Radiographic and Computed Tomographic Anatomy of the Fetlock, Pastern and Coffin joints of the Manus of the Donkey (Equus asinus)

The digit of the donkey as a draught animal is commonly susceptible to much affection. The purpose of the present study was to provide a detailed anatomic reference of radiographic and computed tomographic images in conjunction with cross and sagittal sections of the normal fetlock, pastern and coffin joints of the donkey for anatomists, surgeons and veterinary students. Eight adult donkeys of both sexes free from any joints affection were used in our study. The digit of two donkeys had undergone radiographic and computed tomographic scanning; the other donkey’s specimens were used to anatomical dissection and sectional anatomy. In the computed tomography (CT) of the fetlock joint all bone structures of the joint appeared also the soft tissue structures that could be identified and evaluated on the different soft tissue window planes included the common digital extensor tendon, lateral digital extensor tendon, superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT), straight, oblique, and cruciate distal sesamoidean and intersesamoidean ligaments. For the pastern joint the structures that can be identified including the proximal phalanx, DDFT and digital cushion. In the coffin joint the collateral sesamoidean ligament (CSL) is difficult to identify on CT images.