bovine lameness 4 Flashcards
Hip Subluxation/Luxation
* Complication of:
Complication of:
– Estrus activity on slippery surface – True obturator paralysis
– Downer cow syndrome
Hip Subluxation/Luxation
- common positions? does it matter which one is present?
- how can we tell?
- May be craniodorsal or ventral
– If ventral -> euthanize
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Test: Cow in lateral recumbency If able to lift leg 90 degrees to vertical (± clicking in/out of hip joint) or inability to extend limb
Hip Subluxation/Luxation
- signs
– May be unable to stand
– Hock turned inward
– Stifle and digit outward
– May drag foot
Hip Subluxation/Luxation
- rule outs
- positive prognostic indicators
Rule out femoral neck fracture
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POSITIVE PROGNOSTIC INDICATORS
*Small size (<500 kg)
*Short duration (< 24 hrs)
*Able to stand
*No other problems (eg. fractures)
Stifle Injuries * Complication of:
Complication of:
– Limb turning with claws firmly placed on ground
* Estrus
– Attempts to rise in downer cow syndrome
Stifle Injuries
- specific injury we see
- signs
- Partial or complete rupture of cranial cruciate ligament and meniscal injury
- Signs:
– Heat, pain, swelling, crepitus
– Continuous flexion of stifle
– Touching just toe to ground
– “Clunking” in joint when manipulated
Maternal Obstetrical Paralysis (MOP)
- anatomy, common forms
- how does this arise
- A.k.a. “obturator paralysis”
1. Obturator n. (L6) – adductor muscles
– Base wide stance
– Sits with hind limbs extended forward
– not common
2. Sciatic n. (L6, S1, S2) – more common
– Prolonged, unassisted, unobserved calving - Stay down due to exhaustion
– Difficult, assisted calving
Downer Cow Syndrome
- what is it? why?
- dx
- when we see it?
- how fast it can progress
- prognosis
- Unable to stand after 24 hours in the absence of/after correction of hypocalcemia
-
Ischemic necrosis of large muscles of pelvic limb
– Extremely elevated plasma CK ± AST - Most commonly seen in milk fever case treated too late
– May occur secondary to MOP or trauma - May occur in as little as 6 hours
- Guarded to poor prognosis
<><><><> - Pressure-induced compartmental syndrome of the semitendinous m. > peroneal n. injury – Hyperflexion of fetlock
- Need repeated clinical exam at least q 24h to detect complications – Mastitis, fractures, luxations
- Poor prognosis if:
– Elevated serum urea or muscle enzymes
– Evidence of inflammation
– Poor attitude and determination - Cow’s value and demands on the client’s time will determine level of effort
Downer Cow Syndrome
* Treatment:
Treatment:
– NSAID or steroid (dexamethasone 20 – 100 mg, for MOP)
– Get animal on feet
* Hip lifters
* Body slings
* Flotation tanks
* Must be on pasture or deep
pack
– Must consider animal welfare
Downer Cow Syndrome
* Prevention
– Observe all recently calved animals at least every few hours in the first 48 hours
– Can they stand?
– Note any changes in gait/steadiness and treat promptly
– House on pasture or deep pack for calving
Radial Nerve Paralysis
- proximal vs distal - what we see
- causes
- Proximal - failure to extend elbow, carpus and fetlock
– Elbow dropped
– Carpus and fetlock in partial flexion
– Limb dragged
– Seen when: - Animal hits head gate excessively
- Heavy animal in lateral on hoof trimming table
<><> - Distal – inability to extend carpus and fetlock
– Fracture or deep soft tissue trauma
Femoral Nerve Paralysis
- when we see this
- signs
- Large calves pulled at birth
– Hyperextension of femur and stretching of quadriceps
– Femoral nerve torn
<><> - Signs
– May collapse when attempting to stand > Quadriceps can not extend stifle
– Patella may luxate laterally
– Patellar reflex absent
– Quadriceps atrophy
Femoral Nerve Paralysis
* Treatment:
- ddx
– Steroids and NSAIDs
– Keep on bedded pack
– Ensure proper colostrum intake and feeding schedule
* Differential Diagnoses – fractures, hip luxation
Sciatic Nerve Paralysis
- how this occurs
- how to avoid
- signs
- Injection neuropathy in neonates – Using semi-membranosis/ tendinosis
– Give IM and SQ injections in neck
<><> - Signs
– Dropped hip and hock, overflexion of fetlock
– Foot may drag with movement
Peroneal Nerve Paralysis
- what the normal nerve does, and where it goes
- signs
- tx
- prognosis
- Normally flexes hock, extends digits
- Passes superficially over lateral femoral condyle and head of fibula
– Very susceptible to pressure during recumbency in dower cow syndrome secondary to milk fever - “Knuckled” fetlock, hock over-extended
- Treatment: deep bedded pack ± dexamethasone
- Fair prognosis
Tibial Nerve Paralysis
- normal anatomy and function
- how it gets damaged
- signs, outcomes
- Normally extends hock and flexes digits
- “Dropped hock” (over-flexed) and “buckled” fetlock
– Still bears weight on plantar surface - Runs beneath gastrocnemius muscle
– May be damaged if tendon or muscle injured - Gait disturbance is milder than peroneal but often more permanent
Spastic Syndrome
- what is this?
- who we see it in?
- origins?
- signs?
- tx
- prevention
- A.k.a. crampiness, periodic spasticity – NOT Elso heel
- Episodic spasms of hind limbs + epaxial muscles
- Most commonly in adult dairy cattle and AI bulls
- Genetic component
– Possibly autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance
– Affected animals and progeny should be culled
– Can be endemic in some herds
<><> - Histologic lesion unclear
- Signs:
– Muscle trembling and hyperextension of hind limbs
– Especially occurs after rising or other stimulus > i.e. palpation
– Often completely normal between episodes
– Progressive over months to years > recumbency
<><> - Treatment – none, cull before severe
- Prevention – do not retain affected animals or progeny in herd
Spastic Paresis (Elso Heel)
- what is this?
- who is affected?
- occurence? origins?
- age
- progression
- tx
- prevention
- Progressive hyperextension of hind limbs
- Post-legged animals more frequently affected
- Genetic–recessive gene with incomplete penetrance > very sporadic occurrence
- First seen at 2 to 9 months of age
- Progresses so animal walks with short pendulum-like steps
- Treatment (?) tibial neurectomy and gastroc tenotomy
- Prevention–cull affected animals and progeny
Contracted Tendons
- which are most common
- tx
- prognosis
- Most commonly contraction of deep and superficial flexor tendons
– Usually in forelimbs - Treatment
– Good footing and forced exercise
– “Physiotherapy” – manual stretching
– Splint with PVC pipes > Show client how to check for pressure points and change splints
– Good prognosis if able to stand on hooves
Carpal Hygroma
- what is it? how it arises?
- signs?
- issues?
- tx?
- False bursa that develops over bony structures due to chronic trauma
- Variable apparent discomfort
- Welfare concern if common
- Rarely becomes infected
- Treatment – none unless lame > box stall or
pasture rest
– Avoid draining unless
abscessed
Tarsal Cellulitis
- issue?
- tx
- prevention
- Welfare concern if common
- No treatment unless infected
- Treatment:
– Increase bedding; improve stall design
– Rubrifacients, drainage, and flushing if abscessed
– If infection spreads up/down leg – significant swelling and lameness > systemic penicillin or ceftiofur
– Careful not to disturb joint with treatments - Prevention – appropriate stall designs and focus on cow comfort
are hock injuries more common in tie stalls or free stalls?
- seems to be in tie stalls
