Page 1034 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

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Figures 23.1 and 23.2 Donkeys in different parts of the world experience a wide range of lifestyles

Donkeys deserve high quality preventative health care. They need regular vaccination,

dentistry, farriery and worm control just as much as horses. When this is neglected it not only
puts them at risk, but also the horses they are in contact with. Dental care is particularly
neglected and serious problems that cause considerable suffering can go unnoticed because

they are generally stoical by nature. A vet with an interest in dentistry or a member of the
British Association of Equine Dental Technicians (BAEDT) should examine their mouths

and teeth at least once a year.

DONKEY CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTICS

Classification

The domestic donkey (Equus asinus) has 62 chromosomes.

The domestic horse (Equus caballus) has 64 chromosomes.

These species can interbreed but produce (generally) infertile hybrids: mules or hinnies with
63 chromosomes. A mule is the crossbred produced from a female horse (mare) mated with a

donkey stallion. A hinny is the crossbred produced from a female donkey (jenny) mated with
a horse stallion.

More exotic crossbreds may also be encountered, e.g. the zonkey: a donkey mated with a

zebra; or the zoney: a pony mated with a zebra; both of which will have the intermediate