M.B. Mostafa
Department of Veterinary Surgery, Aanesthesiology and Radiology,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to study the prevalence and incidence of lameness in draught camels in private camel farms. The incidence and prevalence of the distal limb lameness was 28.22% out of 450 draught camels. Lameness was more frequently observed in the distal forelimbs (53.5%) than hind limbs (46.6%). The foot disorders were the most common disorders causing lameness (59.05%) and the fetlock and metacarpus (MC)/metatarsal (MT) disorders were 40.94%. The distal forelimb affections had a higher incidence of foot disorders (31.5%) and fetlock and metacarpus (MC)/metatarsal (MT) disorders (22.0%) compared with the hind limbs. The prevalent distal limb disorders were the interdigital fibroma (17.3%), foot wounds (14.66%), foot abscess (14.66%), swollen digit (13.3%), the sole ulcer (9.3%), incomplete separation of the nail (6.67%) and septic distal interphalangeal joint arthritis (6.65%). Degenerative joint diseases of fetlock were (21.15%), pastern (6.65%) and coffin joint (9.33%). The MC/MT osteoperiosteal reactions (25.00%), angular fetlock deformity either valgus or varus deformities with toe-out or toe-in (21.24% and 11.53%, respectively) and septic tenosynovitis (21.15%) showed the highest causes of lameness in draught camels. The abnormal camel limb conformations, excessive workloads, trauma, and the camels used for long hours in harsh and unsuitable sandy and rocky ground conditions were considered the causes of lameness. This study will provide an assessment of the incidence of distal limb disorders in working camels.
Key words: Distal limb, draught camel, lameness, foot disorders, fetlock disorders
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