Podiatry

Lameness and hock injuries are recognized welfare and production problems in the dairy industry. The objective of this study was to describe changes in the prevalence of these ailments in 15 freestall herds in the Northeastern United States that participated in an on-farm assessment program. Prevalence was assessed in a high-producing pen in each herd. A confidential report was delivered to each of the farms showing prevalence in relation to other herds assessed within the same region.

Category: Podiatry - Ruminant
Authors: M. Oosterlinck, E. Royaux, W. Back and F. Pille
Journal: Equine Veterinary Journal

Reasons for performing study

Thus far, pressure-plate analysis has been limited to measurements on a hard surface, whereas equine athletes routinely perform on a deformable substrate.
Objectives

To explore pressure-plate analysis on arena footing.
Study design

Nonrandomised crossover study using noninvasive techniques.
Methods

Authors: M. R. W. Smith
Journal: Equine Veterinary Education

Infection of the cartilages of the foot is an uncommon condition, occurring usually secondary to wounds just above the coronary band. Effective treatment relies on surgical debridement of necrotic cartilage, but following this the prognosis for complete recovery is good.

Category: Equine - Podiatry
Authors: J.M. Roach, T. Pfau, J. Bryars, V. Unt, S.B. Channon, R. Weller
Journal: The Veterinary Journal

Kinematic evaluation of the distal limb of the horse using standard methods is challenging, mainly due to the hoof capsule restricting visualisation, but the recent development of a high-speed fluoroscopy (HSF) system has allowed in vivo cineradiographic assessment of moving skeletal structures at high speeds. The application of this non-invasive method to the equine distal limb is used to describe ‘internal’ distal limb kinematics including intra-horse and inter-horse variability, and variability between walk and trot.

Category: Equine - Imaging - Podiatry
Authors: Edward M. Smith, Olivia D.J. Green, Leonides A. Calvo-Bado, Luci A. Witcomb, Rosemary Grogono-Thomas, Claire L. Russell, Judith C. Brown, Graham F. Medley, Amy L. KilBride, Elizabeth M.H. Wellington, Laura E. Green
Journal: The Veterinary Journal

Footrot, including interdigital dermatitis, is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus cause the majority of lameness in sheep in the UK. Lame sheep often have overgrown hoof horn but recent evidence has indicated that trimming overgrown hoof horn increases recovery time, and that routine foot trimming of the flock does not reduce the prevalence or incidence of lameness. The objectives of this study were to investigate the temporal associations between hoof horn length, footrot and climate. Fifty multiparous ewes were monitored for 10 months.

Category: Podiatry - Ruminant
Authors: J. M. Trela, M. Spriet, K. A. Padgett, L. D. Galuppo, B. Vaughan and M. A. Vidal
Journal: Equine Veterinary Journal

Summary

Reasons for performing study

Intra-arterial (i.a.) and intravenous (i.v.) regional limb perfusions (RLP) through the median artery and cephalic vein, respectively, have been previously investigated for administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the equine distal limb. Limitations due to thrombosis of the arteries after i.a. RLP and poor distribution of MSCs to the foot with i.v. RLP were observed. These techniques need to be modified for clinical use.

Authors: R Weller, J Bryars, J Roach and T Pfau
Journal: Equine Veterinary Journal

Introduction

The navicular bone (NB) and the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) are common sites of lameness. Greater knowledge of foot mechanics will aid in understanding of the aetiopathogenesis and may provide new opportunities for treatment and prevention. It was hypothesised that changes in the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPj) and movement of the NB and DDFT during the stance phase will lead to changes in the moment arm of the DDFT around the DIPj.

Category: Equine - Imaging - Podiatry
Authors: N Wiggers, S Nauwelaerts, S Bool, S Hobbs and W Back
Journal: Equine Veterinary Journal

Introduction

The aims of this study were to quantify the morphological differences between uneven feet, and to evaluate the biomechanical locomotor consequences compared to horses with even feet, considered as normal.

Category: Equine - Podiatry
Authors: Simon Curtis, Jaime Martin, Sarah Hobbs
Journal: The Veterinary Journal

A circumferential ring in the hoof horn of foals occurs at birth and grows down to the distal border as the fetal hoof is replaced. Horn growth and complete hoof capsule renewal have not been measured in Thoroughbred foals but the determination of time of hoof renewal may allow accurate predictions of healing time to be made in cases of hoof lesions. The objective of this study was to measure the time taken for the fetal hoof of newborn foals to grow to the distal border and be replaced by hoof grown since birth.

Category: Equine - Podiatry
Authors: Teresa L. Douthit, Jennifer M. Bormann, Nora M. Bello
Journal: Journal of Equine Veterinary Science

The objectives of this study were to assess the correlation between hoof surface temperature and ultrasonographic measurements of digital blood vessels in horses and to evaluate the measurements' potential as predictors for clinical lameness. Twelve 3-year-old American Quarter Horses, 6 geldings and 6 mares, with average initial body weight of 459 ± 31 kg were used. On days 0, 30, 60, and 90 of the study, horses were weighed and subjected to clinical lameness examinations.

Category: Equine - Imaging - Lameness - Podiatry