Do Donkeys Pose a Disease Threat to Horses at Events?

In Ireland, some people believe that donkeys pose a greater risk than do horses of transmitting infectious diseases to horses and ponies, a belief that could be a contributing factor to the increasing abandonment or neglect of donkeys in the country. But does this belief hold merit? Researchers recently took a closer look to find out.

“Donkeys share essentially the same disease-causing organisms as horses and can thus both suffer and transmit the same diseases,” explained Joe Collins, MVB, PhD, MRCVS, director at Deerpark Veterinary Services and senior