Donkeys : Miniature, Standard and Mammoth - A Veterinary Guide for Owners and Breeders

by Unknown

• ISBN13: 9781570764189
• ISBN10: 1570764182
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2010-02-01
• Publisher: Trafalgar Square Books

Summary

Addressing a common misconception, this handbook explains that donkeys are not horses and that the two kinds of animals are genetically and anatomically quite different. Carefully laying out the special physiological and environmental needs of donkeys, the book educates owners, would-be owners, and breeders about how best to care for their charges while also providing clear technical information on donkey anatomy and behavior, diseases, breeding, and general husbandry. Written with affection for donkeys and their antics, the book goes a long way toward preventing common and sometimes dire mistakes in caring for these interesting animals.

Author Biography

Stephen Purdy, DVM, is a professor of veterinary education and the director of the Camelid Reproduction Center at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst, where he specializes in practical research and educational projects to improve farm-animal health. He lives in Hadley, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

The History of the Donkey	p. 1
Introduction	p. 1
Global Importance	p. 3
A Donkey Is Not a Horse	p. 7
Differences from a Practical Veterinary Standpoint	p. 7
Nomenclature	p. 7
Genetic Makeup	p. 7
Anatomic Differences	p. 8
Medical Differences	p. 10
Behavioral Differences	p. 11
Nutrition	p. 17
Practical Dietary information	p. 17
Feeding behavior	p. 17
Feeding Guidelines	p. 18
Basic Nutritional Needs	p. 18
Energy Sources	p. 19
Vitamins and Minerals	p. 20
Water	p. 21
Hauling and Drinking	p. 21
Winter Feeding	p. 22
Overfeeding	p. 22
Malnutrition	p. 24
Herd Health	p. 27
General Health	p. 27
Intestinal and Lungworm Parasite Control	p. 27
Vaccinations	p. 28
Feeding Practices	p. 29
Dentistry	p. 29
Gastrointestinal Parasites	p. 30
Diagnosis and Treatment of Intestinal Parasites	p. 38
Deworming Programs	p. 38
Parasite Diagnostic Procedure	p. 39
Deworming Medications	p. 41
Laboratory Tests and Reports	p. 43
Complete Blood Count (CBC)	p. 43
Blood Chemistry Panel	p. 44
The Coggins Test	p. 45
Urinalysis	p. 45
Fecal Examination	p. 46
Microbial Cultures	p. 46
Cytology	p. 47
Infectious Diseases	p. 51
Infectious Respiratory Disease	p. 51
Viral and Bacterial Infections	p. 51
Lungworms	p. 54
Diarrhea in Donkeys	p. 56
Biosecurity for Donkey Farms	p. 60
Disease Control	p. 60
Transmission of Disease	p. 61
Spread of Disease	p. 61
Pre-Arrival Testing for New Additions to the Herd	p. 62
Post-Arrival Procedures for New Additions to the Herd	p. 63
Biosecurity for Show Animals	p. 64
Protecting Your Herd	p. 64
Disinfectants	p. 65
The Digestive System	p. 69
The Digestive Tract	p. 69
Mouth	p. 70
Teeth	p. 70
Stomach	p. 72
Small Intestine	p. 73
Large Intestine	p. 73
Rectum	p. 74
Hyperlipemia: Liver Disease	p. 74
Etiology	p. 74
Clinical Signs	p. 75
Diagnosis	p. 75
Treatment	p. 76
Prevention	p. 76
Colic	p. 76
Clinical Signs	p. 77
Gastrointestinal Tract Abnormalities	p. 78
Types of GI Tract Colic	p. 78
Severity of Clinical Signs	p. 79
First Aid Treatment	p. 79
Standard Vet Exams	p. 80
Differentiating Surgical from Medical Colic	p. 81
Simple Field Medical Treatments	p. 81
Treatments at Referral Hospitals	p. 82
Factors Associated with Increased Risk of Colic in Horses	p. 83
Musculoskeletal System	p. 87
Joints and joint Disease	p. 87
Joint Classifications	p. 87
Forelimb joints	p. 89
Hind Limb joints	p. 89
Joint Disease	p. 90
Lameness Diagnosis	p. 91
Visual Observation	p. 91
Evaluation of Gait	p. 92
Investigating the Cause of a Lameness	p. 92
Interpreting Examination Findings	p. 94
Laminitis	p. 95
Causes	p. 95
Clinical Signs of Acute Laminitis	p. 96
Clinical Signs of Chronic Laminitis	p. 98
Treatment	p. 98
Reproduction	p. 103
General Overview	p. 103
Reproductive Anatomy	p. 103
Reproductive Physiology and behavior	p. 106
Field Breeding	p. 108
Hand Breeding	p. 108
Artificial Insemination	p. 109
Ultrasound Examination of the Female Reproductive Tract	p. 109
Artificial insemination for Miniature Donkeys	p. 118
Castration	p. 126
Pregnancy, Neonatology, and Lactation	p. 133
Care of the pregnant jennet and Newborn Foal	p. 133
Monitoring Pregnancy	p. 133
Pre-Foaling Medical Care	p. 134
Foaling Process	p. 135
Foaling Sequence	p. 135
Immediate Post-Foaling behavior	p. 140
Neonatal Exams of Foals	p. 140
Jennet Exam on Foaling Day	p. 141
Passive Transfer of Maternal Antibodies to the Foal	p. 142
Lactation and Foal Growth	p. 142
Normal Donkey Lactation	p. 142
Insufficient Milk Production	p. 143
Lack of Foal Weight Gain	p. 144
Guidelines for Foals and Rebreeding jennets	p. 144
Weaning the Foal	p. 145
Normal Physical Examination Parameters for Donkeys	p. 149
Donkey Reference Ranges for Blood Hemogram and Serum Chemistry Tests	p. 150
Resources for Donkey Owners	p. 153
Glossary	p. 154
Index	p. 157
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