for Vicki the vet

[Anonymous]

I recently purchased some replacement Hereford heifers that were long bred. The owner had apparently fed them some grain to obviously make them eye appealing, which almost made me not purchase them. Several have laminitis or at least that is my diagnosis. I have lifted the front foot to see if something was stuck in the foot, but found nothing. The hoofs are not grown out but this one is trying to break off. I have treated with a product given by my vet, four white pills about the size of a nickel,(USDA is considering removing it from the market; no established tolerance in meat) the name I cannot remember, but I have had excellent results crushing these tabs and mixing in a small amt. of feed. Beats handling the animal. Treated for three days with some improvement, but there is swelling above the hock to just above the knee joint. Any thoughts on what to consider for future treatment? This is not foot rot, though I have administered LA 200 as a precaution. The heifers are high dollar animals, thus my concern. Thanks for any suggestions you might have and for your willingness to share information with the discussion board. Mike H.

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[Anonymous]

Ok, just some clarification needed. Where is the hoof trying to break off? Toe, side or coronary band? (top) Is the swelling hot or not, and is it pitting edema (finger mark stays when pressed) or not? I have utterly no idea which drug you're giving, since formulations and legal drugs are so different US to Canada. It may be something I've used or may not.

In general, swelling between the hock and stifle without communicating swelling between the fetlock and hock will NOT be directly related to the foot. It could certainly be from injury sustained by odd movement from a sore foot, but infection in the foot will not bypass the cannon area in it's swelling. LA shouldn't hurt but likely won't help. If you can answer the above questions, I'll possibly be able to refine my thoughts enough to give you a direction. V

 

[Anonymous]

> Ok, just some clarification
> needed. Where is the hoof trying
> to break off? Toe, side or
> coronary band? (top) Is the
> swelling hot or not, and is it
> pitting edema (finger mark stays
> when pressed) or not? I have
> utterly no idea which drug you're
> giving, since formulations and
> legal drugs are so different US to
> Canada. It may be something I've
> used or may not.

> In general, swelling between the
> hock and stifle without
> communicating swelling between the
> fetlock and hock will NOT be
> directly related to the foot. It
> could certainly be from injury
> sustained by odd movement from a
> sore foot, but infection in the
> foot will not bypass the cannon
> area in it's swelling. LA
> shouldn't hurt but likely won't
> help. If you can answer the above
> questions, I'll possibly be able
> to refine my thoughts enough to
> give you a direction. V

The hoof is breaking off in the front of the toe, front leg. Swelling not hot. No finger marks when pressed. The drug is phenolbutazol. I have also given 10cc of dexamethazone for three days which I credit to a reduction in inflammation and swelling. Heifer was standing more yesterday and seemed to be putting more weight on the foot. Prior it just appeared to be tender, then the swelling followed. I too have considered if another animal might have hooked her, but who knows. The swelling just above the hoof made me first consider this was related to inflammed tendons in that lower joint above the hoof. My vet is a good one and the approach is to treat and then wait to observe what may be a slow recovery. The heifer calved a week or two ago and so the calf is ready for improvement so as to get more milk. A second opinion is always helpful. thanks.

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[Anonymous]

Phenylbutazone is a NSAID, essentially a type of aspirin like drug for cattle and horses. It can cause irreversible aplastic anemia in humans, so stay away from it for yourself. It can cause ulcers, especially when combined with a different anti-inflammatory which includes dexamethasone, so watch out. If the crack is concentric (going around toe) near the ground, she'll be painful but will outgrow it, and may need to have an abscess opened at the toe tip. If it is vertical and cracking towards the coronary band, we'll often drop them and cement or lace the hoof wall so that the crack doesn't continue. This kind will often lame for life if not treated. Again, abscesses are a major problem. If it is up at the top of the hoof, yikes! Painful for months, major problems with that foot forever due to malformed hoof, infection is plain scary.....

So with a front leg, it is a little less serious than a back leg, since 2/3 of the weight is borne by the back legs....with swelling from the fetlock to the carpus, infection is definitely a possibility as is a strain. If you have a good vet, listen to them and you'll likely slowly see results!

Good Luck! V

 

[Anonymous]

> Phenylbutazone is a NSAID,
> essentially a type of aspirin like
> drug for cattle and horses. It can
> cause irreversible aplastic anemia
> in humans, so stay away from it
> for yourself. It can cause ulcers,
> especially when combined with a
> different anti-inflammatory which
> includes dexamethasone, so watch
> out. If the crack is concentric
> (going around toe) near the
> ground, she'll be painful but will
> outgrow it, and may need to have
> an abscess opened at the toe tip.
> If it is vertical and cracking
> towards the coronary band, we'll
> often drop them and cement or lace
> the hoof wall so that the crack
> doesn't continue. This kind will
> often lame for life if not
> treated. Again, abscesses are a
> major problem. If it is up at the
> top of the hoof, yikes! Painful
> for months, major problems with
> that foot forever due to malformed
> hoof, infection is plain
> scary.....

> So with a front leg, it is a
> little less serious than a back
> leg, since 2/3 of the weight is
> borne by the back legs....with
> swelling from the fetlock to the
> carpus, infection is definitely a
> possibility as is a strain. If you
> have a good vet, listen to them
> and you'll likely slowly see
> results!

> Good Luck! V

The crack is cocentric. I will watch for ulcers, I assume you mean in the soft tissue of hoof. The hoof appears normal but could need reshaping. Should trimming be considered, or just leave it along for a week or two? In Texas, those vertical cracks, we call sand cracks are tough to deal with, but I have sealed them with a cement type product with success if caught early. thanks again.

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[Anonymous]

No, the two drugs combined can blow a hole in the abomasum....stomach ulcers. Watch for appetite!!!

 

[Anonymous]

> No, the two drugs combined can
> blow a hole in the
> abomasum....stomach ulcers. Watch
> for appetite!!!

So, based on the information provided, what is your suggested treatment? I sense the treatment being used carries unacceptable risk in your opinion.

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[Anonymous]

Actually, the two drugs can work well together, just be careful not to cause abomasal ulcers. I've seen bute do it by itself in 3 days of proper dosage in a pony, so adding dex can make it a little dicey. Trust your vet to know the effects as well as I do, and if it's working, just watch appetite very closely!