Production Animal Lameness Flashcards
What is important to get in a history of a lame cow?
Which lactaion? How long has she been calved? Any previous problems? Any other problems? How long has she been lame? What treatment has she had? Is she pregnant/milking well/cull cow?
What are the economic consequences of lameness in dairy cows?
Sole ulcer costs £524 per case and can result in a cull cow
White line disease costs £330 per case and can result in a cull cow
Digital dermatitis costs £75 per case but tends to occur in outbreaks so can become expensive
What are the different lameness scores?
0 = even weight bearing and rhythm on all four feet with a flat back and long fluid strides 1 = steps uneven or strides shortened with affected limb/limbs not immediately identifiable 2 = uneven weight bearing on a limb that is immediately identifiable and/or obviously shortened strides and arched back 3 = unable to walk at a brisk human pace and can't keep up with the healthy herd
Where does most lameness occur in the cow?
88% in the feet
Of that 88%, 92% is in the hind legs
Of that 92%, 65% is in the lateral claw
What is the Dutch 5 step foot trim?
- Trim to the correct length of 7-8cm
- Trim 2nd claw to match correct length of first claw
- Transfer weight onto wall, heel and toe
- Remove weight from painful claw
- Remove loose or sharp horn
How do you examine a diseased foot?
Look for visible lesions on the sole, wall, heel, skin, between claws, swelling above coronary band or heel and redness
Feel for heat, pain, between claws and softening at the heels or coronary band
Smell for odour
What is the treatment for sole ulcers?
Treat early with Dutch 5 step, put block on other claw, remove collar to prevent trapping of corium
Topical antibiotics if no swelling above coronary band (systemic if swelling present)
NSAIDs, nursing, clean yard and things that promote wound healing
What is the prognosis for sole ulcers?
Generally ok, recurrence next lactation is possible
Reduced fertility and lifespan in the herd
Milk yield will recover in a few weeks
What is the pathogenesis of sole ulcers?
Mostly stems from environmental conditions, BCS (decrease reduces digital cushion thickness)and claw horn growth rates may be important
Laminae of suspensory apparatus relax at parturition so P3 rotates and drops = bruise and takes 4 months to see = 100-120 days lactation
Poor foot angle, trauma, chronic overload, treponemes and bony exostoses
What is the treatment for white line disease?
Trim out wall and under-run sole, cut back 2/3 and use blue spray and an NSAID
Allow for pus drainage and use sharp knives to avoid cutting into the corium
How does white line disease present?
Diseased horn affecting the junction between the sole and wall including bruising (haemorrhage), separation (fissure), abscessation and ulceration
What is the pathogenesis of white line disease?
Unknown but linked to poor horn quality, wet conditions, stones, P3 descent, loss of BCS, thin soles and turns
What supplement can help prevent white line disease and at what dose?
Biotin with 50% reduction if given at 20mg/h/d
How is digital dermatitis scored?
M1 = ulcerative < 2cm M2 = ulcerative > 2cm M3 = regressing M4 = Hyperkeratotic M4.1 = Reactivating
What are the treatments for digital dermatitis?
M1 and M3 = cleaning, drying and topical oxytetracycline
M2 = same as M1 but also debride with gauze/paper towel and consider bandaging with an antibacterial agent
M4 = cleaning, debriding/debulking and bandaging with an antibacterial agent
What are effective herd interventions for digital dermatitis?
Footbathing in appropriately concentrated solutions (5% formalin/5% copper sulphate)
Slurry management
Biosecurity
What is foul in the foot?
An acute bacterial infection of the subcutaneous tissues characterised by symmetrical swelling, separation of the claws and interdigital skin necrosis yielding a pungent odour
Associated with FBs or sand between the claws
What is super-foul?
Severe, peracute form of foul in the foot possibly involving mixed bacterial infections
What is the treatment for foul in the foot?
Cleaning and debridement of interdigital space, disinfection and a licensed injectable antibiotic