Lameness Flashcards
What are some infectious lesions of the foot?
Digital Dermatitis, Foot Rot and Heel Erosion
What are some non-infectious causes of foot lesions?
Interdigital Hyperplasia, Sole/Toe Ulcer, White line disease, thin soles, cork screw claw, wall cracks and fissures
When observing a lame limb and unilateral swelling is observed above the coronary band, what is suspected?
Deep infection (footrot bilateral)
What are some signs of an upper leg problem?
Swelling, clicking, crepitus and reluctant to kick
What is the softest part of the claw?
White line
Which limb does Dr. Umana like to start with first when examining?
Lame limb
How should one examine and trim the foot?
- Examine soft tissue
- Remove excess toe length
- Trim the medial claw (hind) ror lateral (front) - toe and sole
- Use medial (hind) and lateral (front) as a guide for the others
- Balance them
Where is foot rot located? Is it painful?
Between the toes, yes
What bacteria are commonly involved with footrot?
F. necrophorum, Dichelobacter nodus, preyotella intermedia
What part of the skin is affected by foot rot?
Dermis (needs previous damage) (cen develop into digital sepsis)
What predisposes animals to foot rot?
Previous lesion
What can you use to treat foot rot? How long will it take to heal?
Excede, Oxytete, Draxin, ceftiofur
Week to a month to heal
What are the top 3 major factors for controlling foot rot?
Managment (trimming), Hygiene (poop) and Nutrition (Zinc)
What causes digital dermatitis and where is it located?
Treponema, F. Necrophorum and Dichelobacter nodous - between toe and heel hind legs dairy, front beef (can be very proliferative)
What group has the highest count of lameness from Digital Dermatitis?
Bred heifers 62%, 49% in cows
What are the stages of DD?
M0, M1, M2, M3, M4, M4.1
What is the treatment for DD?
Oxytetracycline and copper sulfate
What are the top 3 areas for controlling DD?
Management, Hygiene, Nutrition
What is in a dairy cow foot bath? How big should it be?
5-10% Copper Sulfate, or Zinc - 2 stides (need to be up to coronary band (3x week)
What is are the most common upper leg lamenesses?
Stifle injury, ACL tear, meniscal damage, MCL or LCL
(wont bear weight on that leg)
What is a common upper leg lameness in dairy cattle?
Luxation or subluxations (coxofemoral) - hard to diagnose when down
What are some traumatic lameness’s and what’s the prognosis?
Fractures: Long bones, spine, hip
Calves - heal well (distal cast, upper splint)
Larger calves prior to weaning can heal a femur or humerus well
What can cause neuropathies in a cow?
Calving, trauma, injecitonsite, developmental - sciatic, obturatur, tibila, femoral, radial
What are some arthritis type diseases that cause lameness?
Trauma, OCD (young), subchondral cyst, septic arthritis (hematogenous or traumatic), DJD or OA
What is the second most common cause of leamenss for non-infectious casue (white line 1st)?
Sole ulcer
What is a sole ulcer?
Horn destruction that perforates the claw capsule leading to exposure and infection of the underlying corium
(Weight, abrasive surface, lack claw balance, laminitis, failure of supporting strucutres, dislocation pedal bone, damage corium, lateral claw rear common (overgrowth)
What is the white line?
Where unpigmented strata medium is
Softest part of foot
What is white line disease?
Separation of white line secnd to weakening of WL (mechanical injury, poor horn quality, hard surface, leg cleanliness)
Dairy - 1st 30-40 days 1st calved
Beef - all year round
How do you treat sole ulcers and white line disease?
Remove lose nectoric tissue, block unaffected claw, antibiotic if swelling soft tissue
What is screw claw? Who gets is?
Genetic misalignment of 2nd and 3rd phalanges of toe of angus cattle (lateral hind and medial of fore)
How do you correctively trim Corkscrew claw?
Balance sole best can (no heel removal), remove fold in axial wall and slope axial, increase weight bearing surface of CSC if enoug sole horn thickness remains
What sequella occur due to Corkscrew?
WLD< Ulcer, Digital sepsis
How do you manage corkscrew claw?
Cull (no breed), trim every 6 months to a year
What are signs of digital sepsis?
Non-weight bearing, cellulitis, weight loss
What is Digital sepsis secondary to?
WLD, sole ulcer, puncture wound, foot rot
What are treatment options for digital sepsis?
Euthanize, slaughter or surgery
What block do you perform when prepping for surgery for digital sepsis?
Bier Block (tourniquet, clip and scrub, hit digital vessels or dorsal pedal vein)
Which location is best for digit amputation?
Mid-P2 (DIP - time consuming), PIJ ok and proximal to it ok (sharp disection of ob wire)
What is the critical part of limb amputation?
Debride all necrotic tissue
What follow up should you tell an owner after digit amputation?
Small pasture 3-4 weeks, Pain an antibiotics, recheck 5-7 days to change bandage, 2nd bandage, block stay on 3-4 week
