Radiographic and Ultrasonographic Study of Limbs with reference to Diagnosis of Lameness in Buffaloes

Abstract

In the present study, mean length of metacarpal of animals was 18.98±0.21 cm, and in newlinemetatarsal 23.77±0.14 cm. Amongst the medial and lateral phalanges of fore and hind limbs, it was newlineobserved that the length of the first lateral phalanx of hind limb was higher than the length of lateral newlinephalanx of the fore limb, the values of the length of second lateral phalanx of fore limb was newlinesignificantly higher than the second lateral phalanx of the hind limb. newlineMean±SE values of radiographic total bone diameter (D) (mm) of bones of distal fore and newlinehind limb of adult buffalo ranged from 21.99±0.58 to 37.92±1.12 mm. Diameter of metacarpal was not newlinesignificantly different from diameter of metatarsal. Statistical analysis between the different bones of newlinefore limbs and hind limbs showed that the values of radiographic bone diameter of first medial phalanx newlineand first lateral phalanx of fore limb was significantly higher than that of the first medial phalanx and newlinefirst lateral phalanx of hind limbs. The diameter of third medial phalanx and third lateral phalanx of newlinefore limbs was significantly higher than that of the third medial phalanx and third lateral phalanx of newlinehind limb. It could be due the fact that fore limbs bear more body weight in comparison to hind limbs. newlineBetween the medial phalanges and lateral phalanges, the total bone diameter of the second medial newlinephalanx of both fore and hind limb were significantly higher than that of the second lateral phalanx of newlinethe same limb. In third phalanx the third medial phalanx of fore limb as well as hind limb was newlinesignificantly lesser than that of the third lateral phalanx bone of fore and hind limbs, respectively. newlineMean±SE values of radiographic width of cortex and medulla of distal bones of adult newlinebuffaloes ranged from 8.74±0.32to 15.16±0.32mm and 13.01±0.16 to 22.93±1.09 mm respectively. newlineCortex to medulla ratio of different bones studied ranged from 0.52 to 0.78. Comparison between newlinecortex to medulla ratio of both limbs depicted that the values of first medial phalanx and first