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Cattle Foot Lameness Flashcards

1
Q

Three most important causes of lameness in dairy cattle

A

Sole ulceration
White line disease
Digital dermatitis

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2
Q

Where does most bovine lameness occur?

A

Lateral claw of hind feet

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3
Q

What structure can protrude through horn in sole ulcers?

A

Corium (very sensitive)

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4
Q

What is white line disease?

A

Bruising/inflammation/infection/separation of white line

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5
Q

Factors causing excess pressure on dermis (3)

A

Calving effect
Environmental factors (including hoof overgrowth)
Changes to normal structure of the hoof

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6
Q

What is the calving effect?

A

Relaxin causes tendons and ligaments to relax, including suspensory apparatus leading to rotation of the pedal bone

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7
Q

True or false: the fat pad returns to its original quality after damage

A

False (it becomes scarred and less springy)

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8
Q

What is the problem with prolonged standing time on concrete/hard surfaces?

A

Flattens and increases the width of the lateral claw which transfers load to central part of sole, increasing pressure on the dermis

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9
Q

True or false: weight loss affects the fat pads

A

True (especially in lactation)

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10
Q

Which structure is affected by bony change after lameness of the foot?

A

P3 (increases likelihood of future lameness)

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11
Q

Mild sole haemorrhage/ulceration

A

Incorporation of blood into horn as sole is produced

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12
Q

Moderate sole haemorrhage/ulceration

A

Partial/intermittent interruption of horn production at sole ulcer site

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13
Q

Severe sole haemorrhage/ulceration

A

Horn production completely arrested at sole ulcer site for a prolonged period

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14
Q

Clinical signs of sole ulceration/haemorrhage

A

Slight to severe lameness
Often both hind feet (one worse)
Predominantly lateral claw of hind feet and medial claw of fore feet
Haemorrhagic discolouration progressing to complete cessation of horn production at sole ulcer site
Possible secondary infection
Deep digital sepsis can occur

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15
Q

Diagnosis of sole ulceration/haemorrhage

A

Pathognomic once inspected and trimmed
Can use hoof testers if no obvious lameness

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16
Q

Treatment of sole ulcer/haemorrhage

A

Corrective trimming
‘Dish’ site
Remove underrun horn/granuloma
Apply foot block to sound claw
NSAIDs
Parenteral antibiotics if signs of infecton
Place on deep straw bed if severe

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17
Q

Prognosis for sole ulcers is generally good, but what are the poor prognostic indicators?

A

Multiple claws affected
Severe lesion
Deep digital sepsis

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18
Q

Clinical signs of white line disease

A

Moderate to severe lameness
Lateral claw more commonly affected
Swelling at coronary band
+/- large abscess
Leg abducted to bear weight on medial claw

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19
Q

Does white line disease occur at different frequencies in different parts of the foot?

A

Yes

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20
Q

Diagnosis of white line disease

A

Pain if “tweak” claw
White line impaction and abscess if trimmed and explored
Small pin prick size holes to large areas of impaction on the white line (always black)

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21
Q

Where can white line disease abscesses erupt from?

A

Coronary band

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22
Q

Treatment for white line disease

A

Trim and balance both claws
Explore impacted white line, drain abscess (if present), remove under run sole (at least enough to prevent re-impaction)
If tracked up wall, remove entire section of wall
Antibiotic dressing?
Foot block other claw
NSAIDs
Parenteral antibiotics may be necessary if necrotic corium is found

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23
Q

How long can antibiotic dressing remain on a claw?

A

48 hours maximum

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24
Q

Prognosis for white line disease

A

Good
(Tracks up wall more difficult to treat, occasional deep digital sepsis)

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25
True or false: digital dermatitis is endemic in the UK
True (most farms have had a case, those that haven't need good biosecurity and should check feet of cows before buying in)
26
Aetiology of digital dermatitis
Multifactorial infectious bacterial disease (3 groups of spirochetes plus other opportunistic/secondary invaders)
27
Spirochete groups involved in digital dermatitis
Group 1: Treponema medium/vincentii Group 2: Treponema phagedenis Group 3: Treponema pedis
28
True or false: many ruminant species affected by digital dermatitis
True (cattle, sheep, elk, goats, also pigs)
29
What is the main reservoir of digital dermatitis?
Lesions on infected animals (may be only reservoir)
30
Which common foot lameness has genetic susceptibility?
Digital dermatitis (can breed for resistance)
31
Clinical signs of digital dermatitis
Mild lameness (may progress to severe) Interdigital area between heel bulbs Small (1-4cm), circular, moist, brown/grey, exudative area of epidermal liquefaction and matting of surrounding hair
32
What occurs if digital dermatitis is untreated?
'Papilliform'/'hairy warts': long, thick strands of keratin protruding from underlying granulation bed
33
What classification system is widely used for digital dermatitis?
'M' classification system by Dopfer et al
34
What is the 'M' classification?
M0
35
What is the 'M' classification?
M1
36
What is the 'M' classification?
M2
37
What is the 'M' classification?
M3
38
What is the 'M' classification?
M4
39
Why is M4 most likely reservoir of infection?
Cows with M4 may not be lame
40
What is the 'M' classification?
M4.1
41
Is progression of digital dermatitis from M0/1 to M4.1 linear?
No
42
Diagnosis of digital dermatitis
Clean and examine, lesions are pathognomic
43
Treatment of digital dermatitis in the individual
Clean (remove matted hair/scab) Dry and apply topical antibiotic (oxytetracycline spray) or bandage with antibacterial products
44
Should herd wide antibiotic footbaths be used to control digital dermatitis?
No (Alternative: targeted topical treatment following identification of lesions in milking parlour)
45
Prognosis for digital dermatitis
Good, but with concerns that newer presentations are harder to treat (Except lesions on front of foot which damage periople impairing production of wall --> under running)
46
What disease is colloquially referred to as 'foul'/'claw ill'/'lewer'?
Interdigital necrobacillosis
47
Aetiology of interdigital necrobacillosis
Damage to skin (FBs, course straw etc.) Introduction of Fusobacterium necrophorum (and secondaries e.g. A. pyogenes/Streptococcus spp.) Acute necrotising inflammation of intedigital skin
48
Clinical signs of interdigital necrobacillosis
Sudden onset moderate to severe lameness Inflammation of soft tissues around coronary band/between digits 'Split' in interdigital space which discharges pus/necrotic tissue Characteristic foul smell Anorexia/milk drop/weight loss/pyrexia?
49
Diagnosis of interdigital necrobacillosis
Pathognomic
50
Treatment of interdigital necrobacillosis
Check for FBs Wash and flush with clean water Debride necrotic tissue Topical antibiotics Parenteral antibiotics 3-5 days (oxytetracycline)
51
Prognosis for interdigital necrobacillosis
Good if treated early Can lead to deep digital sepsis in aggressive cases/if left untreated
52
What is 'super foul'?
More aggressive and severe interdigital necrobacillosis which quickly invades deep structures of foot
53
Treatment of 'super foul'
Early and aggressive therapy Clean, debride and flush (IVRA?) Pack with antibiotics and bandage Systemic antibiotics until signs resolve
54
What causes heel horn erosion/'slurry heel'?
Standing in wet corrosive slurry during winter housing causes erosion of soft horn of heel --> pits and fissures in heel
55
What can occur if slurry heel is left untreated/become severe?
Heel disappears completely
56
What condition is this?
Heel horn erosion/slurry heel
57
How is slurry heel diagnosed?
Pathognomic clinical signs
58
Treatment for slurry heel
Regular formalin foot bathing Trim away loose horn, spare healthy heel Corrective trimming
59
Prognosis for slurry heel
Good if treated before heel is destroyed If heel is destroyed foot rotates backwards and there is overgrowth/sole ulceration
60
Prevention of slurry heel
Improve underfoot conditions Routine bathing in formalin footbaths
61
What condition leads to this presentation?
Verticle fissures/sand cracks (damage to periople, otherwise asymptomatic unless infected)
62
Treatment and prognosis of sand cracks
Open crack and allow underlying abscess to drain if present Generally good prognosis unless periople permanently damaged
63
What can appear if horn production is interrupted (often with severe toxic condition e.g. metritis, mastitis, acute acidosis)?
Hardship lines/horizontal fissures
64
When are clinical signs seen with hardship lines?
'Thimbles' (movement results in lameness, infection and granulomas)
65
Treatment of hardship lines
Open up cracks if there is infection and resect granulation tissue
66
Prognosis of hardship lines
Varies with severity, if all claws seriously affected by thimbles may need to cull animal
67
What condition of the foot might you suspect with rapid acute onset lameness and no other clinical signs?
Fracture of distal phalanx
68
Causes of fracture of distal phalanx
Trauma during bulling (medial claw of front feet) Hind feet slipping off steps Herd fluoride poisoning
69
Diagnosis of distal phalanx fracture
Radiograph
70
Treatment of distal phalanx fracture
Application of block to unaffected claw
71
Prognosis for distal phalanx fracture
Good unless there is a complicating factor e.g. fluoride poisoning
72
What can occur with chronic irritation of the interdigital skin due to infection or impaction of grit?
Interdigital skin hyperplasia (interdigital corn/growth/fibroma/granuloma)
73
What condition may occur later in life to a cow that has suffered from fowl?
Interdigital skin hyperplasia
74
Clinical signs of interdigital skin hyperplasia
Often asymptomatic Lameness if infected or so large it is being pinched
75
Diagnosis of interdigital skin hyperplasia
Pathognomic but if cow is lame look for other causes of lameness
76
Treatment of interdigital skin hyperplasia
Treating infection will resolve lameness Mild pinching: dish out horn from area Severe pinching: surgical removal (local or IVRA)
77
Prevention of interdigital skin hyperplasia
Optimum underfoot conditions in winter housing period

Farm Animal (Poppy) (13 decks)

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