TEXAS VET NEWS By Dr. Bob Judd, DVM and the Texas Farm Bureau Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network

We have discussed lameness in horses at length but today we are going to talk about lameness in sheep and goats.  Laminitis or founder also occurs in goats as it does in horses.  It is fairly common and is due to excess consumption of grain, a toxemia, or severe infection.  Signs are heat in the feet, so the goats lie down more than normal, or even kneel down. Advanced cases will even slough the hoof wall.  Treatment is to treat the systemic disease, give anti-inflammatories for the pain, and trim the feet frequently.  The main concerns are preventing exposure to excess grain and treating illness and toxemia early in the process before founder can occur. 

Another common cause of lameness is footrot.  Footrot is a contagious condition that can be brought in by new purchases. Signs occur when the weather is warm and wet.  Foot scald is a related condition that affects the area between the toes.  The organism lives only a couple weeks at pasture so turning the animals out decreases the chance of infection.  Treatment includes dipping the feet in formalin or zinc sulfate and treating with tetracycline.  There is a vaccine called Foot Vax that can be used if this disease is a problem, although the vaccine may cause abscesses at the injection site.  Another vaccine for footrot is called the volar vaccine but is not recommended by Dr. Mary Smith at Cornell due to severe reactions.  Another cause of lameness in goats is a foot abscess.  This usually occurs in a single goat and is due to an infection from a puncture wound in the sole.  Opening the abscess at the sole allows drainage and is curative.  Join us on our next program when we will cover different causes of arthritis.           

Date Published: 9/6/2005 10:37:00 AM