The hock , tarsus or uncommonly gambrel , is the region formed by the tarsal bones connecting the tibia and metatarsus of a digitigrade or unguligrade quadrupedal mammal, such as a horse , cat , or dog . This joint may include articulations between tarsal bones and the fibula in some species (such as cats), while in others the fibula has been greatly reduced and is only found as a vestigial remnant fused to the distal portion of the tibia (as in horses). It is the anatomical homologue of the ankle of the human foot . While homologous joints occur in other tetrapods , the term is generally restricted to mammals, particularly long-legged domesticated species .
16-416: Foot rot , also known as foul-in-the-foot, interdigital necrobacillosis or infectious pododermatitis , is a hoof infection commonly found in sheep , goats , and cattle . As the name suggests, it rots away the foot of the animal, more specifically the area between the two toes of the affected animal. It is extremely painful and contagious. It can be treated with a series of medications, but if not treated,
32-431: A veterinary surgeon. Bumblefoot on birds of prey can be put into three broad types of the infection. In the first type, a small, reddened area, or sometimes a small, shiny patch, can be seen on the foot. This is mostly caused by inappropriate perching (or perching for too long), or less likely, by badly fitted furniture, such as jesses , that are too small. The second type is more serious, where an infection has penetrated
48-401: A foot-rot infection is when the skin between the claws of the hoof begins to swell ( cellulitis ). Swelling usually appears 24 hours after infection. The skin between the toes may be very red and tender and the toes may separate because of all the swelling. This is very painful to the animal and can cause lameness . The animal may also have a raised body temperature. A crack can develop along
64-399: Is much more likely to occur in captive animals than in those in the wild. Ulcerative pododermatitis is referred to as "sore hocks " when it affects a rabbit and "bumblefoot" when it affects a bird. The terms "sore hocks" and "bumblefoot" are used interchangeably when describing ulcerative pododermatitis in rodents. Bumblefoot is, perhaps, the largest cause of referral of birds of prey to
80-414: Is questionable and the immunity they provide is of short duration. Pododermatitis Bumblefoot ( ulcerative pododermatitis ) is a common bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction that occurs on the feet of birds , rodents , and rabbits. It is caused by bacteria, namely species of Staphylococcus , Pseudomonas , and Escherichia , with S. aureus being the most common cause of
96-421: Is so named because of the characteristic "bumbles" or lesions, as well as swelling of the foot pad, symptomatic of an infection. Topical antiseptics in addition to oral or injected antibiotics may be used to combat the infection, which if left untreated may be fatal. Hock (anatomy) The terms tarsus and hock refer to the region between the gaskin (crus) and cannon regions (metatarsus), which includes
112-406: The bacteria infect the foot. This is one of the reasons foot rot is such a major problem in the summer. Foot rot is easily identifiable by its appearance and foul odor. Treatment is usually with an antibiotic medication, and preventing injury to the feet is the best way to prevent foot rot. The disease is different in cattle and sheep and cross-infection is not thought to occur. The first sign of
128-445: The bones, joints, and soft tissues of the area. The hock is especially important in equine anatomy , due to the great strain it receives when the horse is worked. Jumping, quick turns or stops, and movements that require collection , are some of the more stressful activities. In the horse, the hock consists of multiple joints, namely: In the horse, the hock consists of the following bones: Also see equine conformation Because
144-522: The bottom of their feet. These wounds are very susceptible to infection by opportunistic bacterial pathogens , chiefly Staphylococcus aureus . Treatment often requires opening the wound to drain the pus, soaking it in Epsom salts , and antibiotic treatment and local application of the antiseptic povidone-iodine as local dressing. In 2016, thermography was used to identify and evaluate bumblefoot lesions in 67 captive penguins from three species. Bumblefoot
160-453: The good foot (or feet), which increases the chance of an abrasion occurring that could develop a bumblefoot infection. Consequently, in cases of lameness, the good leg(s) should be examined for potential cuts and infections. Overweight animals are more at risk of developing bumblefoot for the same reason; their extra weight causes excessive pressure on their feet. However, the infection can usually be attributed to poor husbandry practices, so
176-465: The infected part and is yellow in color. The foot will have a foul odor. Tendons and joints in the area can become infected, which is much harder to treat. A condition known as "super foot rot" is seen in some animals. Super foot rot infection occurs much faster and is usually much more severe. Most normal foot rot treatments will not cure this foot rot and a veterinarian should be contacted immediately. Vaccines have been developed, but their efficacy
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#1733106621096192-451: The infection. The aforementioned opportunistic bacteria occur naturally in the animal's environment, and infection occurs when one or a combination of these enters the body through a scrape or cut in the skin. Bumblefoot can take various forms, but it usually looks like an abscess-like swelling with a central, dark-colored scab that may or may not ooze. Sometimes, this swollen bump contains pus or cottage cheese-like material. Alternately,
208-426: The skin, and causes interdigital lesions and slight inflammation. The second stage of the disease is marked by the invasion of the foot by the foot rot bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus , a Gram-negative anaerobe . Usually, an injury to the skin between the hooves allows the bacteria to infect the animal. Another cause of foot rot may be high temperatures or humidity, causing the skin between the hooves to crack and let
224-526: The skin. The third type involves the bird having a severe distortion of the contours of the foot and/or the toes, resulting in considerable damage to the foot. A bird suspected of suffering from any degree of bumblefoot should be assessed by an avian veterinarian and prescribed antibiotics if deemed necessary. Bumblefoot is a common infection for domesticated poultry and waterfowl , such as chickens , ducks , and quail. Due to constant walking on hard, rough, or sharp surfaces, birds can develop small wounds on
240-435: The swelling could contain a hard lump when these materials harden, or if the abscess becomes impacted with substrate (e.g. soil, straw, etc.) Bumblefoot may also present as redness, swelling, small red sores, and depending upon severity and length of time with the condition, lesions, cracks, or discoloration. Lameness puts more weight-bearing duty on an animal's strong leg(s); this leads to excessive pressure being placed on
256-409: The whole herd can become infected. The cause of the infection in cattle is two species of anaerobic bacteria , Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus . Both bacteria are common to the environment in which cattle live, and Fusobacterium is present in the rumen and fecal matter of the cattle. In sheep, F. necrophorum first invades the interdigital skin following damage to
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