Cattle Lameness 2 Flashcards
What is the medical term for sole ulceration?
Pododermatitis Circumscripta
What is the aetiology of a Sole Ulcer and Haemorrhage?
–Flexor tendon attached to caudal edge of pedal bone Þ a bony protrusion
–Movement of P3 downwards (see Lecture 1) and/or claw overgrowth and/or external pressure e.g. standing on concrete Þ Pinching of corium and the germinal epithelium between P3 and hoof capsule. Leaves a defect
–Changes in the structure and function of the digital cushion may lead to poor / inadequate cushioning and the formation of new bone on P3 may exacerbate the problem
Label this
A) Bony protuberance
B) Digital Cushion
C) Slackening of strong attachments
What are the mild consequences of havng a sole ulcer and haemorrhage?
–Incorporation of blood into horn as the sole is produced
What are the moderate consequences of having a Sole Ulcer and Haemorrhage?
–Partial / intermittent interruption of horn production at the sole ulcer site. Weakness in the horn.
What are the severe consequences of having a sole ulcer and haemorrhage?
–Horn production completely arrested at the sole ulcer site for a prolonged period. Stop growing due to the pressure.
What are the clinical signs and presentation of a sole ulcer and haemorrhage?
- Slight to severe lameness (duration and extent)
- Often both hind feet (one worse than other)
- Predominantly on the lateral claw of hind feet and medial claw of fore feet
- Haemorrhagic discolourisation Þ complete cessation of horn production as sole ulcer site
- Possible secondary infection
- Deep digital sepsis (extension of infection into deeper foot structures) in extreme cases
- A normal trim may not find it as it starts at the corium! So advice coming back in a few weeks if lame.
What is this?
Sole Haemorrhage / Ulcer
What is this?
Sole Haemorrhage / Ulcer
Milder
How do you diagnose Sole Ulcer and Haemorrhage?
- Pathognomonic once inspected & trimmed
- Not uncommon to find digital dermatitis, white line and a sole ulcer – hard to distinguish cause of lameness
How do you treat sole ulcer and haemorrhage?
- Target: ¯ pressure on pinched corium
- Corrective trimming + ¯ height of affected claw & “dish” the site
–Leave the unaffected foot a bit thicker to act a a natural foot block
–Dish the site – remove the pressure
•Remove underrun horn and granuloma if present (with a sharp knife)
–Remove edge of horn which isn’t sensitive – preventing pinching.
–If you think its underrun and need to trim more – need to put LA in
- Apply a foot block to the sound claw and administer NSAIDs
- Parenteral antibiotics if infected
- Place on deep straw deep if severe
- (NB Astringents e.g. CuSo4 or cauterisation are now considered counterproductive
–Copper sulfate just kills of the corium whch is probably painful and we need the corium to grow the horn!!! Will just make it look less inflamed
–DO NOT USE HOT IRON – NOT OK – damages tissue
What is the prognosis for Sole Ulcer and Haemorrhage?
–Good in simple cases
–Poorer if:
- Multiple claws affected
- Severe
- Deep digital is present
What risk factors do we have at a herd level for a sole ulcer and haemorrhage? (4)
•Walking and standing for long periods on hard surfaces (e.g. concrete), especially in the post calving period
–This is a pressure lesion
•Hoof overgrowth
–Rotates the foot backwards
–Regular foot trimming
•Periparturient increase in the movement of the pedal bone
–Interventions needed at this time
•Lose of fat from the digital cushion and new bone formation on P3
–Manage BCS
What control measures do we have at a herd level to control a sole ulcer and haemorrhage?(3)
•Reduce walking and standing time on concrete (esp. around calving)
–Cubicle train heifers
–“Fresh cow groups”
–e.g. collecting yards and milking time
–Rubber matting over concrete (in areas the cow will spend a lot of time)
•Improve cubicle comfort to increase lying time
–Cubicle design
•Regular foot trimming to prevent overgrowth
What do you suspect?
Deep Digital Sepsis
What can you see?
Infection around NB tracking up into flexor tendon
What is the background and aetiology of digital dermatits?
I am so sorry the answer for this is so long.. It can’t be that important right?
–First identified in Italy (1972)
–UK (1983), now endemic
–A multifactorial infectious bacterial disease
•3 groups of spirochetes (primary?) plus other opportunistic / secondary invaders
–Group 1 – Treponema medium / vincentii like
–Group 2 – Treponema phagedenis like
–Group 3 – Treponema pedis
- One, two or all three groups required?? Currently unknown
- Gain entry to deeper tissues through hair follicles?
–Cattle (dairy & beef), Sheep, (Elk), (Goats), (Pigs), other members of the Ruminantia suborder?*
–Lesions on infected animals (main and possibly only reservoir)
•Major site likely to be the lesions itself
–Thought to transmit in slurry, although has been difficult to demonstrate definitively
–Causal bacteria have been demonstrated to survive on hoof knives. Route of transmission?
–Disease predominantly manifests when group of cattle and housed together
–Direct or indirect transmission from infected animals?
- Direct: Would require ‘foot to foot’ contact
- Indirect: Via fomites in the environment e.g. cubicle architecture, foot trimming equipment
–A host genetic susceptibility is likely
–A common disease which is poorly understood
–Risk factor – people with braces. Survives well on metal (link to periodontal disease)
–Research being done to understand if it can survive on hoof knives
What are the clinical signs of digital dermatitis?
–Mild lameness = Severe if not treated
–Interdigital area behind heel bulbs
–Small circular (1-4 cm), moist browny grey exudative areas of epidermal liquefaction + matting of the surrounding hair
–Raw dermal granulation tissue if diphtheritic debris cleaned = Intensely painful
–Occasionally skin above one heal bulb only, interdigital space between claws, coronary band at front of the foot, around accessory digits
–“Papilliform” or “hairy warts” form - Long thick strands of keratin protrude from the underlying granulation bed
–Painful – hard when trimming
–Almost always in the interdigital space
What classification system is used for digitial dermatitis?
M classification system
According to the m classifcation what is this?
M0
Normal digital skin without any signs of DD
According to the m classifcation what is this?
M1
Early, small circumscribed red to grey epithelial defect of <2cm diameter that precedes the acute M2 stage
Cow is not that lame at this stage! Not that uncomfortable
According to the m classifcation what is this?
M2
Acute, active ulcerative (bright red) or granulomatous (red-grey) digital skin alteration >2cm diameter
Touch touching dance
Hold foot up
Painful!
According to the m classifcation what is this?
Healing stage within 1 or 2 days after topical treatment, where the acute lesion has covered itself with a firm scab like material
Healing lesion; thick scab
According to the M classification system, what is this lesion?
M4
They can either heal or become this. Late chronic lesions that may be dyskeratotic (mostly thickened epithelium or proliferative or both. The proliferation may be filamentous, scab-like or mass proliferations
Keep develop keratin strands and develop hairy warts
According to the M classification system what is this lesion?
M4. 1
Relapse to an infected animal: Transition from 4 to a 1
Chronic lesion with subacute component(s)
According to the M classification system what is this lesion?
M4.1
Chronic lesion with subacute component(s)
What are the 3 “types” of digitial dermatitis animals?
Animal Type 1 – Does not develop M2 lesion but can show M1 and M4
Animal Type 2 – Single episode of M2, followed by prolonged period (months to years) of absence of acute DD
Animal Type 3 – Repeat episodes of acute M2 lesions (interval between episodes can be as short as 10-14 days)
What can be seen here?
Dermatitis – Very extensive lesion extending onto a granuloma in the interdigital space
What can be seen here?
Dermatitis – Lesion above one heel bulb only (unusual as normally in middle)
What can be seen here?
Dermatitis – Lesion at the coronary band
Very hard to treat!! - RARE
What can be seen here?
Dermatitis – Lesion at the coronary band
What is this?
Dermatitis – “Hairy wart” form. Now rarely if ever seen
Keratin strands forming from proliferative lesions
What can be seen?
Dermatitis – “Hairy wart” form. Now rarely if ever seen
What is this?
Digital dermatitis
What is this?
White line disease
What is this?
White line disease
What are the frequencies of white line lesions?
What can you see?
Small lesion of white line disease with draining pus
What is this?
Moderate sized white line lesion on abaxial wall
What is seen here?
Large white line
Large white line lesion on abaxial wall
What can be seen?
Large white line lesion on abaxial wall
What is this?
Same lesion trimmed out. A small area of necrotic corium is visible
What can be seen here?
Sub sole abscess breaking out at the heel
What is this?
White line lesion breaking out at the coronary band after tracking up the wall. Expose the whole track – but hard for horn to grow back
Get lesion to drain to prevent growing back!
No known specific treatment
What is this and how is it used?
Occasionally antibiotic dressing are necessary to protect and treat extensive lesions. They should be removed after 48 hours and the other claw should be blocked
What is this?
Normal interdigital skin
What is this?
Mild “Foul” lesion
Necrotic tissue and looks split
What is this?
Mild foul lesion
What is this?
Moderate foul lesion – necrosis invading gap
What is this?
Extensive foul lesion
What is this?
Super foul
