20.9.3: Distal limb conditions and injuries Flashcards
What is the only high motion joint in the hock?
Talocrural joint
Why can fractures of a single metacarpal / metatarsal bone be conservatively managed?
Because the other intact bones act as a splint.
What is the only high motion joint in the carpus?
Antebrachiocarpal joint
What happened here?
SDFT / DDFT cut / significant injury
Clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of distal limb puncture wounds
Presentation
* Present with acute lameness
* Soft tissue swelling to affected pad
* Pain on palpation
Diagnosis
* Radiographs if radiopaque FB (e.g. glass, nail) suspected
* Surgical exploration with hypodermic needle
Management
* Flush wound with Hartmann’s and leave open to drain
* Do not suture up
* Apply dressing to protect the wound and prevent further contamination
* Use of broad spec antibiotics can be justified in this situation
Clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of cellulitis in the cat
Most common cause of lameness in cats
Clinical presentation
* Commonly occurs due to bite from another cat
* Acute onset lameness 2-3 days after the fight - variable lameness up to non-weight bearing
* Swelling to limb -> may extrude claws
* Cat may be pyrexic / off colour
Diagnosis
* Careful palpation to tryto locate scabs where teeth punctured skin
Treatment
* Drain
* Bathe to encourage pus drainage
* Broad spectrum antibiotics
Presentation and treatment of grass seeds foreign bodies causing distal limb injuries
Clinical presentation
* Seen primarily in dogs from July-September
* Swelling to interdigital area, then progresses proximal to main pad, then up to shoulder/ hip
Treatment
* Should really avoid antibiotics as see rapid temporary improvement but will reoccur and FB may have moved
* Poultices e.g. boric acid may be helpful
* Allow the FB to form an abscess and for this to get big, then lance and explore
Presentation and management of pododermatitis/ interdigital pyoderma
