ArticleEquine veterinary journal2026
Tracheal collapse rates in Kenyan working cart and pack donkeys.
Article in Equine veterinary journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDonkeys (Equus asinus) in East Africa are recognised as working with poorly designed harnesses and carts. The donkey cart used in regions of Africa, specifically Meru County, Kenya, appears to place the cart's weight solely on the donkey's mid-cervical region. The ventral area of the neck is vulnerable to external pressure on the trachea, which is superficially located.
objectivesTo compare the presence and severity of endoscopic abnormalities in the upper airway and trachea of Meru County working cart donkeys compared to pack donkeys. To determine associations between endoscopic and physical evidence of harness injury. STUDY
designCross-sectional.
methodsAt voluntary health clinics, physical examination and endoscopy of the upper airway and trachea were evaluated and recorded at rest on 66 donkeys (38 cart donkeys and 28 pack donkeys). The presence and grade of tracheal collapse, tracheal ring abnormalities, tracheal mucus, and pharyngitis were subsequently determined on the endoscopy recordings by blinded evaluators.
resultsSignificant associations were identified between work type and tracheal collapse severity, ring abnormalities, pharyngitis, hairless skin, and thickened skin, with these findings more common in cart than pack donkeys (all p < 0.03). Moderate tracheal collapse (grade 3) was present in 40% (95% CI: 24%-57%) of cart and 0% (0%-12%) of pack donkeys. Intra-tracheal ring abnormalities were noted in 45% (29%-62%) of cart and 0% (0%-12%) of pack donkeys. Physical examination findings were significantly and positively associated with endoscopy findings (all p < 0.002). MAIN LIMITATIONS: Standing endoscopy was performed at rest and dynamic endoscopy during the pulling of carts was not performed.
conclusionModerate tracheal collapse was seen in cart donkeys when compared to pack donkeys. Physical examination findings at rest were associated with and moderately predictive of tracheal collapse.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.