Cartilage lesions associated with shaky-leg lameness in turkeys.
Shaky-leg lameness is a poorly defined, mild to very severe, painful lameness occurring mainly in 10-to-18-week-old fast-growing male turkeys. Since there are no significant gross or microscopic lesions in early or uncomplicated cases, the cause of the lameness is likely soft-tissue (muscle or tendon) pain. A case history of a flock problem of shaky-leg lameness is described, and it is suggested that stiffness and inactivity secondary to footpad dermatitis in these turkeys was responsible for the severe shaky-leg lameness in the flock. The cartilage lesion described is an avascular lesion and appeared to be the result of inactivity rather than the cause of lameness in these turkeys.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D007103:Immobilization; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014422:Turkeys