Deviations of the hindlimbs and clinical management in cattle

Question 1

Posture

Definition

Answer 1

Relation of the head, neck and legs of the fetus to its trunk

Question 2

Posture

Normal

Answer 2

• flexed (ONLY: during pregnancy)

* extended (ONLY: during parturition)

Question 3

Posture

Predisposing factors for abnormal postures:

Answer 3

• premature birth
• any types of uterine inertia
• twins
• reduction in the intrauterine space

Question 4

Posture

Abnormal

Answer 4

• hindlimbs:
1) Hock-flexion posture
2) Hip-flexion posture
one sided, double sided -> abnormal postures

Question 5

Posture

Characteristics

Answer 5

More difficult and rare than Forelimb
• more difficult reposition
• needs more space
• needs more external power
• should be corrected fast to avoid asphyxia
In FL posture animal can breath but almost not in HL

Question 6

Abnormal posture

Hock flexion posture

Answer 6

The hock of the hind leg is flexed (under or in birth canal)

Question 7

Abnormal posture

Hock flexion posture

Types

Answer 7

(tuber calcanei)
• advanced,
• invaded,
• jammed in, or wedged in, (stucked fetus).

Question 8

Abnormal posture

Hock flexion posture

Occurrence

Answer 8

no difference between species

Question 9

Abnormal posture

Hock flexion posture

Diagnosis

Answer 9

• easy to recognize
• should be differentiated from the hip flexion, if tuber calcaneus lays under the pecten ossis
pubis

Question 10

Abnormal posture

Hock flexion posture

Prognosis

Answer 10

• good if early, in advanced type of the hock flexion in calves, if fetus is small, legs are short, amniotic fluid is present
• doubtful/ bad, if hock is stucked in the pelvic cavity (foals)
➔ What mustn’t we do? It is not allowed to extract without reposition (uni or bi)!

Question 11

Abnormal posture

Hock flexion posture

Treatment

Answer 11

1) Non-bloody method:
First the fetus should be pushed back - by hand only (protection with the hand, lifting vertically or a bit oblique)
• Jöhnk’s snare loop (only in calves!)
• Kühn’s crutch (in foals)
• if the hock lays under the pecten:
o dam should be placed on dorsal recumbency, and also the hind part should be elevated
• in small foals hip flexion should be initiated
• Sus, Can: easy manual or instrumental reposition is possible
• or episiotomy should be performed (Can)

2) Bloody method:
• partial fetotomy more advantageous than reposition in foals! (Only in dead fetuses!)
→Possible under the tarsus

Question 12

Abnormal posture

Hock flexion posture (double sided)

Answer 12

Pushing up and down and grab the feet

Question 13

Abnormal posture

Hip flexion posture

Answer 13

The hip is flexed, laying under the abdomen. One of the most difficult

Question 14

Abnormal posture

Hip flexion posture

Occurrence

Answer 14

• mostly in calves but also occurs in other species

Question 15

Abnormal posture

Hip flexion posture

Diagnosis

Answer 15

• easy to recognize if two sided
• foals: sacral, lumbal area before the pelvic inlet
• calves: pelvic area on the pecten

Question 16

Abnormal posture

Hip flexion posture

Treatment 1) Non-bloody method:

Answer 16

• extraction without reposition (Saake-lumbal snare loop, only if: o fetus is small (twins),
o early abortion,
o warmbloodfoals
• in large fetuses reposition can be risky
• if reposition (hand manipulation) takes place, it should be done
in two steps:
o Step 1: inducing hock flexion
o Step 2: solving hock flexion
• possibilities of reposition, step 1:
→extraction, retarding the hind part of the fetus
• manually (distal part of the tibia)
• obstetrical chain or snares
• simple snare loop
• Kühn’s crutch

Question 17

Abnormal posture

Hip flexion posture

Treatment 2) Bloody method:

Answer 17

Damage tissues
• Obermeyer’s anal hook,
• Krey-Schöttler double hook,
• partial fetotomy (oblique cutting line, contralateral pelvic part involved) (Removal of just the hind leg does not help!)