4 Horn Lesions

1. Corkscrew claw

2. White line disease

3. Vertical wall cracks

What are 3 common HORN lesions?

WHEN HERITABLE: Lateral claws of hind legs (Most common)
WHEN ACQUIRED: medial front claws affected

Where does corkscrew claw more commonly affect cows?

Corkscrew claws

What is this?

Corkscrew Claw

This is the inward and upward spiral rotation of the toe in cattle, usually bilateral and correlated with laminitis

Corkscrew claw

(laminitis and ddft rupture would be other differentials)

You see a cow that has axial rotation of the lateral claw. They are weight bearing on the lateral wall caudally, but the lateral claw itself is overgrown. The abaxial coronary band has bony swelling. What are you thinking?

• Heritable: abnormal P3, appears at young age

• Abnormal horn growth rate & wt bearing

• Acquired: overconditioning/concrete floor or prolonged standing

• Laminitis

Name some contributing factors that can cause corkscrew claws

Corkscrew Claw caused by abnormal P3

• Misalignment between P2 & P3

• P3 has an abaxial to axial curve

• P3 is longer & narrower compared to normal

What is this?

corkscrew claw

What is this?

FALSE, though it is possible, heritability score is LOW. Meaning there are other predisposing factors

TRUE OR FALSE: Screw claw is HIGHLY heritable in cows

Angus

Who is screwclaw most commonly seen in?

White line disease & sole ulcers due to increased or abnormal weight bearing

What types of secondary lesions are common from corkscrew claw?

Corrective trimming

• straighten dorsal wall

• correct toe length to apx. 3 inches

• balance weight bearing surface

  • Basically must just reshape foot

How can you treat corkscrew claw?

Zone 3

Which zone of the foot is affected by white line disease most commonly in cattle?

Rear lateral claws (same as INHERITED corkscrew claw)

Which legs are more commonly affected by white line disease in cattle?

White line

This part of the claw in cows connects the sole with the wall, transmitting weight bearing forces between the wall and the sole

white line

What is the softest part of the claw capsule in cows?

Matrix of horn cells = flexible and soft

What makes up the white line in cows?

Compression of corium --> hypoxia/hemorrhage --> weakened white line

• may be due to overgrowth, metabolic factors, subclinical laminitis or instability of P3

Talk about the pathogenesis of white line disease in cattle

Leads to poor horn quality and widening of white line

Why may laminitis lead to white line disease in cattle?

White line disease

• small crack = things get in = infection ascends

Abscess, hemorrhage, separation, or even shearing forces from abrasive concrete may begin as a small crack or space which leads to ascending infection, causing what foot issue in cattle?

White line disease in cattle

What are these examples of ?

• Corrective trimming: Loose horn MUST GO (white line disease can be VERY EXTENSIVE = trim until no dirt line can be seen)

  • Medial claw 1st!

• May need to do hoof block

How can you treat white line disease?

Septic inflammation, ascending infection --> digit amputation/culling

Name some complications of white line disease

Feed management (gradual transitions), regular hoof trimming, nonslip surfaces, comfortable stalls

How can you PREVENT white line disease in cattle?

Vertical wall cracks or sand cracks

This is more common in beef cattle, starting in the intercellular cement

Horn cells (tubule horn and non tubular horn) and intercellular cement

Name some structures which make up the horn/hooves in cattle

Tubular horn

Which structure of the horn gives it its' structural strength and hardness

Vertical wall cracks

Animals with abnormal claw shape, horizontal grooves, poor nutrition, dry environment (brittle horn), or weak foot/horn quality make cows more susceptible to what problem?

PARTIAL: not normally lame

FULL THICKNESS: normally LAME, protrusion of corium + granulation

What is the difference between partial and full thickness vertical wall cracks?

Dorsal wall and abaxial-axial wall junction (aka the toe)

Where do vertical wall cracks normally happen?

Use hoof testers

How can you determine if a vertical wall crack is the reason for a cows lameness?

Corrective Trimming: grinder/dremel to blend margins of crack with adjacent hoof wall, place claw block to opposite claw

• Incomplete crack: make horizontal grooves at the ends of the crack and fill defect with epoxy

• Complete crack: use anesthesia, apply dexamethasone/OTC paste to corium, apply claw block

How can you treat vertical wall cracks?

Topical STEROIDS: dampens inflammatory response (for less granulation)

Oxytetracycline: inhibit neutrophils, MMP activity, and protein synthesis

What meds can you use to treat vertical wall cracks?

Zinc, copper, biotin

What vitamins are essential to maintain the intercellular cement (intercellular cement in cow hooves is a lipid-rich substance that fills the space between the hoof's keratinized cells, or keratinocytes) and prevent wall cracks of a cows hoof?

White line (healthy)

What is this?

cork screw claw

What is happening here?

White line disease (diffuse hemorrhage of the white line of the outer claw of a rear foot in association with sole hemorrhage)

What is happening here?

White line disease

What is happening here?

Vertical wall crack (treatment) = dremel crack

What is happening here?

Vertical wall crack, with the after correction on the right

What happened here?