Lameness causing foot lesions (non-infectious) 1, 2, 3 Flashcards

1
Q

Name the 3 most common non-infectious foot lesions on farm

A

Sole haemorrhages/bruising
Sole ulcers
White line lesions

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2
Q

Non-infectious foot lesions are associated with what conditions?

A

Sub-clinical laminitis/SARA
Claw horn disruption lesions
Trauma/contusions within the claw horn capsule

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3
Q

What are sole haemorrhages/bruising, how do they occur?

A

Contusions of the corium
Pressure from the pedal bone
External pressures e.g. from stones, especially where the soles are thin

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4
Q

Double sole formations occurs as a result of?

A

Haemorrhage and bruising - damage to the corium

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5
Q

What are sole ulcers and how do they occur?

A
  • A more severe manifestation of haemorrhage/bruising (mainly caused by trauma/ contusions of the corium from the of the pedal bone)
  • Disrupted sole horn production
  • Exposure of the corium
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6
Q

What is the primary cause of sole ulcers and white line disease?

A

Movement of the pedal bone within the claw capsule

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7
Q

Movement of the pedal bone within the claw capsule is influenced by what factors?

A
  • Hormone changes around parturition
  • Daily lying and standing time
  • Concrete floors
  • Feed space
  • Over stocking
  • Milking time and frequency
  • Access to stalls and stall design/dimension
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8
Q

Which hormones at parturition are linked to movement of the pedal bone?

A

Relaxin and oestrogen

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9
Q

What is the role of the digital cushion?

A

Protects the corium from trauma inflicted by the pedal bone

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10
Q

Which factors affect the digital cushion?

A
  • BCS
  • Stage of lactation
  • Milk production
  • Parity
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11
Q

What are the consequences of claw overgrowth?

A

Causes an imbalance on the weightbearing surface
Results in overloading of the claw and intra-claw capsule trauma

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12
Q

Claw horn overgrowth is affected by which 3 factors?

A

Confinement
Concrete floors
Wet floors

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13
Q

How are sole haemorrhages and ulcers treated?

A

Functional trimming (Dutch method, 5 steps)
Block unaffected claw
NSAIDs

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14
Q

Describe the features of white line lesions

A
  • White line disease/
  • White line abscesses
  • Separation, stones/manure
  • Associated with shearing/sideways forces on the feet
  • Claw overload
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15
Q

How are white line lesions treated?

A

Functional trimming
Remove detached horn
Block unaffected claw
NSAIDs
Antibiotcs?

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16
Q

What is the objective of corrective foot trimming?

A

Change the microenvironment from an anaerobic to an aerobic

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17
Q

Describe the technique of corrective foot timming

A
  • Remove all loose, undermined and necrotic horn
  • Avoid damage to the peripheral corium tissues
  • Adjust weight bearing
  • Apply foot block to elevate injured claw, prevent repeated trauma and to promote healing
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18
Q

List the risk factors for non-infectious lameness

A
  • Cow comfort
  • Stocking densities
  • Feed barrier space
  • Milking frequency/duration
  • Floor surfaces
  • Tracks
  • Animal handling
  • Over trimming
  • Calving period
  • Age
  • Nutrition
  • Genetics
19
Q

Describe how cow comfort acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness

A
  • Lying/ standing on concrete times can be a game changer
  • You need comfortable, well designed cubicles to ensure that cows will lie down for 12-14 hours a day
  • Dimensions
  • Bedding materials
20
Q

Which bedding options are best for cow comfort?

A
  • Deep sand is best!
  • Mats or mattresses another option
21
Q

Describe how stocking density acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness

A
  • Overcrowding will lead to increased standing times and more aggressive interactions between cows
22
Q

In straw yards what is the space requirement per cow?

A

10 square meters

23
Q

Describe how feed barrier space acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness

A
  • Commonly inadequate in three rows pens
  • Cows like doing things together
  • Becomes even more important during the transition period!!
  • 76 cm yokes, one per cow in the group
  • At least 70 cm per cow (when not using yokes)
24
Q

Describe how milking frequency/duration acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness

A
  • 3 times milking will increase the standing/ walking times
  • Long waiting combined with overcrowding in the collecting yard is a problem
  • Bad cow flow/ sharp corners (sometimes when exiting the parlour)
25
Describe how floor surfaces acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness
Concrete is not ideal (but becomes a necessary evil) Gets worse when constantly wet/ covered with slurry Gets even worse when it is also slippery
26
Describe how tracks as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness
- Wet, muddy tracks - Sharp stones and gravel
27
Describe how animal handling acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness
Aggressive behaviour towards cows should not be tolerated Cows that are too fearful is an indication
28
Describe how calving acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness
- Weakening of the connective tissue of the claw suspensory apparatus - Increased susceptibility to sole ulcers and white line disease
29
Describe how age/parity acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness
Older cows are more likely to be lame Repeatability of all major lesions Calving is a risk factor anyway
30
Describe how nutrition acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness
- Acidosis, SARA and the links with laminitis: high concentrates intakes have been associated with increased lameness risk - Deficiencies - Biotin - Protein content of the diet - The role of lipids in the diet
31
Describe how BCS acts as a risk factors for non-infectious lameness
- Lame cows get thin (lower DMI) - Early studies showing that BCS loss or low BCS is a risk factor for lameness - BCS < 2.25 at calving -> Increased lameness risk - Great BCS loss was also found to be a risk factor - Maintaining BCS ≥2.5 is optimal for reducing the risk of lameness
32
What is the transition period?
Period between late pregnancy and early lactation (also called the periparturient period)
33
What are the main risks of the transition period?
- Most infectious diseases and metabolic disorders occur during this time - Immunosuppression during the periparturient period leads to increased susceptibility to mastitis - Apart from all that transition cows can be more susceptible to lameness
34
List the factors that make cows in the transition period more susceptible to lameness
- Reduced DMI, fat mobilization - Calving effects - Cow comfort becomes even more important! - Diet changes - Inflammation!!
35
How can you control claw horn destructive lesions?
- Identify risk factors and improve conditions - Early treatment of clinical cases - Routine functional foot trimming - Transition cow management/ manage inflammation - Genetic selection? - Monitor progress (if you can measure it you can manage it)
36
Interdigital hyperplasia may be cause by?
Chronic skin irritation
37
How is interdigital hyperplasia treated?
Surgical removal under anaesthesia
38
Toe ulcer/necrosis is caused by?
Over wear/over trimming of the toe sole
39
What are the consequences of a toe ulcer/necrosis becoming infected?
Osteomyelitis/ pathological fracture of the pedal bone
40
How is a toe ulcer/necrosis treated?
Trim/ block unaffected claw Partial or full digital amputation
41
What are the causes of deep digital sepsis?
- Untreated foul in the foot - Complicated sole ulcers - Untreated white line abscesses - Puncture wounds
42
How is deep digital sepsis treated?
Amputation? Euthanasia? Arthrodesis?
43
Where is a retrobulbar abscess located?
Above the heel bulb
44
Describe a corkscrew claw
Dorsal edge of claw wall deviates from a straight line