A Piedmontese heifer calf approximately 2 months old, despite the antibiotic treatments administered prior to the clinical examination, presents an evident polyarthritis, involving the left carpus and both tarsi. The presence of a concomitant pathological involvement of the umbilicus confirms the omphalogenic origin of the joint infection (see following image).
The left carpal joint remains in flexion and allows only partial weight-bearing on the tip of the corresponding limb. Upon palpation, the joint is not warm or painful and does not show points of yielding or ectasia at the level of the synovial pouches. Forced extension of the limb does not allow alignment of the long bones due to a tenacious tendon contracture, partial articular bone deformation, and thickening and calcification of pre- and intra-articular soft tissues. Inflammation at the level of both tarsi, despite presenting ectasia of the joint pouches, is not warm or painful and allows normal functional movements for walking. All this indicates that it is certainly a chronic infection lasting for several weeks, with permanent lesions at the level of the carpus. The prognosis is certainly guarded and would require surgical treatment, both for the omphalitis and for the carpal arthritis. Scientific literature considers surgery contraindicated in the presence of both pathologies, with the aggravating factor of a negative prognosis in the case of polyarthritis when more than two joints are involved.
However, the owner intends to save the animal, attempting to recover it from a functional standpoint as well.
Umbilical surgery
Carpal Surgical Procedure
