Intro to increased digital pulses Flashcards
why does digital pulse increase in amplitude with injuries to the foot?
How do you palpate the digital pulse?
On abaxial margin of the lateral and medial sesamoid bones
Run finger from side to side to feel the neuro vascular bundle
Place finger & thumb on either side
Gentle pressure, Be patient
Assess strength - compare both legs!!!
what are you looking for on static examination with regards to the hooves?
- Recumbent? (pain in feet)
- Stance? (pain in feet)
- Generalised distal limb swelling?
- Localised heat / pain / swelling?
- Effusions in digital flexor tendon sheath or fetlock / coffin joints? (pastern joint effusion is hard to palpate)
- Hoof temperature?
- Wounds?
- Hoof cracks?
- Abnormal hoof rings?
- Defects in the sole?
- Shoe type and integrity?
How are hoof testers used?
What are you looking for?
what are the linitations of hoof testes?
- Used to apply pressure to specific locations around the hoof
- Hold horse’s leg with your legs so you can use 2 hands
- Work systematically from 1 heel around to the other
- Percussion
- Repeat to confirm findings
- Improved if shoe removed
- Looking for a generalised or localised pain response
Limitations:
* horse doesn’t always react - don’t use to rule out pain in foot)
* Do not assume that because hoof testers have failed to reveal a pain response that the problem is not in the foot.
* Less helpful in large feet or very hard feet.
what is the 5 point scale of lameness grading?
0 - Sound
1 - Mild inconsistent lameness (no head nod but can hear lameness)
2 - Mild consistent lameness (consitent head nod at trot in straight line)
3 - Moderate consistent lameness
4 - Severe consistent lameness
5 - Unable to bear weight
what further examinations can you do when presented with a digital pulse after static and dynamic exam?
- Remove shoe
- Repeat hoof tester examination
- Pare foot with hoof knives
- Discolouration
- Discharge
- Deviation of white line
(not take way the hood wall - need this for weight bearing and to put shoe back on)
what is the commonest cause of lameness in horses relating to the foot?
Abscess
What are some differentials for bounding pulse?
especially if in the forelimb, will all block with PDNB
- Laminitis
- Subsolar (hoof) abscess
- Fracture
- Bruising
- Corns
- Keratoma
- Septic pedal osteitis
- Solar Penetration.
- Tears in DDFT
What is thrush of horses?
how is it treated?
- Smelly black discharge from frog clefts.
- Rarely a cause of lameness
- Not usually a cause of increased pulse amplitude.
- Hygiene, cleaning and debridement of infected tissue.
What is canker of horses?
How is it treated?
- Canker is a feared condition of horses feet.
- Proliferative (tissue grows out of frog) and erosive (erodes into sole and frog).
- Requires aggressive care – may be best to refer.
- Thorough debridement to healthy tissue.
- Keep dry
- Pred 1mg/kg until resolution
advice as a new grad is to refer
What can you see on this MRI
Is this an abscess due to a puncture wound and is it affectign the DDFT - here it as missed it
What can you see on radiograph?
A gas pocket due to an abscess
