Adult sheep lameness Flashcards
Top 3 contagious cause of lameness
Footrot
Interdigital dermatitis (Scald)
Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis (CODD)
Top 3 NON-contagious cause of lameness
Granulomas (Toe granulomas)
Shelly hoof
White line disease
Abscess
Trauma
What bacteria is responsibe for causing foot rot and scald
Dichelobacter nodosus
Treatment of interdigital dermatitis for lambs for individuals and for group outbreaks
Individuals: Antibiotic spray
Group outbreaks: Footbath fortnightly, 2-3% formalin, move to clean field
Treatment of interdigital dermatitis for adults for individuals and for group outbreaks
Antibiotic injection and spray affected individuals
Outbreaks: Footbath and move to clean pasture
Does footrot cause scald or scald cause foot rot
Scald cause footrot. Starts from interdigital space
Why do we not trim foot of sheep with foot rot
Contaminates environment for longer
Treatment of foot rot
Antibiotic injection (lasting minimum of 3 days)- Oxytetracycline
Antibiotic spray
Anti-inflammatories
Isolate
Delayed treatment = delayed recovery
Foot trimming = delayed recovery
3 ways to reduce disease challenge of foot rot
- Quarantine
- Avoid
- Treat
Minimum days to quarantine a sheep with foot rot
Isolate for min. 30 days
Outline ways to avoid spread
Avoid unnecessary gatherings
Reduce time gathered
Hard, well drained surface without loose stones
Clean and disinfect between groups
Move mobile facilities between groups/gathers
Lime on standings surface
Footbath after gathering
2 ways to increase resilence
- Culling
- Vaccination
Criteria for culling for foot rot
Cull if 2 bouts within 12 months
Cull if chronically lame
Outline foot rot vaccination
Foot Vax- Covers the 10 common strains
Irritant vaccine however, given not in breeding months
It is a treatment and prevention
Contraindication: Moxidectin 1% injection
Outline Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis and why it could be difficult to treat
Treponemes thought to be involved
Very painful in some, minimal lameness in others
Treatment for CODD
Amoxicillin, long acting and may need repeating
Macrolides – second line
Anti-inflammatories
Isolate
Presentation of CODD
Raw, often red lesion, starting at coronary band. Loss of horn capsule if untreated
Presentation of scald
Moist, hairless, white or pink interdigital space
Presentation of footrot
Distinctive smell. Underrun horn progressing from interdigital space. Black crumbly debris
Cause of Granulomas (Toe granulomas)
Trauma of capsule
Over trimming
Foreign bodies (e.g. thorns)
Secondary to infectious damage (e.g. footrot)
Treatment of granulomas
Remove granuloma
Local region anaesthesia
Prevent recurrence: Cautery, Copper sulphate bandage
Dry conditions
Anti-inflammatories
Control secondary infections
What is shelly hoof
Detachment of the hoof horn wall from the underlying epidermis
Unknown aetiology
Lameness due to impacted material
Avoid by Careful trimming
What is white line disease
Small defect
Allows access for dirt and bacteria
Abscess formation
Often ruptures above coronary band
Treatment of white line disease
Trimming to allow drainage
Antibiotics and NSAIDs
Most common bacteria causing joint ill- Septic polyarthirits
Streptococcus dysgalactiae (lambs)
Diagnosis of Joint Ill
Joint aspirate and culture
Post mortem culture
Treatment of Joint Ill
NSAIDs or one-off steroid injection
Penicillin, amoxicillin, florfenicol
Long course, min 7 days, ideally 10 – 14 days
Prevention of joint ill
Good colostrum management
Navel dipping, 10% iodine ± spirit, at birth and 4 hrs later
Good lambing time hygiene
Keep dip solution fresh and clean
Tick control
White muscle disease is caused by
Selenium and/or vitamin E deficiency
Outline the use of footbaths and products used
Useful – if done well!
Spreads infection – if done poorly
Formalin 2 – 3% (lower than cattle concentration)
Zinc sulphate 10% (need to stand in for 15 – 30 mins)
Organic material breaks down formalin
Outline indications for foot trimming
White line disease (although often too late)
Shelly hoof
To diagnose condition if can’t see
Permanent indoor sheep
Cons to foot trimming
Delays healing in footrot
Can spread infection on shears
Microfissures allow bacteria access
Overtrimming -> Granulomas
