Dr. Faith Burden

These guys have got the most amazing dentition at the back.

And it does a fabulous job of grinding up those really quite tough plants.

So you see the nice smiley bit at the front, but I promise you there's far more going in behind there.

Very rarely.

So they do need dental care.

So domesticated donkeys should have their teeth looked at at least once a year by a vet or another professional.

And because they're domesticated, sometimes they need some help with sharp points that come just through normal grinding.

And very, very occasionally they might have a medical reason that they need their teeth brushing.

But let me tell you, it is not an easy job.

Even with mint flavored toothpaste, brushing a donkey's teeth is not something that I would wish on anyone, quite honestly.

So they're perfectly fine normally otherwise.

Is that normal in nature?

This is unfortunately a normal donkey trait and one that is not funny.

It's actually really serious when you see those videos.

So donkeys are cute and lovable and we all think that they are.

gentle but as I've said donkeys have quite an adapted fight response and if something is in their territory that they don't perceive as belonging in their territory they will try to get rid of that animal and unfortunately the donkey carrying around the small goat or the lamb or the dog are

That isn't funny.

That's a donkey actually displaying quite aggressive behavior, normal behavior, I have to say.

And that's why my experience would always say, do not put smaller animals with donkeys unless you have...

have introduced those animals incredibly carefully.