Lameness

Question 1

What is scald?

Answer 1

Foot rot grade 1

Caused by dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum

Inflammation of the interdigital skin but NO under running of the horn

Question 2

What is foot root?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

How should you treat scald?

Answer 3

Foot bathing (regularly) - formalin 3% or zinc sulphate 
- every 5-7 days 

Oxytetracycline blue spray on lesions

Question 4

What is the best treatment for footrot?

Answer 4

Systemic antibiotics

• long acting amoxicillin - best cure rate
• long acting oxytetracycline
• pen strep

If these fail then macrolide after C&S - tilmicosin

Question 5

How does CODD present?

Answer 5

Ulcerative / proliferative lesion at the coronary band
Progressive under-running of the hoof horn
Hoof sloughs off

Question 6

What is the causative agent of CODD?

Answer 6

Treponemes

Question 7

Grade 1 CODD

Answer 7

Ulcerative proliferative lesions at the coronary band only

Question 8

Grade 2 CODD

Answer 8

Less than 50% of the hoof is under run

Question 9

Grade 3 CODD

Answer 9

50-100% of the hoof wall is under-run

Question 10

Grade 4 CODD

Answer 10

Healing but active lesion is still present

Question 11

Grade 5 CODD

Answer 11

Healed lesion - permanent damage to the hoof

Question 12

What seasonality will you see with CODD?

Answer 12

Lowland pasture

Late summer / Autumn - tupping time

Question 13

How can you treat CODD?

Answer 13

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!!!

Question 14

What is the 5 pint plan for treating lameness in sheep?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What does Footvax protect against and when should it be given?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

When should you consider culling sheep?

Answer 16

2-3 incidents of lameness

Question 17

How does white line disease present in sheep and how can you diagnose it?

Answer 17

Separation of the hoof wall from the sole at the white line
+/- abscessation

No infection - pare out
Infection - poultice and pare out

Question 18

What causes toe granulomas and how can you treat them?

Answer 18

Due to over trimming or chronic foot disease

Tx: give IVRA, cut back the granulation tissue, cauterise with disbudding iron

Question 19

How should you treat an interdigital fibroma?

Answer 19

Treat secondary infection with antibiotics

Remove under IVRA

Question 20

What may lead to a joint abscess and how can you treat it?

Answer 20

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

Question 21

When is the only time that foot-trimming is indicated in healthy sheep?

Answer 21

To remove healthy over-growth

Question 22

What is post dipping lameness and how should you treat it?

Answer 22

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Occurs one week post dipping
Lameness and swelling above the coronary band, progressing to other joints

Tx: penicillin, clean dipper tank