Gastrointestinal Disorders of Donkeys and Mules

Thiemann, Alexandra K.; Sullivan, Rebekah

doi:10.1016/j.cveq.2019.08.001

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Compared to horses, little is known about the pathogenic effects of large and small intestinal strongyle infections on the health and performance of infected donkeys. However, more recently cyathostomin larvae encysted in the intestine were found to be a major cause of acute and chronic diseases and of larval cyathostominosis also in donkeys and mules [31][32][33][34]. Indeed, cyathostomins may have a negative impact on donkeys, as they can be the cause of reduced body condition and anaemia in untreated compared to treated animals, as observed by Matthee et al [35].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Intestinal Strongyle Genera in Different Typology of Donkey Farms in Tuscany, Central Italy

Maestrini

Molento

Mancini

et al. 2020

Veterinary Sciences

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Intestinal strongyles are common helminths of donkeys, in which they may be responsible for disease and poor performance. This study aimed to identify intestinal strongyle genera in 55 naturally infected donkeys from three different farm typologies in Tuscany, central Italy, using morphological and metrical analysis of third stage larvae (L3) obtained from faecal cultures. Larvae were identified using two previous reported morphological identification keys. Moreover, eggs per gram (EPG) data were also evaluated to assess differences, if any, according to the farm typology, sex, and age of the examined donkeys. The results showed that small strongyles were prevalent in all donkey farms. In all examined farms, most (92–100%) of L3 were identified as cyathostomin species of the genera Cylicocyclus spp. and Cylicostephanus spp. Large strongyles of the genera Strongylus spp. and Triodontophorus spp., were identified at low percentage (8%), only in the single organic farm included in the study. A high agreement was observed between the two different morphometric keys used. No significant differences were found for EPG according to farm typology, and sex and age from the examined donkeys. This is the first report about genera identification of intestinal strongyles infecting donkeys in Tuscany, Italy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Intestinal Strongyle Genera in Different Typology of Donkey Farms in Tuscany, Central Italy

Maestrini

Molento

Mancini

et al. 2020

Veterinary Sciences

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“…These advantages make them a popular choice among the resource-poor farmers (16). Donkeys commonly suffer from colic, hyperlipidemia, dental and parasitic diseases (17). In Pakistan, only a few studies have been reported that focus on donkey management and health care (7,8,(18)(19)(20).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Participatory appraisal for healthcare and welfare management strategies of donkeys (Equus ascinus) in Balochistan, Pakistan

et al. 2022

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In spite of the significant importance of the donkeys (Equus ascinus) as draft animal in resource-poor countries like Pakistan, they are equines not receiving the appropriate care. They face challenges including injuries, diseases, lack of basic environment and mismanagement by their owners. The present study aims to provide a brief update on the current status of management of healthcare and the welfare of domestic donkeys using participatory epidemiological tools. These tools can help to provide better strategies for improving their productivity and inclusion in human society. This study was mainly focused only on donkeys and horses, mules and ponies were excluded from the study. We carried out a systematic review of the relevant available published literature and shortlisted 50 articles reporting on the different health related characteristics of donkeys. A comprehensive questionnaire was completed by 191 donkey owners, including nine farriers (all men, average age = 38.24 ± 12.43) over a time span from October 2021 to March 2022. Multivariate Odds Ratios (MORs) and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the predictions of health management and welfare measures for the surveyed donkeys. The most common observed medical problems in donkey health were hyperlipaemia (28.06%), lameness (16.33%) and dental (20.41%) problems. One-third (34.31%) of the donkeys were underweight. The dull donkey with poor appetite needs a clinical emergency owing to a high risk of developing hyperlipemia, which may be life-threatening. These findings are quite useful for the improvement of healthcare management and the welfare of donkeys.

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“…Infestations with other gastro-intestinal parasites such as Oxyuris equi are known to cause excessive tail rubbing, those with Gasterophilus spp. to cause rectal prolapse, and those with Parascaris equorum to cause respiratory distress (9,10). Free-living wild equids are likely adapted to their parasites and rarely show clinical signs (7,11).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of Gastro-Intestinal Strongyle Parasites in a Group of Translocated, Wild-Captured Asiatic Wild Asses in Kazakhstan

et al. 2020

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Asiatic wild ass (Kulan, Equus hemionus) population range and numbers became severely reduced and a reintroduction project is currently aiming to re-establish a population in the Central Steppe of Kazakhstan. Pre-emptive deworming is often recommended for equid translocations but eliminating parasites prior to translocation could cause disruptions in a balanced host-parasite relationship, adding an additional stressor to an already stressful intervention involving capture, transport, and adaptation to a new environment. Following a disease risk assessment, we decided against pre-emptive deworming and focused on monitoring the first group of nine translocated kulan in a large acclimatization enclosure prior to release. Over the 5-month acclimatization period, we regularly collected fecal samples and analyzed the shedding intensity of gastro-intestinal parasite eggs, obtained time budgets through behavioral observations, and visually assessed body condition. We identified strongyles (Strongylinae and Cyathostominae) and pinworms (Oxyuris equi) in fecal samples. All individuals shed strongyle eggs and two of the nine individuals had higher shedding intensities, but rarely reached levels for which deworming is recommended. All kulan appeared healthy throughout the observation period, aggressive interactions were very rare, and time budgets were very similar and dominated by feeding. Our results suggest that in translocation projects where the risk of introducing new parasites is minimal, pre-emptive treatment in wild equids can be replaced with non-invasive monitoring during the acclimatization period. We acknowledge that the small number of kulan, the large size of the enclosure, and the low temperatures during the animals stay in the acclimatization enclosure may all have reduced infestation pressure.

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Gastrointestinal Disorders of Donkeys and Mules

Cited by 12 publications

References 19 publications

Intestinal Strongyle Genera in Different Typology of Donkey Farms in Tuscany, Central Italy

Intestinal Strongyle Genera in Different Typology of Donkey Farms in Tuscany, Central Italy

Participatory appraisal for healthcare and welfare management strategies of donkeys (Equus ascinus) in Balochistan, Pakistan

Dynamics of Gastro-Intestinal Strongyle Parasites in a Group of Translocated, Wild-Captured Asiatic Wild Asses in Kazakhstan

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