Lower Limb Lameness Flashcards
What is a sign that this holding yard is too small?
Cows have their heads up
Do digital dermatitis lesions always present the same way?
No, several types of lesions:
- circumscribed, erosive
- proliferative, wart-like
- non-healing lesions that invade hoof wall and 3rd phalanx
How would you treat interdigital necrobacillosis (‘footrot’)?
Closely explore the split between the claws with your finger to check for foreign objects.
Parenteral antibiotics for 3 days - procaine penicillin or ceftiofur
What are the clinical signs of thin sole?
- sore, shuffling gait
- lameness in all four feet (usually)
- frequently lie down
- sole often bruised and will ‘give’ to thumb pressure
List risk factors for white line disease:
- Excessive walking on hard surfaces
- Excess twisting and turning of cows in the milking yard (torsional forces)
- Wet and dirty underfoot conditions that soften the horn
- Claw deformities
- Laminitis
How would you treat white line disease?
- Pare out the cracks between the wall and the sole (make sure sand/graqvel cannot pack into)
- Apply a cowslip/block to the unaffected claw to relieve pain
- No need for antibiotics unless extensive
You see a bull with interdigital fibroma: do you pass it in a BSE?
No
Are front or hindclaws more commonly affected by vertical fissures?
Front claws
List risk factors for sole ulcer:
- Hind lateral claw
- Heavy, high-yielding dairy cows
- Confined conditions - lots of time on concrete
- Sub-clinical laminitis
- Claw overgrowth - altered weight distribution
How long does it take for horn produced at the coronary band to come into wear?
15 months
What is subclinical laminitis usually associated with?
SARA - subacute rumen acidosis
What bacteria causes footrot?
Fusobacterium necrophorum (in conjunction with Bacteroides melaninogenicus)
What are the 4 main categories of lameness risk factors?
- Cow comfort
- maintenance of tracks
- paitence of herdsperson
- holding and milking yards
- Nutrition
- carbohydrates
- fibre
- protein
- deficiencies
- Cow factors
- age
- genetics
- stage of lactation
- Environment
- wet weather
- hot weather
Are interdigital fibromas more common in dairy or beef breeds?
Beef
What does it indicate when a lot of cows in the herd have their heads up while walking?
Too much pressure on them
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of procaine penicillin and ceftiofur:
Penicillin: cheap! but 72hrs WHP
Ceftiofur: expensive but NO WHP!
*need to be able to work out for the farmer at what level of production ceftiofur becomes more economical
What does this appear to be a case of?
Interdigital dermatitis
What do you notice in this image? What is a likely cause?
The left claw is very swollen - this is most likely caused by a septic arthritis
How would you treat interdigital dermatitis?
Topical oxytetracycline aerosol or copper sulphate
List the risk factors for sandcracks (verticle fissure of the claw wall):
- Dry brittle horn
- Damage / trauma to the coronary band
- Zn and Cu deficiencies
- Sudden excessive pressure
What are risk factors for development of thin sole?
- walking long distances
- time spent on concrete
- new concrete (abrasive)
- moist conditions
- poor health of the digital cushion
What is asceptic traumatic pododermatitis?
Bruised sole
How can you treat thin sole?
Rest the animal and make sure they spend as little time on concrete as possible
What changes are associated with chronic laminitis?
Characteristic deformation of the claw - elongated and concave dorsal border with flattened and broadened sole. ‘Hardship’ lines will be present in the claw wall.
What are some complications of footrot?
Septic arthritic of the DIP joint, septic bursitis, abscessation of the heel, tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon
What are common mistakes made when applying a cowslip / block?
- Not drying the claw well enough
- Not having a flat surface
- Squeezing it on too tight (glue is stronger when thicker)
- Placing the block too far forward (should not extend past tip of the claw)
- Allowing cow to stand on it too soon
- Applying the blok to the unsound claw
How would you treat a case of acute laminitis?
NSAIDs and antihistamines
What is the most common location of white line disease?
Along the abaxial white line of the lateral hind claw, 2/3 of the way back from the toe, immediately distal to the bulb of the heel
You see a febrile cow with reduced milk production and sudden onset of severe lameness with swelling and widening of the interdigital space… What comes to mind?
Interdigital necrobacillosis (‘Footrot’)
If a cow is lame and walking with its head up, is it likely to be lame in the front or hind limb/s?
Head up: lame forelimb
Describe the aietiology of digital dermatitis:
- considered to be multifactorial (environment, management and microbial factors)
- mechanical/chemical skin irritation -> invasion of spirochetes (treponema)
What are the steps for applying a cowslip?
- Clean and dry the claw thoroughly
- Scrape or sand the sole with a rasp or angle grinder
- Dry the claw with methylated spirits or a hair dryer
- Choose the correct cowslip / side of the claw block
- Prepare and apply the glue according to the mixing instructions
- Apply the cow block / slip to the healthy claw
What are the 8 steps of a lameness examination in a cow?
- Which leg is lame?
- Is the leg swollen/painful about the claw?
- Examine external surfaces of claws and compare to other leg
- Restrain cow and lift the leg - thoroughly clean the external surface
- Carefully pare or sane away the superficial outer surface of the sole
- Carefully check the white line
- Use hoof testers over the weight bearing surface to search for sensitive areas
- If no abnormality detected in either claw - examine upper leg
What disease is this and how would you describe this hoof lesion?
Digital dermatitis - proliferative wart-like lesion
What bacteria causes interdigital dermatitis?
Dichelobacter nodosus
Are front or hind claws more commonly affected by axial wall cracks?
Hind lateral claws
Can you treat interdigital fibroma?
Is treatment likely to be successful?
Surgical excision with regional anaesthesia / interdigital nerve block. Apply antibiotic powder then wire/strap clws together for a week.
Recurrence following surgical debridement is common.
What causes horizontal fissures of the claw wall?
Temporary but total interruption of claw horn production. See 3-4 months after an event of severe metabolic upset / systemic illness.
How can you classify digital dermatitis lesions?
- M0 - healthy skin
- M1 - early stage skin defect <2cm
- M2 - acute, active ulcerative lesion >2cm
- M3 - healing stage, lesion covered with scab material
- M4 - chronic stage that may have thickened epithelium and/or be proliferative
What lesion is visible in this claw?
Sole ulcer
In what cattle are sole ulcers common?
Housed cattle
What disease is this and how would you describe this hoof lesion?
Digital dermatitis - circumscribed erosive lesion
What is this called?
A claw block
Describe interdigital dermatitis:
A mild, superficial infection of the skin between the claws. Usually no discharge or swelling but does have a foul smell.
Does interdigital fibroma cause lameness?
Not usually unless fibroma gets large or becomes infected (may then look like footrot)
What disease is this and how would you describe this hoof lesion?
Digital dermatitis - circumscribed erosive lesion
What affect do sole abscesses have on production?
Steep reduction in milk production and significant weight loss
How would you treat a sole ulcer?
- Pare away diseased tissue (underrun horn and excess granulation tissue)
- Render sole concave
- Apply cowslip to sound claw
- Sometimes parenteral antibiotics
- If extensive granulation tissue present possibly apply astringent dressing (copper sulphate powder) - delays epithelialisation and healing
What condition has been treated in this image?
A sole ulcer
What are the advantages and disadvantages of amputation for a case of deep digital sepsis?
Advantages:
- Immediate relief of pain
- Quick return to milk production
- Simple surgical procedure
Disadvantages:
- Survival time in the herd may be reduced
What could this stance indicate?
Acute laminitis
What is the weakest part of the claw?
The white line
What is the cause of laminitis?
Disturbance to the microcirculation of the corium - inflammatory changes follow
Are front or hind claws more commonly bruised in heifers vs older cows?
Heifers: Front
Cows: Hind
What condition is present in this image?
Digital dermatitis
What effects do sole ulcers have on production?
Significantly reduce milk yield, rapid loss of body condition and delayed onset of oestrus/conception
What is pododermatitis circumspicta?
Sole ulcer
What is the issue with this track?
Too many sharp turns
How long should the wall of the claw be?
75mm
What can be done to prevent interdigital necrobacillosis (‘footrot’)?
- Appropriate laneway/track maintenance
- Reduce moisture in the environment (maintain drainage)
- Use a copper sulphate foot bath during risk periods
- Prompt isolation and treatment of affected animals to limit spread of bacteria around farm
What has occurred in this foot?
Sole haemorrhage (laminitis associated - outlines P3)
What is the arrow indicating in this picture?
An axial wall crack
What has occurred in this foot?
Bruising
Where are sole ulcers always located?
Immediately distal to the flexor tuberosity of the distal phalanx (at the sole/heel junction, nearer to the axial wall)
If a cow is lame and walking with its head down, is it likely to be lame in front or hind leg/s?
Head down: lame in hindlimb
Describe digital dermatitis:
An infectious, superficial inflammation of the epidermis. Most commonly observed on the plantar aspect of the hind feet near the skin-horn junction bordering the interdigital cleft.
Why might subclinical laminitis be increasing in frequency in Australia?
Intensification and increase in grain feeding
What are the effects of interdigital dermatitis on production?
Rarely causes lameness or lowered production
What is a cow trying to do by crossing her front legs?
Take the weight off her lateral claws
What is ‘strawberry footrot’?
Circumscribed erosive digital dermatitis lesions
If swelling of the claw extends from the coronary band to above the fetlock joint, what does this suggest?
Infection of the deep flexor tendon sheath
What causes sole ulcers?
Excessive pressure that crushes/compresses and destroys horn producing tissues - a defect will develop in the sole through which granulation tissue may protrude
