Upper limb lameness 1 + 2 Flashcards
Compare a swinging vs weightbearing lameness
Swinging lameness – animal is painful as they try to bring the leg forwards. Shortened stride on the affected leg.
Weightbearing lameness – pain as weight is put on the affected limb. Shortened stride on the sound leg.
Describe how head position in weightbearing lameness can be used to identify which limb is lame
Head position at the point of weightbearing:
- Head up if front leg (at the point the painful limb hits the ground)
- Head down if back leg (shifts weight forwards)
How can accessory digits be used to identify painful limbs?
Compare left and right accessory digit heights.
E.g. if the RHS accessory digits are lower than on the left.
This indicates that the left is the painful one as less weight is being put onto it.
Describe the use of flexion tests in farm animals
Can be done but not as refined as in the horse
E.g. Flex fetlock for 2 minutes and then get to trot off – puts stress on the joint to try and localize lameness.
Do one joint at a time and move up the leg.
Cows may lean on you and can be hard to ‘trot off’ – worth a go but keep your own safety in mind
How can asymmetry be used in lame cows?
Assess cow from directly behind, compare left and right sides -
Atrophy:
- Disuse, e.g. pain-induced
- Neurological
Swelling:
- Haematoma
- Inflammation
- Effusion
Why should dirty areas on limbs always be inspected?
May be covering up a wound
Describe the diagnostic tools that can be used to investigate upper limb lameness
- Ultrasound
- Radiography
- MRI
- Scintigraphy
- Thermography
Describe the use of nerve blocks in farm animal species
Same as in horses regarding principles
Challenge in cattle is having two digits – complex branching of the different nerves
Easier to do it on a broader level e.g., fetlock and below, carpus/hock and anything below
Be aware of thick skin in cattle – easier to perform a ring block
Describe the condition that may cause calves to ‘walk’ on their fetlocks
Contracted tendons
- Animal is not able to place its foot with the sole on the ground
- Affects front legs
Describe the conservative treatment options for contracted tendons in calves
- Casting
- If the limb can be manually extended for the calf to walk on their toe, then a cast should be efficient
- Helps the leg to extend and the tendons to stretch
- Be aware of causing ulcers – lots of padding needed
- Cast 2-4 weeks → change after 10-14d & re-apply as half-cast - Metal splint
How is contracted tendons in calves managed surgically?
Tendonectomy
- If you can’t extent into ‘tippy-toe’ stance
- Cut superficial flexor tendon first – see if this is enough to allow joint extension
- If not then cut the deep digital flexor tendon too
- Can do in the field under LA
What are the causes of gastrocnemius rupture?
Rotational force
Sudden weight bearing
Trauma
Weakening
? Hypophosphataemia
Describe the typical stance of an animal with gastrocnemius rupture
Hock is much lower than expected
Hyperflexion of the fetlock so the foot can still touch the ground
Which condition shows a similar stance to gastrocnemius rupture?
Tibial nerve paralysis?
How can you differentiate gastrocnemius rupture with tibial nerve paralysis?
In tibial nerve paralysis sensation will be lost (on the plantar aspect)
What is the most common cause of a flexor tendon injury?
Trauma
Spontaneous/infection less common
Describe the steps in treating a flexor tendon injury?
Treated as a wound
- Lavage
- Debride
- Antibiotics if infected
- Cast alone? need to get infection under control first
- Confinement +/- Block to raise heel and release pressure off the wound
How can you decided if a wound has joint involvement?
- Position – is the wound near the joint capsule?
- Synovial fluid present - Viscosity
- Explore with sterile probe
- Radiography +/- contrast
- Expand synovial compartment
- Sterile saline
- Entry AWAY from wound
- If saline exits at wound -> lavage
How would you investigate/diagnose the following case:
- acute onset working bull, swelling cranio-ventral to stifle
- Rule out foot / lower limb
- Clicking sound
- Joint effusion
- Pain
- Crepitus (popping, clicking or crackling sound in a joint)
- Cranial drawer
- Radiography
- Ultrasound
Describe how cattle with patellar fixation present
Adult steers more commonly affected?
BCS no difference
Leg fixed in full extension
Can be intermittent initially
How is patellar fixation treated?
Cut medial patellar ligament
Under LA
Both legs - very likely that this one will develop fixation too
Describe the condition caused by over lifting the leg during food trimming
Peroneus tertius rupture → normal reciprocity of stifle & hock is lost
Can fully extend the hock while the stifle remains flexed – cannot do this in a normal animal
Serratus ventralis rupture = ‘flying scapula’
Describe how osteodystrophy affected younger and older animals differently
Ricketts = young, growing animal
Osteoporosis & osteomalacia = adult
