Farm Animal Lameness 2

Question 1

Difference between digital dermatitis and foul in the foot>

Answer 1

> DD = treponemes
foul in the foot = fusobacterium necrophorum (present in slurry, feaces, everywhere)
- warm, muddy, moist conditions
- FB or sand between the claws
- treponemes may complicate -> super foul (6-12hrs rapid prgression)

Question 2

Tx foul in the foot?

Answer 2

• clean debride interdigital space
• disinfect
• LIC injectable Abx

Question 3

Tx deep digital sepsis?

Answer 3

• coring out lesion
• opening back of heel (lots of after care)
• amputation (lot easier aftercare, best option)

Question 4

What should be thought about when considering surgery?

Answer 4

• careful case selection
• sound medial claw needed
• placing the foot normally? not back of heel
• sound on other feet
• barren? culled or abattoir? Can put blocks on just to make fit enough to travel
• aftercare poss on farm?

Question 5

Alternative to claw amputation? When should this be considered?

Answer 5

• radical resection
  > DDFT problems
  > toe necrosis cases

Question 6

Preparation for amputation surgery?

Answer 6

> ABx
Analgesia
Anaesthesia (IV regional anaesthesia) VERY USEFUL!! [IVRA]
- tourniquet (racing bike inner tube/giving set tube) below the hock
- wash iodine scrub
- butterfly needle
- 20ml procaine[LIC but not IV so still off lic] lignocaine [NL FPA, Lic Equine]
- wait 10 mins
- stick block on and trim hoof
- test interdigital space (+local if needed)
- start surgery

Question 7

Outline claw amputation procedure

Answer 7

• prenteral Abx
• NSAIDs and IVRA
• prep and check anaesthetised
• incise into interdigital space 2-3cm, skin fold
• embryotomy wire - up and obliquely outwards [ cut P1, remove distal P1, P2 and P3]
• curette and remove excess tissue (shouldt be any synovial structures but may be)
• melolin and pressure dressing
• redress @48hrs, 96hrs, 7d
• leave open
• block on unaffected digit

Question 8

How should a persistent, serious bleed ollowing amputation be treate?

Answer 8

• remove the bandage, twist off BVs, reapply pressure bandag

Question 9

Why should P1 be cut not P2

Answer 9

Nutrient foramen of P2 is very distal, so removing half of it -> sequestrum formation in P2 stump
-> infection and non-healing wound

Question 10

Prognosis of claw aputation

Answer 10

• 2-3 years
• not salvage procedure, good prog!
• worse for front feet and P2 cuts

Question 11

What should be looked for in upper limbs?

Answer 11

• symmetry
• manipulate joints systematically
• palpate bones, joints and tendons
• check fields of cutaneous sensation
• walk cow with hand in pelvis (head of femur)
  > feel for crepitus (prog poor)
  > hip lux can be replace but poor prog esp if cranially displaced

Question 12

What does walking on tippy toes (permenant flexion of fetlock) indicate?

Answer 12

Nerve damage after calving

or severe heel problem, less likely

Question 13

Eg of antibiotc foot bath. Is this lic? Standard withdrawal for off licensed tx?

Answer 13

• lncomycin spectomycin
• lic pigs and poultry
  > advise 7d milk, 28d meat withdrawal standard for off lic product (farmers wont do this)

Question 14

Which leg will have the longest swing phase?

Answer 14

lame leg

- swings more slowly so that sound leg in contact with ground for longer