Foot rot
Encyclopedia
Foot rot, or infectious pododermatitis, is a hoof
infection
commonly found in sheep, goat
s, 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 are two species of anaerobic
bacteria
(bacteria that can grow without oxygen), Fusobacterium necrophorum
and Bacteroides
melaninogenicus. Both bacteria are common to the environment in which cattle
live, and Fusobacterium is present in the rumen
and fecal matter of the cattle. In sheep, the Fusobacterium necrophorum first invades the interdigital skin following damage to the skin, and causes interdigital lesions and slight inflammation. The second stage of the disease is marked by the invasion of the foot by the foot rot bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus
, a Gram-negative anaerobe. 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 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.
The disease is different in cattle and sheep and cross-infection is not thought to occur.
between the claws of the hoof
begins to swell (cellulitis
). Swelling usually appears 24 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. The animal may also have a raised body temperature. A crack can develop along the infected part and is yellow in color. The foot will have a foul odor. Tendon
s and joint
s in the area can become infected, which is much harder to treat. A condition known as "super foot rot" is seen in some animals. Super foot rot 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.
, tetracycline, and other antibacterial medicines are often used to treat normal cases of foot rot. Usually, the antimicrobial product is nonprescription, 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. Infusing antibiotic into the veins of the foot may be an effective way to treat those cases. Claw amputation and in very severe cases, euthanasia, may also have to be considered.
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 diets.
Regular footbathing may help reduce the incidence of foot rot in a herd. The bath usually contains copper sulphate or formalin.
Vaccines have been developed but their efficacy is questionable and the immunity they provide is of short duration.
Hoof
A hoof , plural hooves or hoofs , is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, strengthened by a thick horny covering. The hoof consists of a hard or rubbery sole, and a hard wall formed by a thick nail rolled around the tip of the toe. The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole...
infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
commonly found in sheep, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. 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 are two species of anaerobic
Anaerobic organism
An anaerobic organism or anaerobe is any organism that does not require oxygen for growth. It could possibly react negatively and may even die if oxygen is present...
bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
(bacteria that can grow without oxygen), Fusobacterium necrophorum
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Fusobacterium necrophorum is the species of Fusobacterium that is responsible for Lemierre's syndrome, and appears to be responsible for 10% of all acute sore throats, 21% of all recurring sore throats, and 23% of peritonsillar abscesses with the remainder being caused by Group A streptococci or...
and Bacteroides
Bacteroides
Bacteroides is a genus of Gram-negative, bacillus bacteria. Bacteroides species are non-endospore-forming, anaerobes, and may be either motile or non-motile, depending on the species. The DNA base composition is 40-48% GC. Unusual in bacterial organisms, Bacteroides membranes contain sphingolipids...
melaninogenicus. Both bacteria are common to the environment in which cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
live, and Fusobacterium is present in the rumen
Rumen
The rumen, also known as a paunch, forms the larger part of the reticulorumen, which is the first chamber in the alimentary canal of ruminant animals. It serves as the primary site for microbial fermentation of ingested feed...
and fecal matter of the cattle. In sheep, the Fusobacterium necrophorum first invades the interdigital skin following damage to the skin, and causes interdigital lesions and slight inflammation. The second stage of the disease is marked by the invasion of the foot by the foot rot bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus
Dichelobacter nodosus
Dichelobacter nodosus, formerly Bacteroides nodosus, is a Gram-negative, obligate anaerobe of the family Cardiobacteriaceae. It has polar fimbriae and is the causative agent of ovine foot rot. It is the lone species in the genus Dichelobacter.-External...
, a Gram-negative anaerobe. 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 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
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
medication, and preventing injury to the feet is the best way to prevent foot rot.
The disease is different in cattle and sheep and cross-infection is not thought to occur.
Signs of infection
The first sign of a foot rot infection is when the skinSkin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
between the claws of the hoof
Hoof
A hoof , plural hooves or hoofs , is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, strengthened by a thick horny covering. The hoof consists of a hard or rubbery sole, and a hard wall formed by a thick nail rolled around the tip of the toe. The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole...
begins to swell (cellulitis
Cellulitis
Cellulitis is a diffuse inflammation of connective tissue with severe inflammation of dermal and subcutaneous layers of the skin. Cellulitis can be caused by normal skin flora or by exogenous bacteria, and often occurs where the skin has previously been broken: cracks in the skin, cuts, blisters,...
). Swelling usually appears 24 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. The animal may also have a raised body temperature. A crack can develop along the infected part and is yellow in color. The foot will have a foul odor. Tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
s and joint
Joint
A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact. They are constructed to allow movement and provide mechanical support, and are classified structurally and functionally.-Classification:...
s in the area can become infected, which is much harder to treat. A condition known as "super foot rot" is seen in some animals. Super foot rot infection occurs much faster and is usually much more severe. Most normal foot rot treatments will not cure this foot rot and a veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
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 it is definitely foot rot 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. PenicillinPenicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
, tetracycline, and other antibacterial medicines are often used to treat normal cases of foot rot. Usually, the antimicrobial product is nonprescription, 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. Infusing antibiotic into the veins of the foot may be an effective way to treat those cases. Claw amputation and in very severe cases, euthanasia, may also have to be considered.
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 up to seven days. Once another animal gets a cut or crack in the soft tissue between its 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 zincZinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
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
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
will become infected easier than cattle with adequate zinc in their diets.
Regular footbathing may help reduce the incidence of foot rot in a herd. The bath usually contains copper sulphate or formalin.
Vaccines have been developed but their efficacy is questionable and the immunity they provide is of short duration.
