Histopathology of dairy cows' hooves with signs of naturally acquired laminitis

The purpose of this study was to investigate histological changes in dairy cows' hooves with or without injuries from naturally acquired laminitis. Cull cows with no clinical signs of hoof abnormalities (G1, n=9) and those with macroscopic lesions associated with laminitis without (G2, n=23) or with lameness (G3, n=7) were used in the study. After slaughter, samples of dermo-epidermal junctions of sole, axial and dorsal regions of the hoof were obtained and histologically processed using HE and PAS staining. Congestion, hemorrhage and inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis of sole, axial and dorsal regions were blindly and semiquantitatively evaluated by the same researcher. Inflammatory infiltrate was evaluated in the dermal laminae of axial and dorsal regions. The morphology of epidermal cells and the presence of irregularities in three regions of the basement membrane (BM) length were examined using PAS staining. Scores of lesions in different regions of the hoof in the same group and in different groups for each region of the hoof were compared using non-parametric analyses. Inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis of all regions of the hoof was detected in all groups with no significant statistical difference. Cows with no clinical signs of hoof abnormalities secondary to laminitis (G1) have inflammation scores and epidermal cell changes similar to those of groups with laminitis injuries, suggesting the existence of a prodromal phase for this disease in bovines. BM had irregularities with a variable intensity along its length, however, with no difference among groups. The pattern of BM irregularities found has not been reported so far and does not resemble the BM collapse described in horses and cattle with induced acute laminitis. Is it concluded that even in the absence of macroscopic hoof signs associated to laminitis, dairy cows have histological injuries compatible with inflammation of the dermo-epidermal junction as in affected animals. Basement membrane of cows with or without laminitis associated lesions had irregularities with an irregular distribution along its length which need to be further studied.