L A Karriker, C E Abell, M D Pairis-Garcia, W A Holt, G Sun, J F Coetzee, A K Johnson, S J Hoff, K J Stalder
Swine Medicine Education Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Science, Cyclone Analyte Detection Service, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Journal of animal science 2013 JanThe objective of this study was to develop a validated, transient, chemically induced lameness model in sows using subjective and objective lameness detection tools. Experiment 1 determined an effective joint injection technique based on volume and placement of dye using feet collected from 9 finisher pigs and 10 multiparity cull sow carcasses. Experiment 2 confirmed the injection technique in live animals and produced a transient clinical lameness in 4 anesthetized sows injected with amphotericin B (15 mg/mL) in the distal interphalangeal joints of the claw. Clinical lameness was assessed by a categorical lameness scoring system, and a postmortem visual confirmation of joint injection technique was obtained. In Exp. 3, 6 sows were injected with 0, 10, or 15 mg/mL amphotericin B in either the left or right hind foot and were monitored until clinical resolution. Treated sows demonstrated elevated clinical lameness scores. These changes resolved by 7 d after lameness induction. Control sows injected with sterile saline developed a clinical lameness score of 0.5, which resolved 72 h post injection. In Exp. 4, 36 sows were injected with 10 mg/mL amphotericin B in 1 of 4 injection sites (left front claws, right front claws, left rear claws, and right rear claws). All injected sows exhibited a decrease in maximum pressure, stance time, and number of sensors activated on the GaitFour (P < 0.05) sensor system. A static force plate also demonstrated a decrease in weight (kg) being placed on the injected foot when all feet were injected (P ≤ 0.05). Injection of amphotericin B induced a predictable acute lameness that resolved spontaneously and is an effective method to model lameness in sows.
L A Karriker, C E Abell, M D Pairis-Garcia, W A Holt, G Sun, J F Coetzee, A K Johnson, S J Hoff, K J Stalder. Validation of a lameness model in sows using physiological and mechanical measurements. Journal of animal science. 2013 Jan;91(1):130-6
PMID: 23048143
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