Contributors

Alex Thiemann MA Vet MB CertEP MSc CertVEd MRCVS
Senior Veterinary Surgeon – Education and Research. The Donkey Sanctuary.
Alex qualified from University of Cambridge (1989). She worked in mixed and then equine practice before joining The Donkey Sanctuary in 1998. She gained a Certificate in Equine Practice in 1995, a Masters in International Animal Health in 2009 and Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Authority in 2015.
Alex has extensive donkey medical and surgical experience in the UK, Europe and with working donkeys globally. She has been instrumental in developing standard protocols for deciding when to perform advanced dentistry procedures in donkeys and has worked to ensure that the link between systemic health and dentistry is well understood in donkeys.
Alex has published numerous articles and contributions to books regarding donkey health and welfare. She has extensive experience in donkey dentistry and the problems arising from neglected mouths and has contributed to several chapters in this handbook including diagnostics and treatment; advanced dental treatment, treatment in compromised patients and geriatric donkeys.

Ben Hart
Senior Lead – Behaviour and Human Behaviour Change. The Donkey Sanctuary.
A certified Horse Behavioural consultant (CHBC), registered with the International Association of Animal Behaviour Councillors and Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC). Registered Accredited Animal Behaviourist. Ben joined The Donkey Sanctuary in 2001 bringing his knowledge and passion for the behaviour of equines and humans as well the delivery of training to The Donkey Sanctuary’s Training Centre, where he oversaw training on donkey care, behaviour and welfare as well as providing behaviour training to donkeys and mules across the organisation. Moving from the Training Centre in 2018, Ben now leads The Donkey Sanctuary in the understanding and implementation of scientific principles of equine behaviour and Human Behaviour Change across the organisation.
He has worked globally as an equine trainer using the science of behaviour for training horses, donkeys and mules to enhance the communication between animals and humans. Ben has written books on equine behaviour and training and the use of positive reinforcement in equine training, and is a specialist in the preparation of training plans for developing the ability of equids to cope with every aspect of domestication, such as dentistry.
He produced the chapter on Behaviour for this handbook.

Gemma Lilly BAEDT BSc(EDS) BA ESBM
Formerly Equine Dental Technician. The Donkey Sanctuary.
Gemma qualified from West of England University with first class honours in Equine Dental Science (2005) and is joint founder of South West Equine Dentistry. She worked privately with competition horses before joining The Donkey Sanctuary in 2007. Gemma qualified with The British Equine Veterinary Association and The British Veterinary Dental Association and is a member of the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians (BAEDT). Gemma joined the council in 2010 and became the first female chair in 2012.
She formed part of the consortium developing the National Occupational Standards framework for equine dentistry in the UK. A regular lecturer, tutor and practical assessor in equine dental prophylaxis worldwide, Gemma became part of the examining board for the BEVA/BVDA examination for Equine Dental Technicians. Gemma continues to publish multiple articles and contributions to texts on equine dentistry and is known as an expert in the field of welfare oriented donkey and mule dentistry in the UK. Gemma co-produced this handbook and wrote the chapters on Anatomy, Equipment and Miniatures, Mammoths and Mules as well as producing the sections on; the use of a dental chart, oroscopy, periodontal disease, caries, calculus, assessment of quality of life, studies for the effect of dental conditions on quality of life, treatment plans, equilibration, odontoplasty, dental displacements, removal of calculus, wolf teeth, extraction of the standard maxillary wolf tooth, subgingival wolf teeth, deciduous caps and the complications from nerve blocks. She contributed to the use of radiography, intra-oral examination, extractions, periodontal therapy and treatment of diastemata.

George Paraschou DVM, DipRCPath, MRCVS
Veterinary Pathologist. The Donkey Sanctuary.
George qualified from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2009). He completed an internship in equine medicine and surgery and carried out duties as a veterinary surgeon for the Greek Army before moving to the UK to work for the government at Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). He was a donkey owner as a child and carried out voluntary work with donkeys for the Greek Animal Welfare Fund.
George joined The Donkey Sanctuary in 2015 to work as a veterinary pathologist. He is a diplomate of the Royal College of Pathologists and he produced the section on neoplasia for this handbook.

João B. Rodrigues DVM PhD
Lead – Welfare Assessment. The Donkey Sanctuary.
Joao qualified at University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro (2007), was classified as an Expert in Veterinary Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery by the Complutense University of Madrid (2011) and obtained a PhD focusing on research in the field of donkey dentistry (2013). He was appointed as Professor of Medicine and Surgery of Equids in Portugal in 2013 and joined The Donkey Sanctuary in 2016. Joao has extensive donkey medical and welfare experience in Europe and with working donkeys globally, is a regular lecturer, tutor and practical assessor in equid dentistry worldwide and has published numerous articles and contributions to books. He is a partner and board member of the Portuguese Association of Animal Traction (APTRAN) and the FECTU - European Draught Horse Federation. Joao produced the List of Definitions, the Introduction, the chapter on Common Disorders of the Teeth, and produced the sections on the anatomy of the oral cavity, deciduous teeth and eruption, ageing the donkey, behaviour and restraint methods, clinical examination, extra and intra oral examination, nociceptive tests, endoscopy, and periodicity of dental treatments. He contributed to the sections on radiography, endoscopy and extractions.

Karen Pickering BVSc Cert AVP (ED) PgCert VPS MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon. The Donkey Sanctuary.
Karen qualified from the University of Bristol (2008) and worked in mixed practice before moving to The Donkey Sanctuary in 2010.
She completed a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Equine Dentistry) in 2017 and currently undertakes most of the advanced dental procedures performed at The Donkey Sanctuary UK. Karen has lectured in the UK and Ireland on donkey medicine and surgery, including dentistry. Her particular interests are in imaging of the head, diastema treatment and education. Other interests include surgery and global animal welfare, having volunteered for several overseas charities with a focus on working equines, educating owners and charity workers. Karen contributed to the sections on radiography, extractions, treatment of diastemata and periodontal therapy, nerve blocks, periodontal disease and treatment protocols.

Lee Gosden BAEDT
Equine Dental Technician. The Donkey Sanctuary.
Lee qualified with The British Equine Veterinary Association and The British Veterinary Dental Association (2006). He is a member of the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians and has mentored and trained vets, equine dental and veterinary science students, also providing voluntary dental training in donkeys and mules for other organisations such as the Gambian Horse and Donkey Trust. Lee joined The Donkey Sanctuary in 1997 and has worked across a broad section of departments including welfare where he was a Welfare Officer for Donkey Guardian homes. Lee has authored and co-authored several publications surrounding donkey dentistry, health and welfare and has contributed to this handbook.

Nikki Bell
Senior Researcher – Nutrition and care. The Donkey Sanctuary.
Nikki qualified from the University of the West of England (UWE) with a first class honours in Equine Science (2003). She then worked as a freelance groom for private horse owners and spent six years working in a National Hunt racing yard. Nikki then returned to university gaining a Masters in Applied Equine Science from the Royal Agricultural University (2011) before joining The Donkey Sanctuary as a research assistant the same year. Nikki has a particular interest in nutrition and parasitology, she is a registered animal medicines advisor and she produced the chapter on Nutrition for this handbook.

Sue Dabinett
Head Veterinary Nurse. The Donkey Sanctuary.
Sue spent 5 years working in equine and small animal practice before joining The Donkey Sanctuary in 1982. She produced the section on post treatment monitoring and care.

Rebekah Sullivan BVSc (Hons) CertAVP (EM) MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon at The Donkey Sanctuary.
Rebekah qualified from the University of Bristol (2005). She worked in mixed practice and carried out periods of voluntary work abroad with working equines and joined The Donkey Sanctuary in 2012. She completed a certificate in equine medicine and is interested in most areas of veterinary medicine and surgery but with a focus on medical cases. Rebekah produced the chapter on Sedation, Anaesthetics and Analgesia for this handbook.

Photographs and images

The majority of images in this handbook have been taken from the extensive libraries held at The Donkey Sanctuary, as well as from the private collections of the contributors.

The libraries held at The Donkey Sanctuary have been built by previous as well as present staff and contain a valuable resource for educational and training material.

The library of pathology images contains over 10,000 macroscopic and microscopic photographs of significant pathological findings identified over the past 15 years. George Paraschou and Chris Platts are currently managing the pathology laboratory archive of images.

The library of clinical work and research is managed by Kate Selley. She has over 12,000 images which are available as resources for education and training.

The images of dental conditions are from the private libraries belonging to Joao B. Rodrigues and Gemma Lilly and are part of an extensive collection covering all dental disorders in the donkey. Images belonging to Lee Gosden, Allan Emmett, Alison Soper, Sarah Hemmings, Chris Napthine, Stuart Philpott and Curtis Thompson are also included.