Neoplasia - Donkey

With donkeys often being allowed to continue well into old age, it is inevitable that neoplasia should be a common outcome of post-mortem examinations. Intra-abdominal tumours are most common with hepatic carcinoma, lymphosarcoma, intestinal adenocarcinoma and leiomyomas most likely to be found. Affected animals present with progressive anaemia and there is often an associated secondary hyperlipaemia.

Interestingly the pedunculated lipoma, so beloved of the obese aged pony, would appear relatively uncommon in the donkey. Gastric squamous cell carcinomas and granulosa cell tumours are also relatively uncommon.

References

• Sprayson, T. (2008) The care of the geriatric donkey In Svendsen, E.D., Duncan, J. and Hadrill, D. (2008) The Professional Handbook of the Donkey, 4th edition, Whittet Books, Chapter 13

GERIATRIC DONKEY

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