Neurologic disorders and nerve injuries in cattle

Forelimb (Thoracic) Nerve Injuries:

• • Brachial Plexus Injury: Results in thoracic limb paresis and weight-bearing loss; often caused by excessive traction or abduction.

  • Radial Nerve Injury:

    • Proximal: Prevents extension of the elbow, carpus, and fetlock.

    • Distal: Prevents extension of the carpus and digits; animal may drag the limb.

  • Suprascapular Nerve Injury: Characterized by initial nonspecific ataxia followed by neurogenic atrophy of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles; often caused by head gate trauma.

Hind Limb (Pelvic) Nerve Injuries:

• • Calving Paralysis (Sciatic & Obturator):

    • Sciatic Damage: Results in knuckling of the fetlock.

    • Obturator Damage: Causes an inability to adduct the legs, leading the animal to "do the splits".

  • Femoral Nerve Injury: Common in large newborns after assisted birth; results in quadriceps paralysis and lateral patellar luxation.

  • Peroneal Nerve Injury: Causes paralysis of hock flexors and digit extensors; the animal stands with the digit knuckled onto its dorsal surface.

  • Tibial Nerve Injury: Rare; results in "dropped hock syndrome" (overflexed hock) and buckled fetlocks.

• • Breeding Management: Because these conditions are heritable, affected animals (especially bulls) should be eliminated from the breeding pool.

Critical Management Strategies:

• • Supportive Infrastructure: Animals should be moved to areas with tenacious footing (e.g., straw over manure) to prevent secondary injuries from slipping.

  • Physical Protection: Use of soft nylon straps to prevent hind-limb splaying in calving paralysis or casts/bandages to protect digits in radial nerve injury.

  • Medical Intervention: Vigorous early treatment with drugs like dexamethasone or flunixin meglumine is essential for a favorable prognosis.