LIVESTOCK
From page 36
K Hind leg lameness
If it's a hind leg that's sore, it's
often more difficult to tell
Horse favouring a lame foreleg
which one.
Most people interpret
nodding in relation to the
front feet hitting the ground.
However at the trot
when a front leg is on
the ground it's at the
same time as the
hind leg diagonally
opposite is on the
ground.
This means that an
animal with a sore
hind leg nods when
the front leg on the
same side as the sore
hind leg is on the
ground.
For example, if its
right hind leg is sore,
the animal will nod more
heavily when the right front
(and left hind) leg are on the
ground.
K Lameness in more than
one leg
If more than one leg is
affected, sorting out which
legs are involved gets even
trickier!
If both front feet are sore, the
Good hoof care is essential in the prevention of lameness.
animal may stand rocked
back so that most of its weight
is on its hind legs. This is
often the case with ponies
and donkeys that have
laminitis.
Sheep and goats may graze in
a kneeling position if a front
foot is sore, and especially if
both are sore.
K Other ways of detecting
lameness
Often there is a thickening or
swelling and heat at the site of
an injury, so gently feeling
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down all the legs concentrating on the joints and tendons,
and comparing the sound legs
with the sore leg may give a
clue to the site of any injury.
In many types of arthritis the
affected joints are enlarged
and they may be hot and
painful.
When a tendon has been
injured it is usually puffy and
painful when you gently feel
along the length of it.
Generally an animal with a
Continued on page 40