Bill- Lamness and Claws Flashcards
What are the 8 steps to examining a lame cow
Which leg Above claw lesions or swelling External surface of both claws Restrain and lift leg Grind away superficial surface White line Hoof testers Upper limb examination
What is interdigital necrobacillosis and what is it caused by
Foot rot caused by fusobacterium necrophorum
Enters through cuts and abrasions
What are the clinical signs of foot rot
Febrile cows with swellings of coronet and pastern
Complications include septic arthritis and abscessation
How do you treat foot rot
Procaine penicillin (WHP 72hrs) or ceftiofur (WHP0) but more expensive
How can you prevent foot rot
Good maintenance of tracks to reduce stones etc
Reduce moisture
Promptly treat affected animals
What is an interdigital fibroma and how do you manage it
Fleshy growth that hangs between the toes
Normally more than one foot affected
Surgically remove using a nerve block and wire the toes together for 1 week with antibiotic powder applied daily
Recurrence is common
What is interdigital dermatitis caused by and how is it managed
Mild infection of the skin between the claws caused by Dichelobacter nodosus
Doesn’t normally cause lameness but is contagious and has a foul smell
Treat with topical oxytet or copper sulphate
What is digital dermatitis and what is it caused by
Thought to me multifactorial but mainly by Treponema infection when skin barrier is weakened
What are the three types of lesions reported in digital dermatitis
Erosions
Wart like lesions
Non healing lesions
What is seen with the erosive form of digital dermatitis
Red, moist exudative lesion above interdigital cleft on the plantar aspect of pastern
AKA Strawberry footrot
More common on hind feet
What is seen with the wart like form of digital dermatitis
Hairy foot warts and skin hyperplasia
Treatment and control of digital dermatitis
Topical oxytet with bandage or foot bath
What is thin sole and what are some risk factors for it developing
It is excessive wear of the sole
Walking long distances and time spent on concrete are important risk factors
What are some clinical signs of thin sole and what does treatment involve
Sore footed or shuffling gait
All four feet and sole is bruised and blood stained
Treatment is rest and time off concrete and as little walking as possible
What is bruised sole and where does it occur most
Aseptic traumatic pododermatitis
Soles are worn abnormally thin and flat
Hind in older cows
Fore in heifers
What is seen and how is it treated in bruised sole
Haemorrhage that is visible through the sole
Make sure there is no penetration
If brusing is the only problem, don’t remove horn
Apply a block if only one claw affected
What is a sole abscess and when can it occur
Septic traumatic pododermatitis
Separation of the sole and wall in the toe region
Can occur as a result to dirt and bacteria entering a puncture wound
What are the clinical signs of a sole abscess
Rapid lameness with intense pain
Affected foot is very sensitive to hoof testers
Characteristic gait
How can you treat a sole abscess
Drain and release the pus
Remove under run horn
Apply a block to the unaffected claw
How do you apply a block
Clean and dry claw Scrape or sand sole Dry the claw with metho Choose a right or left block Prepare and apply glue as per instructions Apply to the healthy claw
What is white line disease, what causes it and what are its risk factors
White line is the connection between the sole and wall
Caused by penetrating FBs
Risk factors include excessive walking on hard surfaces, sharp turns, wet and dirty underfoot conditions that soften claw horn
What are the clinical signs of white line disease
Haemorrhage, fissure and abscess along the white line
Infection tracking up wall or under sole
What is the progression of white line disease
Once separation occurs, small stones get into the gap that can cause a draining sinus at the coronet
Treatment of white line disease includes what
Pare out cracks and wall Let pus escape Flush with povidone iodine solution Apply a block No need for antibiotics or bandaging
What is a sole ulcer
Pododermatitis circumspicta
Raw granulating lesion about 1cm in diameter concealed below a layer of discoloured horn
Where is a sole ulcer always located and why
Lateral hind claw distal to flexor tuberosity of distal phalanx because of excessive pressure
How can you treat a sole ulcer
Render sole concave and slope thin horn around any protruding corium
Apply block
May need antibiotics
May need astringent dressing if granulation is excessive
What is an axial wall crack
Crack in the inner wall of claw
Lateral hind claws
When do most cows become lame from an axial wall crack
After heavy rainfall because fine mud particles get compacted in and can cause infection in the crack
When is the most pain occurring in a axial wall crack
When two edges of the crack move, pulling and pushing the lamellae
What is the treatment for an axial wall crack
Remove debris and pare adjacent to crack Remove under run horn Excise granulation tissue Apply block Apply astringent dressing and give antibiotic treatment if there is an infection
What is a vertical fissure of the claw wall
Sand crack
Split in the dorsal claw wall from coronary band to any distance
Front lateral claw and not normally assoc with lameness
What is a horizontal fissure
Hardship groove
Interrupted claw growth due to a number of reasons
This can include severe upset in metabolism or systemic illness
How long after the insult will a horizontal fissure apprea
3-4mths
What will happen to the distal claw wall in a horizontal fissure
Distal wall will peel off or if it stays attached will cause variable lameness
Best to take the claw off with heavy casting and sedation
What is septic arthritis
Deep sepsis of the digit
Occurs as an extension from another injury
What will be seen with septic arthritis
Severe lameness with marked atrophy of the affected leg
Pus may discharge at the site of original entry or above the coronet
Where can the infection spread with septic arthritis
Tendons and tendon sheath
What are the treatment options for septic arthritis
Antibiotics unrewarding
Slaughter
Amuptation- may decrease life in the herd
What is laminitis and what is it caused by
Disturbance in the microcirculation of the corium that results in impaired horn production
What pathological changes happen with laminitis
Diffuse softening and discolouration, haemorrhage in the sole and heal
Ulcers
White line lesions
What are the three classifications of laminitis
Acute, chronic and subclinical
What causes acute laminitis
Carbohydrate overload
What does acute laminitis look like
Saw horse stance, stiff walk with arched back
Warm hoof wall due to vasodilation
How do you treat acute laminitis
NSAIDs and antihistamines
What is chronic laminitis and how do you treat it
Develops over a prolonged period of time
Leads to deformation of the claw
No treatment really
What is subclinical laminitis
Chronic condition recognised by poor horn quality, haemorrhages in sole and white line
What condition is subclinical laminitis usually associated with
SARA
What is a useful trick to determine whether you have an upper or lower limb lameness
Poke with a stick or spray water at the interdigital space and if it is an upper limb lameness the cow will be reluctant to lift her leg
What is a dislocated hip
Coxo-femoral luxation
Normally displaced craniodorsally
How do you treat a hip dislocation
Heavy sedation with xylazine
LR and tie her to two solid objects
Pull the leg and rotate the femur by pushing down on stifle and lifting the hock
Loud clunk if successful
What is the prognosis for a hip dislocation
Better the earlier it is treated
Poorer if recurrence
What is a sacroiliac luxation and what is the treatment
PArtial or complete separation of the fibrocartilaginous joint surface
NSAIDs and salvage and slaughter
What do pelvic fractures look like
Knocked or dropped hips with minor lameness
Prognosis is good
If ileum protrudes through skin, remove it
What is an upward patellar luxation
Patella fixed on medial aspect of upper part of femoral trochlea
What does an upward patella luxation look like and how should you treat it
Leg gets ‘left behind’ and dragged forward
Surgical intervention is required as it gets worse over time
What is stifle instability and what is it caused by
Femorotibial instability
Trauma that results in cruciate tear, injuries of menisci, rupture of collateral ligament
What is found on PM of stifle instability animals
Large amounts of joint fluid and osteophytes and calcification
What is spastic paresis
Elso heel
excessive tone and spastic contraction of the gastrocnemius muscles
What causes septic arthritis
Penetration of a FB, extension of cellulitis and haematogenous spread
What are the clinical signs of septic arthritis
Sudden lameness
Swollen joints
Limited joint movement
Rapid muscle atrophy of limb
How can you treat septic arthritis
Unrewarding in adults but can be good in calves if use antibiotics for long enough
Procaine penicillin, ampicillin and NSAIDs
What is brachial plexus injury/paralysis
Calves- pulling too hard during dystocia
paralysis of the entire fore limb and unable to weight bear
Radial paralysis
Recumbent animals- milk fever
Able to weight bear but is knuckled over
Sciatic nerve paralysis
Both hind legs paralysed and face in a cranial direction
Peroneal paralysis
Knuckling of fetlock and extension of hock
Secondary to milk fever
Obturator paralysis
Difficult calving
Legs out to the side
Cant bring legs close to body
Guarded prognosis
What are the four risk factor and control groups when discussing lameness
Cow comfort- impatient handling, slippery concrete and sharp turns
Nutrition- avoid abrupt changes
Cow factors- age, stage of lactation
Environment- wet and hot weather
