Recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of claw horn disease

摘要

The aetiopathogenesis of the lesions caused by claw horn disruption (principally sole haemorrhage, sole ulcer and white line disease) remains relatively poorly understood. Early descriptions of claw horn lesions in cattle suggested an aetiopathogenesis similar to that described for 'laminitis' in horses. In cattle, rumen acidosis (associated with the overfeeding of concentrates) was suggested to lead to inflammation and degradation of the laminae and eventually increased movement and sinkage of the distal phalanx within the hoof capsule. Movement of the distal phalanx led to compression of the dermis and the formation of claw horn lesions. Whilst in cross sectional studies the claw horn lesions have been associated with high concentrate diets, causality cannot be attributed using this study design. At the same time, this theory has proved difficult to induce experimentally. The evidence and limitations in this area have been succinctly reviewed (Bicalho and Oikonomou 2013).