causes sheep lameness

Foot rot

·    Dichelobacter nodosus

·    Clinical signs:

o  White/grey ooze with smell

o  Under running of horn anywhere

·    Treatment: oxytetracycline or amoxicillin, don’t trim feet (delays healing)

Contagious ovine digital dermatitis

·    Treponemes spirochetes +/- D. nodosus if concurrent footrot/ID

·    Clinical signs:

o  Initial lesion at coronary band

o  Under running of hoof wall, starting at coronary band

o  +/- interdigital involvement

·    Treatment: long term systemic amoxicillin or oxytetracycline

Interdigital dermatitis/scald

·    Dichelobacter nodosus

·    Clinical signs:

o  Inflammation of interdigital skin

o  Redenning

o  White/grey paste between claws, foul smell

·    Treatment: foot bath with 10% zinc sulphate solution, 2 min contact time

Toe granuloma

·    Causes: chronic unresolved footrot, or if snip sensitive part of toe

·    Clinical signs: inflamed granulomatous tissue coming out from under horn

·    Treatment: cut off with torniquet, cauterise with hot iron under LA, cull

White line disease

·    2 types:

o  Shelly hoof – soil/debris in white line, not lame unless pus develops

§ Clinical signs: black half moon shape in white line, +/- lame

o  Toe abscess – sudden onset lameness but no swelling, pus tracks up and out at coronary band

§ Clinical signs: sudden onset lame, no swelling, black spots in white line

§ Treatment: poultice until pus comes out, then oxytetracycline or amoxicillin

Foot abscess

·    Sepsis of DIP, secondary to trauma or infection

·    Clinical signs:

o  Severe lameness

o  Hot and swollen foot

o  Discharging sinus at coronary band or interdigital space

·    Treatment: surgical amputation of toe