Upper limb lameness 1

Question 1

What is seen with the stride in a upper limb lameness?

Answer 1

Reduced forward stride

Question 2

What is seen with weightbearing lameness?

Answer 2

• Shortened stride of sound leg
• Head up on weightbearing if front leg affected
• Head down on weightbearing if hind leg affected

Question 3

What may cause atrophy or swelling of a tissue?

Answer 3

• Atrophy =
  -Disuse - e.g. pain-induced
  -neurological
• Swelling =
  -Haematoma
  -Inflammation
  -Effusion

Question 4

What are further diagnostic aidsof upper limb lameness?

Answer 4

• Radiography - bone integrity + position, joint effusion + degenerative changes, ST swelling, tissue integrity
• MRI
• Scintigraphy
• Thermography

Question 5

What can cause contracted tendons in calves?

Answer 5

• Position in utero
• Manganese deficiency
• Hereditary

Question 6

What is conservative treatment of contracted tendons? What can co wrong?

Answer 6

• Cast = 2-4weeks (change after 10-14days and re-apply half cast
• Can also use a metal splint
• Can cause decubitus ulcers if not enough padding

Question 7

What should be done if you can’t manually extend the ‘tippy-toe’? what should not be used and why?

Answer 7

• Tendonectomy - ring of local, 3-4cm incision, cut superficial flexor tendon (see if sufficient - if not cut deep digital FT) + cast for 2 weeks
• DO NOT use Oxytet - not effective + can cause toxic necrosis

Question 8

What can cause carpal flexion?

Answer 8

• Schmallenberg

Question 9

What can cause gastrocnemius rupture?

Answer 9

Rotational force - wooden pallets on floor + calf foot stuck
* Sudden weight - mounting bulls
* Trauma
* Weakening
* Hypophosphataemia
* Compartment syndrome - muscular necrosis

Question 10

How can you tell the difference between gastrocnemius rupture and tibial nerve paralysis?

Answer 10

• Loss of sensation / pain with tibial nerve paralysis

Question 11

What causes a flexor tendon injury?

Answer 11

• Trauma - spontaneous / infectious
  -open wound / contamination

Question 12

What is treatment of flexor tendon injury?

Answer 12

• Treat as wound - clean + lavage (antibiotics)
• Cast (once infection under control)
• Can try to tie tendon back together then cast

Question 13

How can you diagnose cruciate ligament rupture in a bull/cow?

Answer 13

• Rule out foot / lower limb
• Clicking sound
• Joint effusion
• Pain
• Crepitus
• Cranial drawer
• usually done after dismount

Question 14

What is patellar fixation? Tx?

Answer 14

• Leg fixed in full extension
• Tx = cut medial patellar ligament -BOTH LEGS

Question 15

How can you diagnose a peroneus tertius rupture?

Answer 15

Can draw hindleg backwards higher than what is normal / parallel

Question 16

What are different osteodystrophy?

Answer 16

• Rickets - young growing animals
• Osteoporosis + osteomalacia = adults

Question 17

What are causes of osteodystrophy?

Answer 17

• Mineral / vitamin deficiency = Ca, P, Cu, D
  -combined with rapid growth, gender, housing, genetics

Question 18

What are clinical signs of osteodystrophy?

Answer 18

• Stiffness / recumbency
• Bone distortion
• Long bone #
• swelling joints / epiphysis

Question 19

How is osteodystrophy diagnosed?

Answer 19

• Joint fluid
• Bloods = low Ca2+, High Alk/Phos
• PME + histopathology
• Bone ash concentrations

Question 20

What causes white muscle disease? What is seen with serum levels?

Answer 20

• Vitamin E + selenium deficiency (due to increased activity)
• Serum levels = low Vit E/Se, high AST, CK

Question 21

What breeds are predisposed to hip dysplasia?

Answer 21

• Hereford
• Charollais
• Angus
• Limousin
• Belted Galloway
• South devons
• MALE

Question 22

What is osteochondrosis? Where does it normally occur?

Answer 22

• Disruption to blood vessels supplying bones (3 stages)
  -O. dissecans
  -O. latens
  -O. manifesta
• Usually occurs around atlanto-occipital + femoro-patellar joints

Question 23

How can you diagnose osteochondrosis?

Answer 23

• Young animals
• Little lameness at first
• Joint tap = mild inflammation, mild increase in protein

Question 24

What are different causes of fractures?

Answer 24

• Trauma
  -Mc/Mt = calving ropes/chain
• Spontaneous - hypophosphataemia
• Pathological - infection / necrosis

Question 25

If transporting a bull with a fractured leg what should be done?

Answer 25

• Good legs FORWARDS
• Care + aid in loading
• Pad out trailer
• Avoid sedation - NSAID + butorphanol instead

Question 26

How can you treat fractures?

Answer 26

• Box rest - if femur / humerus + no displacement + animal able to walk
• Amputation - well tolerated
• External co-aptation - consider length, analgesia, padding, alignment, strength
• Hanging limb pin cast
• Thomas-extension splint
• External fixation
• Internal fixation - cost, material strength

Question 27

What are complications of fractures?

Answer 27

• Osteomyelitis
• Dislocation / non-union
• Decreased long bone development
• Ischaemic necrosis
• Nerve damage
• Disuse atrophy

Question 28

What pathogens can cause septic arthritis?

Answer 28

• T. pyogenes&raquo_space;»
• Strep/Staph/ E.coli/Salmonella
• Histophilus somnus, M. bovis

Question 29

What is the best way of diagnosing septic arthritis?

Answer 29

• Arthrocentesis

Question 30

How would you treat septic arthritis?

Answer 30

• Conservative = aggressive antibiotics + anti-inflammatory
• Surgical = GA, IVRA, lavage, arthroscopy, arthrotomy

Question 31

What are complications of septic arthritis?

Answer 31

• Epiphyseal abscess
• Osteomyelitis
• Relapse

Question 32

How would you treat hygromas?

Answer 32

• Clip + prep
• Local
• Incision top + bottom
• Break down septae + drain
• Pressure bandage