BOVINE LAMENESS - PART 1 INTER-DIGITAL FIBROMA CONCURRENT TO CORK SCREW CLAW IN DAIRY CATTLE.

INTER-DIGITAL FIBROMA IN DAIRY CATTLE 

Hoof affections are second largest cause for economic loss in livestock farming . In India, the incidence of foot disorders is 8-10% in Dairy cattle . The over grown hooves is the most common predisposing condition of the hooves that accounts for more than half of the total foot lesions. I get a lot of hoof affections and my recent interest was on preventive management of hoof affections in dairy cattle. Through this starting segment of Bovine lameness series my attempt will be to give some insights on common hoof ailments and their surgical management. Bovine lameness is a SILENT KILLER and huge production loss entity in any organised dairy farming. Pain induced reduction in milk yield is a much focused area for dairy scientist ans Dairy vets .

Interdigital fibroma also termed as Interdigital hyperplasia or corns are firm fibrous masses consisting of hyperkeratotic and parakeratotic skin found in the interdigital space of cattle

 The lesions appear as secondary to chronic skin irritation due to environmental, conformational and hereditary factors. Where lesions become large and/or infected, surgical removal is the preferred treatment. Improved hygiene and appropriate hoof trimming are the keys to prevention of this condition

"Cork screw claw" is the over grown claw with inward curvature making the inter digital space widened. This is a genetic disorder and this predisposes to many inter-digital affections in cow. Dairy cows tend to have a higher prevalance of interdigital fibromas in the rear feet, probably owing to the rear feet contacting more moisture from manure and urine than the front feet. Cork screw claw is generally seen in front limb and due to this reason secondary inter-digital fibroma is common sequelae to cork screw claw in bovines

Surgical management of interdigital fibroma :-

For surgery, animals are best positioned in  chemical restraint. Xylazine Butorphanol and Ketamine combinations proves to be excellent in my experience. A tourniquet should be placed above the fetlock to provide hemostasis.Intravenous regional perfusion or local interdigital injection of a local anesthetic agent should provide adequate surgical anesthesia of the area.Sharp dissection should be accomplished, being certain to remove all proliferated tissue,including tissue immediately adjacent to the coronary band.Care should be taken to avoid damage to the coronary band.

Levlling of the curved claws can be done using an electric hoof trimmer and the inter digital wiring can be done after making fine hole of 3 mm diameter using electric drill.An orthopedic stainless steel wire can be used The toes can be wired together to decrease movement of the claws, but this may not be necessary in housed animals.The entire foot, including the solar surface should be incorporated in a tape bandage with or without gauze. Systemic antibiotics may be indicated if the fibroma is infected.

In some cases even cauterization of the growth can be done followed by antiseptic dressing with povidone iodine or bismuth iodoform paraffin paste. The antiseptic dressing should be continued for a minimum period of 3 to 4 weeks. The animal should be kept on dry floor.Following surgery, the animal should be kept in a dry area for approximately 2 weeks. 

Preventive management:-

• Timely hoof trimming that prevents the widened inter-digital space resulting from over grown hoof and exercise is the best preventive management practices for this condition.
• Ensure that cattle stall is made of firm dry floorings. Proper drainage is a must to avoid water logging resulting in the hoof affections in the cattle.
• Weekly checking the hoof of the animal and cleaning the hoof with 1% potassium permanganate solution can check the spreading of hoof infections.
• Interdigital hyperplasia caused by poor conformation is very likely to recur, since the predisposing conformation problems will usually remain after removal of the growth.
• Animals suspected of having interdigital hyperplasia due to hereditary factors should not be used for breeding.

A 7 yr old Dairy cow in a Hi-tech dairy farm in Karnataka was operated for cork screw claw resulting in to interdigital fibroma . You can watch the video below 

THANKS FOR WATCHING

INTUSSUSCEPTION AND RECTAL PROLAPSE IN PUPPIES: A SEQUELAE TO IMPROPER DEWORMING

Dogs are hosts for wide varieties of worms which includes round worms , tape worms, whip worms  and hook worms. This mainly happen due to the natural behavior of licking, sniffing and snatching any thing on their path like stones, trash, poops and all inanimate objects.

Many times deworming  in pet practice may fail due to improper selection of dewormers , improper dosage and improper procedure of drug administration.

Signs of worms in dogs include Pica or eating inanimate objects , scrotching or rubbing the anus in ground and increased peristaltic movements of intestine , diarrhea and rough hair coat.






















It is a common practice among vets to correct the rectal prolapse manually just by pushing the prolapse mass.  But it is pertinent to mention that CHRONIC RECURRENT RECTAL PROLAPSE MAY BE A SEQUELAE TO AN INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION AND IN WORM INFESTATIONS THIS MAY BE DUE TO AN INTUSSUSCEPTION.

Chronic worm infestations can lead to hypermotility resuting in Torsion, volvulus or intususseption of intestines. Torsion is the rotation of intestines in their own axis. Volvulus is rotation of intestines in mesenteric axis. Where as intussusception is the telescoping of one portion of intestine to other .

Rectal prolapse is the protrusion of the rectum. The codition may arise from hyper motility of intestines. Chronic rectal prolapse is condition in which the rectum get prolapsed and every time an attempt to push it back in position leads to recurrence. The main cause of chronic rectal prolapse may be intestinal obstruction resulting from intussusception.

                  This 4 month old puppy was presented with chronic rectal prolapse nit responsive to medical

treatment. 

According to the owner he had never dewormed the pup and that the pup was eating mud and stones .It had severe diarrhea and scrotching. C ARM imaging revealed hard firm mass on caudal colon .An exploratory laparotomy revealed complicated intussusception at ileo-caeco-colic junction. The condition was difficult to be corrected and hence enterectomy followed by entero anastomoses was performed.  

YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO OF CHRONIC RECTAL PROLAPSE COMPLICATED WITH INTUSSUSCEPTION IN A PUPPY.

To prevent an incidence of rectal prolapse, proper deworming is an inevitable measure . There are many types of dewormers such as  pyrantel palmoate, fenbendazole, albendazole, praziquantel , ivermectin etc.

Common dewormers for dogs and efficacy are as under

Dewormer	Hook/ Round worm	Whip worm	Tape worm	Dose mg/kg bw
Pyrantel pamoate	+++	--	--	5-10
Fenbendazole	+++	++	--	50 for 3 days
Praziquantel	++	+++	++	8
Milbemycin	+++	+++	++	0.5
Praziquantel with febantel	+++	++	--
Praziquantel with pyrantel pamoate	+++	+++	+++
Ivemectin	++	++	--	0.02

Right age of deworming in puppy is at 15 days with pyrantel pamoate liquid every 12 days for four times. followed by this a dose of pyrantel pamoate and fenbendazole at months 2,4 and 6. After this every six months deworming can be done using combinations of praziquantel / pyrantel pamoate/ febantel and ivermectin . It is also very important to  alter the combination/ drug every time as the worms also get resistance to wards a single dewormer. In pregnant bitches fenbendazole is the only safe dewormer and this can be used at 10-15  day of gestation to avoid trans placental infection to pups.

  

You are free to post your comments and suggestions . 

HANDLING AND RESTRAINT OF CATS AND CLINICAL VETERINARY SURGERY VIDEO ON FELINE HIND LIMB AMPUTATION

I am thankful to all readers of my blog for  much encouraging response . I am getting mails especially from Veterinary  students, post graduate students of Veterinary Surgery  and field vets of the country and few across the globe. There was a request to post something on feline restraint and feline surgery and this is my humble attempt to share some thing on feline surgery with special reference to handling and restraint of cats .

I am dedicating this segment to all Cat lovers and budding feline vets.

In veterinary practice Cats always fascinated me by their unique nature of Fexibility, Agility  and Unpredictability . Cats are very sensitive and highly freedom loving animals which makes them hyper excited when attempted to restraint.. Handling cats always take much of our energy because of their extreme flexibility . Many times I get cases in which helpless situation arises like owner himself/ herself bring an excited animal and confirming the fact that no one can handle their pets. DILATED PUPILS, PROTRACTED CLAWS AND VOCALIZATION are the indications of a stressed self defensive cat.
Like any other animal, behavioral restraint is the best form of restraint. But in case of an injured animal presented with much stress, careful physical restraint becomes inevitable.

I had learned from my practice that much patience , firmness and tactics are needed for effective handling . Also NEVER EVER UNDERESTIMATE  FELINE FLEXIBILITY.

1.       Principles of blind folding. Vision is the first alarming stimulation for a hyper excited cats . It has been scientifically proved that blind folding in the presence of owner can reduce the stress level in cats .

2.       Cuff holding . The best way to restraint a cat is tight and firm holding of the cuff. This should never be shared by two people as the cats escape and attack effectively  by multiple handling .

       FIRM  CUFF HOLDING AND PRESSING THE BACK BY GENTLE SPINAL RESTRAINT : This is gentle pressing of the vertebral column all along with your fore arm with well restrained cuff of cat in our fist.
This will ensure a firm grip and the animal can be restrained for injections. With this procedure a Surgeon can himself or herself give the injections with out assistance.

Like in all species iintramuscular injections should be always perpendicular with needle insterted to the mid belly of muscles. I prefer inseting only 1/3^rd of the hypodermic needle for a painless injection.

Post handling stress. Majority of the injury to the handlers happen after the handling as the animal will be much tensed and tries for self defense. 

Always safely place back in cage after the injection and let loose the animal for natural recovery. Remember cats needs much freedom . Don’t over handle a cat as it reduces its immunity.A good dose of neglect had found to be excellent in recovery of the feline patients . Domestic Cats are also prone for capture myopathy like their wild counter part and hypothermia is a common findings after surgical manipulations.

YOU CAN WATCH A VIDEO ON HANDLING AND RESTRAINT OF CATS 

CHEMICAL RESTRAINT

An injured cat with complete compound metacarpal fracture was presented . A proximal meta tarsal amputation was done on the cat on contrary to a mid  femoral amputation as the situation demanded a less invasive surgery.

Various anesthetic combinations are availiable for restraints if cats. I personally recommend the combination of a dissociative anesthetic , a muscle relaxant and a morphine pain killer for a much rewarding anesthetic retraint. Ketamine @ 10 mg/kg bw + Diazepam @ 0.5 mg/kg bw and Butorphanol @ 0.2 mg/kg bw give surgical plane of anesthesia for nearly 45-55 minutes. This can be further enhanced by a top up of 1/3^rd dose after 40 minutes .

YOU CAN WATCH THIS VIDEO ON META-TARSAL AMPUTATION IN A CAT

Ketamine , Diazepam Butorphanol cocktail is excellent for short  medium surgical procedures in cats 

You can forward your feedback, suggestions and recommendation for improvement.