Lameness in cattle herd due to lime toxicity: A case report

Forty adult Friesian cows were presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia with primary complain of lameness. Upon physical examination of the cows, open wounds were found at the distal limbs, dorsal hoof, knee joint, metacarpal region, and udder. Based on history, clinical observation and physical examination, the cause of the lameness was diagnosed as of non-infectious origin; the cattle were affected with chemical burn originated from exposure to lime. The affected cattle were treated similarly to that of the line of open wound treatment; the wound was cleaned with topical application of the mixture of dermapred-iodine-benacillin. Flunixin meglumine dosed at 2.2 mg/kg bwt and Oxytetracycline dosed at 20 mg/kg bwt were given intramuscularly as anti-inflammatory and prophylactic antibiotic, respectively. This case report describes diagnosis of the cause of lameness, and its management in cattle herd caused by lime toxicity for the first time in Malaysia.