Foot rot
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Synonyms and keywords: infectious pododermatitis
Overview
Foot rot, or infectious pododermatitis, is a hoof infection that is commonly found in sheep, goat, 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 the whole herd can become infected. The cause of the infection in cattle is two anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that can grow without oxygen), Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus. Both bacteria are common to the environment that cattle live in and Fusobacterium is present in the rumen and fecal matter of the cattle. Usually there is an injury to the skin between the hooves that 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 the bacteria infect the foot. This is one of the reasons that 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.
Signs of Infection
The first sign of a foot rot infection is when the skin between the claws of the hoof begins to swell. Swelling usually appears twenty-four 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. A crack can develop along the infected part and is yellow in color. The foot will have a foul odor. Another sign of infection is that the infected animal may lose a large amount of weight rapidly. It is critical to treat the problem immediately or the bones, tendons, and joints in the area can become infected which is much harder to treat. There is a condition known as super foot rot that is seen in some animals. Super foot rot is just like normal foot rot only 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.
Treatment
The best way to treat foot rot is to catch it as early as possible. The infected animals should be separated away from the herd as soon as possible to prevent the infection from spreading and allow the animal a better environment for healing. The first treatment is to clean the foot thoroughly and examine the foot to determine that it is definitely foot rot that is causing the infection. Keeping the wound clean and using an antibiotic ointment may help reduce the spread of infection. Foot rot is usually treated with an antimicrobial product. Penicillin, tetracycline, and other antibacterial medicines are often used to treat normal cases of foot rot. Usually the antimicrobial product is non-prescription but sometimes a veterinarian may choose to use a prescription medication. It is critical to closely monitor the animals to make sure they are responding to treatment. The infected animals should be kept dry until the healing has occurred. If the animal is showing no signs of recovery after three to four days the bacteria could have infected the other tissues of the foot and along with a veterinarian the owner should decide whether to amputate the bad foot or to put the animal down.
Prevention
The infected animals can serve as the source of infection for the whole herd because they will spread the bacteria throughout the environment. The bacteria can live without a host for one to ten months. Once another animal gets a cut or crack in the soft tissue between their toes the bacteria can infect the animal. This is why infected animals must be kept away from the rest. A good way to prevent foot rot is to keep any foreign objects that may cut or damage the foot out of the environment. This should be a practice regardless of whether a herd has foot rot or not. The cuts are what allow the bacteria to enter the foot tissue and cause the infection. Some cattle feeders add zinc to the feed mixes and may vaccinate the animals for foot rot. Zinc is important to maintaining the skin and hooves of cattle. Cattle deficient in zinc will become infected easier than cattle with adequate zinc in their diet.
References
- Foot rot information
- W.G. Kvasnica, DVM, Ben Bruce, Ph.D., Ron Torell, MS. Foot Rot of Cattle. [2].
