapy.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2014 Aug;30(2):415-25, viii-ix.
    pubmed: 25016499doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2014.04.008google scholar: lookup
  24. Khan A, Hallowell G, Underwood C. Evaluation of the rectal route of fluid administration in horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2017;31(2):604–618.

Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
  1. Kamran K, Akbar A, Naseem M, Samad A, Samiullah, Achakzai JK, Rehman ZU, Sohail Sajid M, Ali A. Participatory appraisal for healthcare and welfare management strategies of donkeys (Equus ascinus) in Balochistan, Pakistan. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:1005079.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1005079pubmed: 36118345google scholar: lookup
  2. Gliga DS, Petrova N, Linnell JDC, Salemgareyev AR, Zuther S, Walzer C, Kaczensky P. Dynamics of Gastro-Intestinal Strongyle Parasites in a Group of Translocated, Wild-Captured Asiatic Wild Asses in Kazakhstan. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:598371.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.598371pubmed: 33363236google scholar: lookup
  3. Perez-Ecija A, Buzon-Cuevas A, Aguilera-Aguilera R, Gonzalez-De Cara C, Mendoza Garcia FJ. Reference intervals of acute phase proteins in healthy Andalusian donkeys and response to experimentally induced endotoxemia. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Jan;35(1):580-589.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16015pubmed: 33336874google scholar: lookup
  4. Maestrini M, Molento MB, Mancini S, Martini M, Angeletti FGS, Perrucci S. Intestinal Strongyle Genera in Different Typology of Donkey Farms in Tuscany, Central Italy. Vet Sci 2020 Dec 2;7(4).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci7040195pubmed: 33276602google scholar: lookup
  5. Wang T, Wang Y, Li P, Liu J, Mao X, Li Z, Wen Z, Yin Y, Li Y, Lin G, Zhang H, Qu H, Ma Q, Huang S. Dietary Mannan Oligosaccharides Enhance Lactational Performance, Nutrient Metabolism, Plasma Metabolomics, and Gut Microbiota in Dezhou Donkeys. Int J Mol Sci 2025 Sep 18;26(18).
    doi: 10.3390/ijms26189105pubmed: 41009663google scholar: lookup
  6. Alipour-Khairkhah H, Azizi S, Asri-Rezaei S. Stress, lipid profile and inflammatory responses to flunixin meglumine administration in surgical and non-surgical castration in donkeys. Vet Anim Sci 2025 Mar;27:100423.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2024.100423pubmed: 39835330google scholar: lookup
  7. Mendoza FJ, Toribio RE, Perez-Ecija A. Metabolic and Endocrine Insights in Donkeys. Animals (Basel) 2024 Feb 10;14(4).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14040590pubmed: 38396558google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,780 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.