Farm OSCEs

Question 1

Trimming a cow’s foot steps? Things to say?

Answer 1

Squeeze each heel bulb to check for pain
Check interdigital space for interdigital hyperplasia, interdigital dermatitis, foreign bodies, foul etc
5 step dutch method:
- 1: check dorsal horn length, should be 7.5cm (8cm if big cow), trim if needed
- 2: match horn heights (start with medial claw on hindlimb and lateral claw on forelimbs, want sole depth 5-7mm)
- 3: modelling: shallow on lateral, deep on medial for hindlimbs (other way round for forelimbs)
= Functional trim
- 4: if needed, unload claw with any problems (e.g. if bruising, ulcer, white line, penetration)
- 5: if needed, remove any loose horn and slurry heel (Dichelobacter)

Question 2

Blocking a cow’s foot: how? Why?

Answer 2

Used when can’t get enough height off problem claw
Make sure the blocked claw is flat, clean with hoof knife and that it is healthy
Make sure wooden block: narrower end at toe, curved edge to outside
Put 1/3 of play dough (glue) on toe part of block and push onto foot
Put rest around block to cover edge of block - J shape, don’t put by modelling or over heel bulbs
Will dry quicker in warmer weather
Stays on for 3-4 weeks
Also get plastic ones with dorsal support
Don’t put on straw when blocked as then will just sink into straw and will still be putting weight on problem claw

Question 3

Cow clinical exam?

Answer 3

Head:
- eyes: discharge, third eyelid, menace, sunken (dehydration), conjunctiva colour, lesions (e.g. keratoconjunctivitis)
- nose: discharge, airflow
- mouth: mm, CRT, lesions, swallowing
- symmetry
- ears: warm (but normal to be cold if cold weather)
- palpate lymph nodes
Heart and lungs:
- heart rate: normal 60-80bpm
- respiratory rate: normal 15-30brpm
- respiratory effort
- jugular pulse: shouldn’t fill >1/3, check pulse synchronous with heart rate
Withers pinch: ask examiner to pinch withers, listen to trachea for grunt (do twice?)
Eric Williams: ask examiner to feel for rumen contraction and tap you on shoulder, listen to trachea for grunt (do 3 times)
Left sublumbar fossa:
- pinging (below line from fossa to heart?)
- gut sounds
Right sub lumbar fossa:
- pinging
- rumen fill (push hand into fossa to feel how full)
- rumen contractions (2-3 in 2 minutes)
Udder:
- feel for lumps/hard areas, pain, heat (mastitis)
- strip out each teat
- sterile milk sample/CMT if milking cow or if concerned for dry/suckler cow
Vaginal exam:
- clean vulva with blue towel
- hand in with lube on back
- check for tears
- check how open cervix is
- sweep hand across and pull out
- assess discharge: smelly?
Rectal temperature: normal 38-39C
Rectal exam:
- uterus: check if involuting if post-calving, PD
- bladder
- rumen on left: doughy
- caecum if distended: blind ending on right
- left kidney at midline/to right
- may feel DA
- peritonitis: adhesions
- faecal consistency

Question 4

Suturing: patterns? Materials?

Answer 4

Cows:
- Metric 7-8?
- Catgut for most internal things (except things like teats as risk of reaction causing teat blockage), ethilon for skin? (non absorbable)
Sheep:
- Metric 4-5?
(One higher for skin)??

Question 5

Suturing: patterns? Materials? Needles?

Answer 5

Cows:
- Metric 7-8?
- Catgut for most internal things (except things like teats as risk of reaction causing teat blockage), ethilon for skin? (non absorbable)
Sheep:
- Metric 4-5?
(One higher for skin)??
Cutting needle for skin, tendons, ligaments, fascia
Reverse cutting if having trouble cutting
Round bodied for viscera