A clinical survey on the prevalence and types of cheek teeth disorders present in 400 Zamorano-Leonés and 400 Mirandês donkeys (Equus asinus).
Authors: Rodrigues J B, Dixon P M, Bastos E, San Roman F, Viegas C
Journal: The Veterinary record
Summary
# Editorial Summary Cheek teeth disorders are substantially underrecognised in working donkey populations, yet their true prevalence has rarely been documented in large clinical cohorts—particularly in endangered breeds. Rodrigues and colleagues systematically examined 800 Zamorano-Leonés and Mirandês donkeys across Portugal and Spain, performing detailed oral examinations in animals that had received minimal prior dental intervention (only 4.5% had ever accessed dental care). The findings were striking: 82.8% of donkeys presented with cheek teeth pathology, with prevalence climbing steeply from 29.6% in animals under 2.5 years to 100% in those over 25 years old. Enamel overgrowths dominated the disorder spectrum (73.1% prevalence), followed by focal overgrowths (37.3%), periodontal disease (23.5%) and diastemata (19.9%), whilst infundibular caries remained surprisingly rare at just 1.3%—likely attributable to the animals' forage-based diet. For equine professionals, these findings underscore the welfare imperative for routine dental surveillance in donkey populations, particularly older animals, and raise important questions about predisposing factors for enamel overgrowths in animals consuming minimal concentrates, suggesting that aetiology may extend beyond simple feed-related causes.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Donkey owners and veterinarians must recognize that dental disease is extremely prevalent in donkey populations (>80%) and increases significantly with age, necessitating routine dental examinations as standard care
- •Enamel overgrowths occur at high frequency but most do not cause soft tissue damage, yet their high prevalence in forage-fed donkeys suggests multifactorial etiology beyond feed type that warrants further investigation
- •Routine dental care should be implemented for welfare reasons and breed preservation, as the current situation shows <5% of donkeys receive any dental attention despite the burden of disease
Key Findings
- •82.8% of donkeys examined had cheek teeth disorders, increasing from 29.6% in donkeys <2.5 years old to 100% in those >25 years old
- •Enamel overgrowths were present in 73.1% of donkeys, with only 6.3% showing associated soft tissue injuries
- •Only 4.5% of the 800 donkeys had ever received any previous dental care
- •Infundibular caries was very rare (1.3% prevalence) despite high prevalence of other dental disorders, possibly related to forage-based diet