Pathological study of the relation between the incidences of claws lesions and carpo-digital joint capsule lesions in front limbs of sheep slaughtered in Mosul

Abstract

For detecting a possible relation between claws lesions and the lesions of carpo-digital joint capsule, the nearest joint to the claws, with an importance in diagnosing the exact cause of lameness in sheep resulting to be brought for casualty slaughter. For that goal 128 front limb were collected from slaughtered sheep at Mosul abattoir for period from 5-25/2/2013, the gross examination was made for observing the claws lesions and the synovial capsule were harvested, preserved and prepared for histopathologic examination, then examined microscopically with recording lesions. the correlation coefficient values were estimated between claws affection and joint capsular lesions at the same limb. Results demonstrated affection of 83 limbs with claws lesions as foot rot and erosions at incidence ratio 64.84%. The histopathological examination revealed a chronic type of changes including Fibroplasia in both synovium and tunica densa at incidences 8.59% and 6.25% respectively, Foci of hyperplastic synovial lining at 4.68% of samples, adipose tissue marbleizing synovium at 7.03% of the examined sections. Mild degree of chronic synovitis was observed within 10.93% of total samples, connective tissue metaplasia was evident at 3.9% of sections at tunica densa layer, the arteriolar musculature showed vacuolation at 18.75% of samples. The correlation coefficient value was significantly positive between occurrence of foot rot disease and the incidence of chronic synovitis in carpo-digital joint capsule which can be considered as the most important conclusion in the study.