Food Animal Lameness

Question 1

distribution of weight bearing in the front feet

Answer 1

medial claws

Question 2

distribution of weight bearing in the hind feet

Answer 2

lateral claws

Question 3

stance of ruminants with painful medial claws

Answer 3

more common in forelimbs
adduct limb placing more weight on lateral claws

Question 4

stance of ruminants with painful lateral claws

Answer 4

more common in hindlimbs
abduct limb to place more weight on medial claws
limb may be held slightly outwardly rotated position

Question 5

how to best assess a swollen foot from rear of the animal?

Answer 5

declaw spread to assess swelling

Question 6

bilateral declaw spreading indicative of?

Answer 6

interdigital disease

Question 7

unilateral declaw spreading indicative of?

Answer 7

septic synovial structure

Question 8

how do overgrown (untrimmed) feet change the distribution of weight of the foot

Answer 8

shift weight bearing in palmar/plantar direction

Question 9

what diseases can occur if feet remain untrimmed

Answer 9

bruising or pressure necrosis of the heel = sole ulcer or rusterholz ulcer
+ increased strain on flexor tendons

Question 10

two most common causes of foot lameness in livestock

Answer 10

digital dermatitis
foot rot

Question 11

digital dermatitis
bacteria?
invasion location?
lesion appearance?

Answer 11

treponema spp
bacteria invade EPIDERMIS = no edema/swelling
palmar/plantar aspect of interdigital skin/above heel bulb

Question 12

early digital dermatitis lesion?

Answer 12

red, eroded granular lesion

Question 13

advanced digital dermatitis lesion?

Answer 13

papillomatous - hypertrophy, wart like, raised conical projection

Question 14

treatment for digital dermatitis

Answer 14

isolate
topical abx (oxytetracycline)
NSAIDs

Question 15

why does topical therapy work for digital dermatitis?

Answer 15

bacteria invade epidermis thus topical oxytetracycline works, parenteral abx NOT needed

Question 16

preventative measures for digital dermatitis

Answer 16

dry conditions
biosecurity
clean hoof trimmers/equipment
spray feet with topical disinfectant/antiseptic/abx
foot baths

Question 17

Explain why laminitis in cattle is considered a dietary disease

Answer 17

high concentrate (rapidly fermentable carbs) = ruminal acidosis

Question 18

common findings of a laminitic sole, white line, and (weeks later) hoof wall

Answer 18

sole - hemorrhage
white line - hemorhage + abscess
hoof wall - “hardship rings”

Question 19

what is “gravel”

Answer 19

when white line abscess ascends between corium and hoof wall and rupture out at the coronet

Question 20

do sole abscesses have generalized swelling?

Answer 20

NO

Question 21

proper method to pare out sole abscess?

Answer 21

Cone shaped - widest at sole surface, narrows proximally (prevents sole defect from sealing over and re-trapping bacteria)

Question 22

appearance of bovine foot rot lesion

Answer 22

malodorous infection of interdigital skin and SQ tissue = generalized soft tissue swelling

Question 23

treatment for bovine foot rot

Answer 23

parenteral abx! - bacteria located deep in the skin (dermis/SQ) so topical will not reach the infection

Question 24

prevention steps for confined cattle

Answer 24

environmental hygiene
nutrition
footbath
education

Question 25

prevention for pasture cattle

Answer 25

rotate pasture
minerals
avoid flooded areas, inclines to drain

Question 26

bacteria of BFR

Answer 26

Fusobacterium necrophorum

Question 27

bacteria of ovine foot rot

Answer 27

Dichelobacter nodosus

Question 28

is BFR contagious? OFR?

Answer 28

BFR - no
OFR - yes