Lameness Flashcards
What is scald?
Foot rot grade 1
Caused by dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum
Inflammation of the interdigital skin but NO under running of the horn
What is foot root?
A progression of scald
Interdigital dermatitis with under running of the horn from medial to lateral - necrotic and smelly
Caused a by Fusobacterium necrophorum and dichelobacter nodosus
Major risk = wet conditions under foot
How should you treat scald?
Foot bathing (regularly) - formalin 3% or zinc sulphate - every 5-7 days
Oxytetracycline blue spray on lesions
What is the best treatment for footrot?
Systemic antibiotics
- long acting amoxicillin - best cure rate
- long acting oxytetracycline
- pen strep
If these fail then macrolide after C&S - tilmicosin
How does CODD present?
Ulcerative / proliferative lesion at the coronary band
Progressive under-running of the hoof horn
Hoof sloughs off
What is the causative agent of CODD?
Treponemes
Grade 1 CODD
Ulcerative proliferative lesions at the coronary band only
Grade 2 CODD
Less than 50% of the hoof is under run
Grade 3 CODD
50-100% of the hoof wall is under-run
Grade 4 CODD
Healing but active lesion is still present
Grade 5 CODD
Healed lesion - permanent damage to the hoof
What seasonality will you see with CODD?
Lowland pasture
Late summer / Autumn - tupping time
How can you treat CODD?
Repeated injections of long acting amoxicillin
If this doesn’t work
Tilmicosin - vet only - repeated in 2w
Oxytetracycline spray
Regular footbathing - copper sulphate or formalin
Don’t trim feet!!!
What is the 5 pint plan for treating lameness in sheep?
Vaccinate twice yearly with Footvax
Treat lame sheep quickly
Good biosecurity - check feet before you buy
Reduce environmental challenge - low SD, dry conditions
Cull chronically infected sheep
What does Footvax protect against and when should it be given?
D. nodosus - foot rot and scald
Give at scanning when sheep are bought in for the winter
2nd dose POST-shearing in the summer
Initial course: 2 doses 4-6 weeks apart, 6 monthly boosters
When should you consider culling sheep?
2-3 incidents of lameness
How does white line disease present in sheep and how can you diagnose it?
Separation of the hoof wall from the sole at the white line
+/- abscessation
No infection - pare out
Infection - poultice and pare out
What causes toe granulomas and how can you treat them?
Due to over trimming or chronic foot disease
Tx: give IVRA, cut back the granulation tissue, cauterise with disbudding iron
How should you treat an interdigital fibroma?
Treat secondary infection with antibiotics
Remove under IVRA
What may lead to a joint abscess and how can you treat it?
Progression of a white line abscess
Digital amputation - disarticulating between p1 and p2
IVRA
Clip and prepare foot
NSAIDs and antibiotics
Use a scalpel to disarticulate between P1 and P2
Bandage
Change after 3-4 days
When is the only time that foot-trimming is indicated in healthy sheep?
To remove healthy over-growth
What is post dipping lameness and how should you treat it?
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Occurs one week post dipping
Lameness and swelling above the coronary band, progressing to other joints
Tx: penicillin, clean dipper tank
