Clinical dental examinations of 357 donkeys in the UK. Part 1: prevalence of dental disorders.
Authors: du Toit N, Burden F A, Dixon P M
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Dental disease prevalence in donkeys Dental disorders represent a substantial and progressive welfare concern in donkeys, yet their epidemiology across age cohorts has received limited systematic investigation until now. Du Toit and colleagues examined 357 donkeys at The Donkey Sanctuary across seven age groups (2–53 years), performing detailed oral examinations to characterise the prevalence and nature of dental pathology in relation to age. Overall dental disease affected 73% of the population, but this masked a dramatic age-related trajectory: prevalence rose from 28% in young donkeys to 98% in the oldest animals, with specific conditions showing marked increases—diastemata from 3.8% to 86%, missing teeth from 0% to 56%, overgrown teeth from 15% to 86%, and periodontal disease from 0% to 28%. Critically, the steepest increase in most dental disorders occurred between 15 and 20 years of age, suggesting that prophylactic geriatric dental intervention should commence from age 15 rather than waiting for clinical signs. These findings substantially reshape management protocols and highlight the importance of regular dental screening in middle-aged donkeys to detect early pathological changes and implement preventive strategies before irreversible damage accumulates.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Dental disease is extremely common in donkeys; expect to find problems in 7 out of 10 animals examined
- •Start prophylactic dental examinations and treatment protocols from age 15 years, as this is when most significant deterioration begins
- •Multiple concurrent dental disorders are typical in older donkeys, requiring comprehensive rather than spot-treatment approaches
Key Findings
- •Overall prevalence of dental disease in donkeys was 73%, ranging from 28% in the youngest age group to 98% in the oldest
- •Diastemata prevalence increased dramatically from 3.8% in the youngest group to 86% in the oldest group
- •The largest significant increases in prevalence of most dental disorders occurred in the 15-20 year age group
- •Multiple dental disorders showed age-related progression: missing teeth (0-56%), overgrown teeth (15-86%), worn teeth (8-84%), displaced teeth (0-38%), and periodontal disease (0-28%)