[Diseases in the distal extremities of cows--a pathoanatomical study].

A pathoanatomical and radiographic investigation of limbs from slaughtered cows is presented. The reason for slaughtering was in all cases lameness or other limb-abnormalities. Only lesions distal to carpus/tarsus were investigated because the limbs are cut in these joints in the slaughterhouse. The total number of limbs was 180. The most important lesions were aseptic periostitis/ostitis in distal phalanx, arthrosis in the distal interphalangeal joint, laminitis, pododermatitis circumscripta and erosio ungulae. A pathoanatomical description was done of periostitis/ostitis in distal phalanx and arthrosis in the d.i.p. joint which were the most frequent lesions. A biochemical investigation of synovial fluid from d.i.p. joints is also presented. Periostitis/ostitis in distal phalanx and the serious cases of arthrosis in the d.i.p. joint were both distributed in the same manner as laminitis in the different digits (Figure 1, 2, 10 and 14). The lateral hind digit and the medial fore digit were most frequently affected. It is questioned if the clinical diagnosis of laminitis often is used when the cows actually are suffering from these two lesions. On the other hand it is the authors opinion that chronic laminitis not always conveys rotation of the distal phalanx, but that the disease often results only in periostitis/ostitis in distal phalanx. Periostitis/ostitis in distal phalanx and arthrosis in d.i.p. joint were correlated to the shape of the fore hooves to estimate certain etiological aspects (Figure 16 and 17). Arthrosis in d.i.p. joint was more often seen in assymetrical hooves, hooves with short toe/overgrown bulb and in long/overgrown hooves than in normal hooves. The same result was found for periostitis/ostitis in lateral distal phalanx, while the medial distal phalanx was equally affected of this lesion at different hoofshapes.