David C. Van Metre, DVM, DACVIM
Lameness in sheep and goats remains a significant source of morbidity and economic losses in North American flocks and herds. Lameness creates a marked and persistent negative impact on fertility, milk production, fiber production, growth, and animal well-being. Common causes of lameness in small ruminants include contagious footrot, laminitis, poor foot conformation, retrovirus-associated arthritis/synovitis (CAE and OPP viruses), bacterial polyarthritis caused by Mycoplasma and Chlamydia spp., and white muscle disease. Practitioners need to be familiar with the clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of these costly conditions. The purpose of this seminar is to review these conditions and discuss case problems in which alteration of flock or herd management practices has proven useful in preventing these disorders.