Flashcards
5. Lameness in cattle
Cards in this deck (67)
- 1When would you want to resee a cow that you put a block on?Within 4-6 weeks
- 2Where can lameness be associated with if it's not the foot?• Nerves
• Bones
• Joints
• Muscles and tendons - 3What is the aetiology of radial paralysis?• C7, C8 and T1 outflow
• Motor innervation of carpus and digit extensors
• Sensation to lateral side of limb.
• Excessive traction on limb (e.g. during calving)
• Trauma to the scapulohumeral area e.g foot trimming crush
• Recumbency - 4What are the clinical signs and presentation of radial paralysis?• Proximal nerve damage
-> limb held in flexion with the elbow dropped cranial wall of the hoof “scuffs” the floor during locomotion.
• Distal nerve damage
-> carpus and fetlock held in flexion - 5What is the aetiology of obturator paralysis ("Calving paralysis")?• L4, L5 and L6 outflow
• Innervates the adductor muscles of the hind limb
• Dystocia due to foetal oversize (crushed running through pelvic canal) - 6What are the clinical signs and presentation of obturator paralysis ("Calving paralysis")?• Unilateral or bilateral
• Inability to adduct the limb leading to abduction
• Animals may slip causing severe abduction and trauma to the leg, hip and pelvis. - 7What happens with suprascapular nerve paralysis?- CV6/7
- Scapular/ prescapular trauma
- Limb abducts when weight bearing
- Sup/infraspinatus atrophy - 8What happens with radial nerve paralysis?- Cv7-8/ T1
- Scap/ hum trauma, calving traction
- Flexed limb
- Dropped elbow
- Cranial hoof scuffs floor - 9What happens with brachial plexus nerve paralysis?- Cv5-T2
- Excess traction or abduction
- No muscle control/ tone in FL
- Flaccid, non-weight bearing limb - 10What happens with Femoral nerve paralysis?- L4-6
- Hyperextension of calf leg during calving
- Limb hangs flaccid
- Stifle cannot be extended - 11What happens with Sciatic nerve paralysis?- L6-S2
- Calving (cow), iatrogenic (IM injections)
- Knuckling
- Stifle and hock extended - 12What happens with Tibial nerve paralysis?- Branch of sciatic
- Major gastroc region trauma
- Hocks flexed
- Digits extended - 13What happens with Peroneal nerve paralysis?- Branch of sciatic
- Lateral stifle trauma
- Hock extended
- Fetlock flexed - 14How do you diagnose and differentials for nerve damage?• Presenting signs and history highly
suggestive
• Differential diagnoses depend on presenting signs and the nerve affected but include fractures, dislocations, subluxations and damage / rupture to tendons and ligaments - 15How do you treat nerve damage?• Keeping animal comfortable (i.e. deep soft bedding)
• “Non slip” surfaces
• Anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling around damaged nerves
• Supportive dressings “hold” the limb in correct position e.g. shackles
• Nursing care – access to food and water, regular turning / lifting - 16What is the prognosis with nerve damage?• Depends on nature and extent of nerve damage
• “Bruising” or swelling of the nerve respond well
• Cases involving complete rupture prognosis very poor - 17What should nerve damage cases be monitored for?Response to treatment
- 18Post calving this cow can stand but has a flexed fetlock – what nerve has been damaged?Peroneal
- 19What treatment is appropriate for peroneal nerve damage?B. Meloxicam
C. Ketprofen
D. Dexadresson - 20What is the aetiology for limb fractures?• Not uncommon occurrence
• Severe trauma e.g. falling off bulling cows, trapping legs between bars e.g. in crushes, road and farm traffic accidents, jumping gates and falling down grids and potholes
• Limb fractures often comminuted, open and grossly contaminated - 21How do you diagnose and what are the differentials for limb fractures?• Usually obvious especially if open or the causal trauma is witnessed e.g. jumping gates, trapped in crush
• Differentiate from other none weight bearing lameness e.g. dislocations
• Manipulation often reveals atypical movement and crepitus unless fracture is high up the limb
• Radiographical examination definitive (lower limb only) - 22What is the treatment for limb fractures?• Depends on age, weight, nature of fracture and value
• Casualty slaughter?
• Fixation of distal limb fractures possible esp. young animals with uncomplicated breaks
• Reduction can be difficult esp. if delayed
• Internal and external fixations, casting
• Usually casting (cost)
• Heavier animals and fractures higher up the limb much more difficult to treat and effectively immobilise - 23What is teh prognosis for limb fractures?• Depend on the site and nature of fracture and age and weight of animal e.g. uncomplicated distal limb in young vs open fractures higher up limb in older animals
- 24What are features of growth plate injuries in calves?• Not uncommon following forced traction
• Usually distal metacarpus and metatarsus joints
• Respond well to casting
• Complicated if both limbs affected - 25Are femoral fractures common?No - recumbent, muscle mass covering so manipulate leg and listen for crepitus
- 26What is the aetiology for pelvic fractures?• Not common
• Usually tuber coxae
- Lateral falls
- “Pushing / racing” through narrow entrances
• Occasionally pelvic symphysis separation during calving
• Other fractures of pelvis are very uncommon - 27What are the clinical signs with pelvic fractures?• Vary depending on site
• Some make weight bearing impossible
• Tuber coxae usually obvious -> displaced bone fragment ventrally - 28How do you diagnose and what are the differentials for pelvic fracture?• Pelvic asymmetry is apparent in many cases
• Crepitus during walking or palpation
• Rectal and vaginal examination can be helpful
• Differential diagnoses include dislocations, and pelvic haematomas and abscesses - 29What is the treatment for pelvic fractures?• Tuber coxae respond well to box rest although sequestra -> open draining tract develops
• Other pelvic fracture – slaughter?
• Initial period of closely confined box rest ? - 30What is the prognosis with pelvic fractures?• Nature of the fracture
• Good in uncomplicated fractures of the tuber coxa, poor for fractures which destabilise pelvis - 31What treatment is indicated for a cow, struggling to stand with a femoral fracture but is happy to feed her calf?Euthanasia
- 32What is the aetiology for septic arthritis in calves?• Tertiary spread of infection, umbilicus or generalised bacteraemia
• Localisation in one or occasionally multiple joints.
• A. pyogenes, E. coli, Strep. spp., Staph. spp. and Salmonella - 33What are the clinical signs and presentation with septic arthritis in calves?• Lameness followed by joint heat pain and swelling
- 34How do you diagnose septic arthritis in calves?• Presenting signs
• Arthrocentesis -> large volumes of turbid, clotted fluid containing large amounts of protein (6-8g/l) and many PMN’s.
• Aseptic samples for culture?
• Differentiated from other joint pathologies e.g. intra-articular fractures - 35What is the treatment for septic arthritis in calves?• Long courses of parenteral antibiotics (two weeks)
• Through and through/open joint lavage
• Bandaging
• Surgical removal of umbilical abscesses? - 36What is the prognosis with septic arthritis in calves?• Good if animals treated early and aggressively
• If left untreated joint damage can be severe - 37How can you prevent septic arthritis in calves?• Good calving hygiene and application of topical naval dressing
- 38What is the aetiology of hip dislocation?• Usually seen in adult cows after traumatic abduction (“partial splits”) of hind legs
• Soon after calving (relaxation of ligaments maximal)
• Most (~80%), femoral head displaced craniodorsally. - 39What are the clinical signs and presentation of hip dislocation?• Acute onset lameness, usually non weight bearing
• Craniodorsal dislocation -> leg tends to be rotated outwards. The pelvis and hips will often appear asymmetrical if viewed from behind - 40How do you diagnose hip dislocation?• Manipulation of leg (restriction movement and crepitus)
• Vaginal and rectal examination can be helpful (manipulate leg at the same time)
• Radiographical examination if valuable and small - 41What is the treatment for hip dislocation?1• Replaced by manipulation or surgically
2• Surgical
- Through the gluteal muscles cranial to the greater trocanter
- Femoral head visualised and reintroduced to the acetabulum with
the help of an assistant manipulating the leg
3• Manipulation
- Soon after dislocation
- Heavily sedated (Xylazine)
- Forcible replaced by combination of rotation to loosen the soft tissue contraction, leverage and pressure on the femoral head
4• Keep comfortable and house on a non slip surface - 42What is the prognosis for hip dislocation?• Good providing cases are uncomplicated (i.e. no fractures) and replacement attempted early
• Poor if dislocated for a while - 43What happens with hip dysplasia?• Gradual onset HL lameness in growing
animals 4-12mo - 44What happens with septic arthritis in older animals?• Similar signs to joint ill, often penetrating
injury - 45What happens with osteomyelitis?• Uni- or multifocal, ?salmonella related in
calves, penetrating trauma in adults - 46What happens with patellar luxation?1• Dorsal (sporadic, mature cattle)
- Leg held out stiff/behind, suddenly snaps forward in jerky action, may be intermittent
2• Medial or lateral (rare, congenital)
- Stifle collapses when weight borne, uni/bilateral
- May be secondary to femoral nerve paralysis - 47Do cows get DJD?Yes
- 48Trauma such as slipping when bulling can lead to fracture of which small bone?P3
- 49What is the aetiology of flexural limb deformities?• Relatively common congenital abnormality
• Some breeds e.g. Belgian Blues
• Associated with limb position in a cramped uterus? - 50What are the clinical signs and presentation for flexural limb deformities?• Varying degrees of rigid flexion usually fore limbs
• Less commonly extensor rigidity in the hocks
• Usually bilateral
• Mild (just off straight) to severe - 51What is the treatment for flexural limb deformities?• Mild cases usually self limiting
• Physiotherapy and walking on hard surfaces may help
• More serious may be necessary to splint
• Severe cases surgery can be helpful - 52What is the prognosis with flexural limb deformities?• Good in mild cases
• Treatment of severe cases can be difficult and disheartening - 53What is the aetiology for spastic paresis?• Unknown, German and Dutch Friesians and Aberdeen Angus
- 54What are the clinical signs and presentation of spastic paresis?• Chronic and progressive contraction gastrocnemius
• 6 weeks and 6 months
• Hock nearly straight
• Animals walk with a stiff and stilted gait
• Limbs may jerk intermittently at rest - 55How do you diagnose spastic paresis?Pathognomonic
- 56What is the treatment for spastic paresis?• Surgical resection of gastrocnemius and superficial flexor tendons
• Neurectomy of tibial nerve - 57How do you prevent spastic paresis?• Hereditary predisposition
• Affected animals should not be used for breeding - 58What is the aetiology for hock cellulitis/ bursitis/ trauma?• Result of trauma suffered during winter housing period
• Rub hock on cubicle beds, cubicle frames and other objects - 59What are the clinical signs and presentation for hock cellulitis/ bursitis/ trauma?• Initial hairloss over bone protuberances
• -> swelling because of soft tissue damage -> development of tarsal bursitis
• Severe cases skin can ulcerate -> development of a secondary infectious bursitis and even infectious arthritis
• Animals usually not lame in early cases
• Moderate lameness if swelling is severe or infected - 60How do you diagnose hock cellulitis/ bursitis/ trauma?• Straightforward
• Swollen and damaged hock in winter housed animals - 61How do you treat hock cellulitis/ bursitis/ trauma?• Not usually necessary unless secondary infection exists
• Antibiotics will usually relieve the lameness
• DO NOT incise and drain
• Most lesions almost completely resolve during the summer months when animals are out of winter housing - 62How do you prevent hock cellulitis/ bursitis/ trauma?• Identify and correct the underlying cause – coarse sawdust, hard/abrasive mattresses, sparse bedding
- 63What are features of carpal bursitis?• Similar to hock bursitis is aetiology and presentation
• Common in winter housed cattle
• Resolves in the summer months
• Large swollen carpi
• If severe, lesions can be aseptically drained - 64What is the aetiology of rupture gastrocnemius?• Unclear, associated with prolonged recumbency, excessive weight and possible mineral imbalance
- 65What are the clinical signs and presentation of rupture gastrocnemius?• Muscles ruptures usually at the musculotendon junction
• Usually bilaterally
• Weight bearing is impossible, hock drops almost to floor - 66How do you diagnose and treat rupture of gastrocnemius?• Diagnosis: Signs are pathognomonic
• Treatment:
- Close confinement
- Limbs splinted in extension - 67What is the prognosis with rupture of gastrocnemius?• Guarded, animals are unlikely to recover fully, rerupture may occur
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- 4. Musculoskeletal (Bovine lameness - Sarah Wood) Flashcards on 5. Lameness in cattle, created by Rachael Jones on 30/12/2018.
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