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Disorders of the hoof have important health and welfare implications in donkeys. Clinical conditions that affect the donkey hoof include laminitis, which is one of the most common causes of lameness in donkeys in the UK, as well as white line disease/abscess, and chronic conditions such as overlong hooves. This article reviews the normal anatomy and function of the donkey's foot, before discussing in more detail the diseases that can arise and their treatment.

The ‘dull donkey’ is a general descriptive term used by owners and clinicians to identify a donkey presenting with varying degrees of depression, dullness and inappetence. These cases can be frustrating to diagnose and manage successfully. This article provides an overview of the most common causes of dullness in donkeys in the UK and suggests appropriate first-line diagnostic and treatment options. It should be appreciated that, in many cases, dull donkeys may be very sick and may require high levels of intervention to recover. Such cases should be seen as priority patients.

The domestic donkey is descended from wild asses and has evolved to live in some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Little research has been carried out to address the specific needs of the donkey, which has traditionally been viewed as a small horse. The donkey is different from the horse in many ways; of particular note is its ability to thrive on highly fibrous feeds. This article discusses the nutritional requirements of donkeys and how dental disease may play a role in determining their nutritional requirements.

Summary Hyperlipaemia is a disease resulting from excessive mobilisation of triglyceride stores such that plasma clearance processes become overwhelmed. Consequently increased plasma triglyceride concentrations (>5.6 mmol/l), visibly cloudy plasma and a sick, anorexic or hypophagic subject follow. Epidemiological studies have identified many predisposing and triggering factors and the attentive carer or veterinary surgeon should be alert to such risk factors so that the disease can be prevented, or at least identified and treated at an early stage. Hyperlipaemic subjects are invariably in a negative energy balance, and nutritional management therefore plays a central role in both the prevention and resolution of the disease.

Surgical castration carries more potential hazards in donkeys than in horses or ponies. However, with forward planning and selection of the most appropriate procedure, there is no reason why the surgery should not be successful.Ideally, castration of the male donkey should be carried out when the animal is between six and 18 months of age. Some young male donkeys can start to demonstrate undesirable sexual behaviour at five or six months of age. This can make life miserable for the dam or any other animal unfortunate enough to be kept in his E Q U I N E P R A C T I C E DONKEYS maintain a special status in the minds of the UK animal-owning population in that, although they are physically large animals, they are usually regarded by their owners as companion animals in the same vein as dogs and cats. This dichotomy can bring about clinical challenges rarely seen with other species. Although most conditions affecting donkeys are similar to those occurring in horses, donkeys by their very nature can behave differently in the face of disease. Hence, some clinical presentations that would ordinarily be dismissed in other equids must be considered as medical/surgical emergencies in the donkey. This article, the first in an occasional series discussing the clinical approach to problems in the donkey, describes the options for castration, and offers practical advice on how to avoid some common pitfalls and potentially fatal complications that are specific to this species.

Background In the UK, there are thousands of donkeys being cared for by charities; however, little is known about the reasons for relinquishment or their previous health status, with even less information available in published literature. Such information could help to identify factors contributing to poor equine welfare and guide the development of appropriate educational resources. Objectives To describe the characteristics of the relinquished donkeys and to better understand the current preventative healthcare status of donkeys relinquished into The Donkey Sanctuary. Study design Cross‐sectional observational survey. Methods A total of 596 donkeys were admitted during a 30‐month period. Each had a health check at arrival; and previous management information was provided by the owner. Data were retrieved from The Donkey Sanctuary database, inputted into a specific Microsoft Access 2016 database then exported for analysis in IBM SPSS 19.0 for Windows®. Mules and ponies were excluded from the study. Results Many donkeys arrived without a valid passport (32.3%) or microchip (49.7%). Only 23.2% were fully protected against influenza and tetanus and 21.0% of the donkeys had no previous anthelmintic treatment history. Geriatric donkeys often suffered from moderate to severe dental disease in need of advanced treatment, and 43.9% had received no dental treatment within the last year. Overall 26.3% of donkeys were classed as overweight and 8.6% were obese. The median time since the last hoof trim was 10 weeks. Main limitation The health status of the studied donkeys may have been affected by the reasons for relinquishment, and associations require further investigation. Conclusions This study highlights the need for improving preventative healthcare in donkeys to ensure better welfare within the population.

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