Foot Rot

Synonym: Infectious pododermatitis

• It is an infectious disease of animals characterized by inflammation, necrosis and ulceration of interdigital space, coronary bands and posterior limbs resulting to lameness.

Etiology:

• Spherophorous necrophorus (Fusiformis necrophorus)
• These are large, rod-shaped, gram -ve organism

Epidemiology:

• Disease is widely prevalent in tropical countries.
• It has got economic importance because of hindrance in draught power of animals.
• Muddy soil and wet manured areas or rocky soil favors the disease process.
• Disease is more prevalent in hot and wet season.
• Cattle, sheep, goat and pig are susceptible.
• Foot rot is usually random in occurrence, but the disease incidence may increase up to 25 percent in high-intensity beef or dairy production units
• Approximately 20 percent of all diagnosed lameness in cattle is actually foot rot.

Transmission:

• Breakdown of skin by continuous wet and muddy condition or rough ground
• Damage by tick or penetration of skin by larval stages of parasites; esp. Strongyloides papilosa
• Cut, bruises, puncture wound or severe abrasion of foot from rock, stick

Pathogenesis:

Clinical Findings:

• Lameness is the cardinal signs of disease.
• Elevation of body temperature, anorexia and loss of body weight
• Decreased milk production in lactating cattle
• Skin of interdigital space shows ulcerative changes.

• Affected animals may kick on the ground and disincline to move or try to move on two legs due to pain
• In sheep, horns may get affected and gets separated.
• Spreading of toes
• Foul odour from affected foot and little purulent discharge

Diagnosis:

• Based on clinical findings and history
• Isolation of organism through bacterial culture
• Any interdigital fissures and cracks with characteristic odour should be treated as foot rot.

Differential Diagnosis:

1. Foot abscess:

• There is abscess formation within hoof capsule; usually unilateral
• Localized swelling of digit
• Severe lameness

2. White line disease:

• Separation and black line at junction of sole and wall
• No characteristic foul smell

3. Photosensitization with solar dermatitis

• Lesion is usually painful accompanied with skin crusting and photosensitive areas beyond the hoof

4. Shelly hoof:

• Separation of hoof wall without deep necrosis
• Less painful

Treatment:

• Treatment of foot rot is usually successful, especially when instituted early in the disease course.
• Treatment should always begin with cleaning and examining the foot to establish that lameness is actually due to foot rot.
• Interdigital skin should be cleaned, debrided and disinfected followed by local application of antibiotics.
• Foot bath containing 5% copper sulphate, 2% Formalin and crystal violet twice a day is recommended.
• Systemic antibiotics such as penicillin, oxytetracyclines and erythromycin may be used in early disease process.
• Animals recover within 3-4 days. If animal donot respond to treatment, it is not just foot rot.
• Animals recover within 3-4 days. If animal donot respond to treatment, it is not just foot rot.

Control Measures:

• Animal should be placed on dry, smooth surface in indoor condition.
• Infected animals should be isolated from the rest of herd.
• Foot bath should be given with 5% copper sulphate.
• Hoof should be regularly trimmed and soaked in foot baths
• Regular hoof trimming one or twice a year.