Sedation
Unlike mules, donkeys are usually well sedated by any of the tranquilizers
and sedatives used at the same dose as in the horse. A caveat to
this, however, is that the dose of sedatives and tranquilizers used
in horses varies greatly with the breed, condition, and amount of
anxiety present when the drug is given. Feral or unbroken horses
may require twice (if given IV) or three times (if given intramuscularly)
the normal dose of a sedative as would be given a well-handled horse.
Such is the case for donkeys too. Although there is no scientific
evidence, clinical experience shows that different sizes and types
of donkeys respond differently to sedatives; in the author’s opinion
(P. van Dijk), the Mediterranean type is more sensitive to sedative
drugs and needs a lower dose.
Various combinations of xylazine (0.6
- 1.0 mg/kg, IV or IM) with acepromazine (0.1 mg/kg, IV or IM) or
butorphanol (0.02 - 0.04 mg/kg IV); detomidine (0.005 - 0.02 mg/kg,
IV or IM) and butorphanol, or buprenorphine, have all been used
with relatively good success, either for standing procedures (combined
with local anesthesia) or before general anesthesia. The combination
of etorphine with acepromazine and reversal with diprenorphine,
should be used cautiously in the donkey [11]. The donkey may metabolize
diprenorphine to active agonist, thereby "relapsing" into
a sedated state.
In Utrecht, nalbuphine (0.1 mg/kg) or methadone (0.1 mg/kg) is combined
with sedation to provide analgesia; following legislation, methadone
should be the opioid of choice. The authors do not routinely use
an anticholinergic as premedication in donkeys.
Table 1. Analyte of the red cell line of donkeys (Equus asinus) of different genders
Average
Standard Deviation
Recommended Reference Values
Packed cell volume (L/L)
0.35
0.050
0.34 to 0.37
Erythrocytes (X 1012 /L)
5.9
1.04
5.7 to 6.3
Mean corpuscular volume (fL)
60.1
9.23
57.4 to 62.7
Fibrinogen (g/L)
2.9
1.33
1.00 to 6.8
Plasma proteins (g/L)
72.8
5.81
71.2 to 74.5
Thrombocytes (X 109/L)
542
231.5
245 to 1195
Table 2. Analyte of the white cell line of donkeys (Equus asinus) of different genders
Average
Standard Deviation
Recommended Reference Values
Leukocytes (X 109/L)
11.7
2.90
10.34 to 12.6
Neutrophils (mature) (X 109/L)
5.5
1.77
1.8 to 9.2
Lymphocytes (X 109/L)
5.3
2.39
4.6 to 6.0
Monocytes (X 109/L)
0.3
0.31
0.04 to 1.2
Eosinophils (X 109/L)
0.5
0.49
0 to 1.8
Basophils
0
0
0
Table 3. Analytes of the biochemical values of donkey (Equus asinus) of different genders
Average
Standard Deviation
Recommended Reference Values
Albumin
27.4
4.96
26.06 to 28.82
Asparate aminotransferase (AST) (IU/L)
336
107.4
197 to 612
Total Bilirubin (TB) (mmol/L)
2.93
1
1.47 to 5.61
Conjugated Bilirubin (CB) (mmol/L)
1.95
0.90
1.66 to 2.25
Unconjugated Bilirubin (UCB) (mmol/L)
0.869
0.48
0.20 to 2.21
CB/UCB
3.53
3.74
0.59 to 15.69
Calcium (mmol/L)
3.02
0.26
2.95 to 3.09
Ca/P
2.7
0.51
2.57 to 2.85
Chloride (mmol/L)
106
10.49
92 to 133
Creatinine (µmol/L)
87.5
15.80
83.17 to 91.92
Creatine kinase (CK) (UI/L)
200
73
181 to 221
Phosphate (mmol/L)
1.141
0.2
0.61 to 1.67
Gammaglutamyl-transferase (GGT) (IU/L)
54
35.69
21 to 177
Globulins (g/L)
42
6.06
31.5 to 59.3
Glucose (mmol/L)
3.96
1.03
2.00 to 6.62
HCO3 Bicarbonate (mmol/L)
20
2.70
19.8 to 21.3
Sodium (mmol/L)
141
10.57
123 to 168
Potassium (mmol/L)
4.36
0.63
4.19 to 4.54
Urea (mmol/L)
5.05
1.38
2.98 to 8.15
Organic Acid (mmol/L)
18.7
3.97
19.92 to 26.90
Table 4.
Proposed reference range of hematological parameters of donkeys,
compared with the reference range of horses, used in the section
of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, National
Autonomous University of Mexico (FMVZ-UNAM)
Proposed Reference Range of Donkeys
Reference Range of Horses
PCV (L/L)
0.34 to 0.37
0.32 to 0.52
Erythrocytes
5.7 to 6.3
6.5 to 12.5
MCV (fL)
57.4 to 62.7
34 to 58
Fibrinogen (g/L)
1.00 to 6.8
< 5
Total plasma protein (g/L)
71.2 to 74.5
60 to 80
Platelets (X 109/L)
245 to 1,195
100 to 600
Leukocytes (X 109/L)
10.9 to 12.6
5.5 to 12.5
Mature Neutrophils (X109/L)
1.8 to 9.2
2.7 to 6.7
Band Neutrophils (X109/L)
0
0
Lymphocytes (X109/L)
4.6 to 6.0
1.5 to 7.5
Monocytes (X109/L)
0.04 to 1.2
0 to 0.8
Eosinophils (X109/L)
0 to 1.8
0 to 1.2
Table 5. Proposed reference range of biochemical parameters of donkeys, compared with reference ranges of horses,
used in the section of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary
Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (FMVZ-UNAM)
The donkey is not just a smaller, inferior
type of horse. To those who have taken the time to get to know him,
the donkey is a unique equine of special qualities....
...Donkeys are not just horses with long ears.
The donkey has for centuries been regarded
as a robust and willing servant of man and most veterinarians accept
that as a species it suffers rather fewer skin diseases than most
other domestic animals. However, this may be more in the perception
than the actuality because the donkey tends to show few signs of
cutaneous discomfort. The skin of the donkey is well adapted to
the rigors of direct sunlight and extremes of heat. The donkey has
a specific adaptive ability to cope with desert and other high temperature
conditions. They preserve water by sweating against the skin and
limit the loss of water by allowing the body core temperature to
rise significantly. The latter adaptation allows the donkey to restrict
the need for heat loss by evaporation and the cooling under the
hair coat maximizes the cooling efficiency of sweating. These properties
may give the impression that the donkey's skin is hardy and able
to take almost any insult but quite the reverse is true. Nevertheless,
the skin of the donkey may possibly be subject to fewer of the infectious
diseases that afflict other equidae.