The prevalence of uveitis in a population of donkeys in the UK.
Authors: Bradley Claire, Grundon Rachael, Sansom Philip G
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Uveitis in UK Donkeys: Prevalence and Clinical Significance Whilst equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is well-established as a major cause of blindness in horses, little evidence exists regarding its prevalence in donkey populations. Bradley and colleagues conducted a descriptive observational study examining 207 donkeys (median age 17 years) using standardised ophthalmic techniques including slit lamp biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy, and pharmacological pupillary dilation to identify evidence of current or previous uveitis. Signs consistent with uveitis were identified in six donkeys (2.9% of the population), with eight affected eyes displaying a range of sequelae including corpora nigra atrophy (n=6), cataracts (n=8), posterior synechiae (n=3), and peripapillary scarring (n=3); notably, uveitis-related pathology resulted in blindness in 37.5% of affected eyes. Age emerged as a significant risk factor, with odds of uveitis increasing by 1.1 times per year (P=0.046), suggesting disease progression parallels that seen in horses. The comparable prevalence rates between donkeys and UK horses indicate that ophthalmic examination protocols for uveitis should form part of routine donkey health assessments, particularly in older animals; however, larger prospective studies are needed to establish whether donkey uveitis follows the recurrent pattern characteristic of equine ERU or represents a distinct disease entity.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Donkeys in the UK have similar uveitis prevalence to horses; ophthalmologic examination should be part of routine donkey health assessment, particularly in older animals
- •Age is a significant risk factor for uveitis in donkeys—practitioners should have heightened clinical suspicion in geriatric donkey populations
- •Several donkey cases resulted in blindness; early recognition of uveitis signs (corpora nigra atrophy, cataracts, posterior synechiae) is critical for potentially limiting vision loss
Key Findings
- •Uveitis or signs consistent with previous/current uveitis were identified in 2.9% of donkeys examined (6 of 207 animals, 8 eyes affected)
- •Clinical signs included corpora nigra atrophy (n=6), cataract (n=8), posterior synechiae (n=3), peripapillary scarring (n=3), and other ocular pathologies
- •Risk of uveitis increased significantly with age (OR 1.1, CI: 1.01-1.25, P=0.046)
- •37.5% of affected eyes (3 of 8) were blinded by uveitis-related pathology, comparable to disease prevalence reported in UK horses