title: Septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint in cattle: comparison of digital amputation and joint resection by solar approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine in cattle with septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint (SADIJ) the efficacy of resection of the distal interphalangeal joint (JRES) as a digit salvage technique compared with digital amputation (DAMP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  German Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle with SADIJ of 1 hind limb (n=52).
  
  
  METHODS
  SADIJ diagnosis was based on clinical examination and radiography. Cows were randomly assigned with owner consent to DAMP (n=26) or JRES (n=26). After JRES, a wooden block was fixed to the partner claw in combination with a tipping claw prophylaxis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After surgery, degree of lameness improved significantly faster after DAMP than after JRES. New claw diseases in the opposite limb occurred more frequently after JRES (n=6) than after DAMP (n=1). New claw defects developed in the partner claw on the operated limb in 6 cows after DAMP compared with 1 after JRES. Tipping claw was observed in 50% of JRES cows at day 180. Mean life span between groups was not significantly different (DAMP=13.5 months, JRES=10.9 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher surgical and postsurgical expenditures for JRES were not counterbalanced by a longer productive life; however, frequent disease of the partner claw of cows after DAMP should be considered a critical point, as this generally leads to culling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher expenditure for JRES can be justified only for young, valuable cattle.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Cattle and the Institute for Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Starke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heppelmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyerbach
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rehage
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000601:surgery*; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000662:veterinary; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014033:Toe Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome