Selected health and management issues facing working donkeys presented for veterinary treatment in rural Mexico: some possible risk factors and potential intervention strategies

Abstract

The examination of 216 donkeys presented for treatment at the Donkey Sanctuary-World Horse Welfare-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico mobile clinics revealed a number of health and welfare problems. A general overview of the donkeys' health was made and showed that the median body condition score (BCS) in this population was 2.5. Underweight animals only accounted for 26% of the population. Females, 0-5-year-olds and >21-year-olds, were more likely to be underweight. When analysed, there was no correlation between faecal worm egg count (FEC) and BCS. The prevalence of strongyle infection as assessed by FEC was shown to be 80% with a median FEC of 600 eggs per gramme. Donkeys were assessed for body lesions and showed a high prevalence (71%), particularly in the facial region (54%). Analysis showed that mature animals (6-15 years old) were at increased risk of body lesions compared to older animals (16+ years old) as were donkeys with dental disease and those in particular villages. Risk factor analysis for lesions of the face showed that stallions and geldings are at increased risk as were donkeys wearing halters made from nylon rope. This study has identified areas for further investigation and potential areas where targeted interventions may be made to improve the health and welfare of working donkeys in Mexico.

Amiata donkey milk chain: animal health evaluation and milk quality

“…Donkeys with a high FEC did not show any clinical sign of disease, as also described by Burden et al (2010). …”

“…Moreover such studies have been carried out in extra-EU countries, where donkeys are reared for work purposes and live in a different environment and management conditions. The strongyle prevalence in different countries is: 95.2-97.1% in South Africa (Wells et al , 1998), 99.5% in Ethiopia (Asefa et al , 2011), and 80% in Mexico (Burden et al , 2010). In Italy different studies have been also carried out, showing different prevalences: 77% (Giannetto et al , 2008) and 93% (Veneziano, 2011).…”

Owner reported diseases of working equids in central Ethiopia

“…Many of these health and welfare problems are also found in other low‐ and middle‐income countries 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32.…”

Risk Factors Associated with the Occurrence of Gastrointestinal Helminths among Indigenous Donkeys (Equus asinus) in Northeastern Nigeria

“…The most common gastrointestinal parasites of donkeys include large and small Strongyles , Ascaris , pinworms ( Oxyuris equi ), Gasterophilus , lung worms, and fluke and tape worms which are by far the commonly encountered parasites in most veterinary parasitological examinations of donkeys [6, 14, 21, 22]. Some of these gastrointestinal tract parasites, especially Strongyles , are active bloodsuckers; where there is heavy parasitic burden, the commonly encountered manifestations are anaemia, weakness, emaciation, and sometimes colic and diarrhea [23]. The intestinal mucosa is damaged where the worms attach themselves and suck blood.…”