Treatment and Outcome of Interdigital Necrobacillosis (Interdigital Phlegmon, Foot Rot) in 43 Cows

Interdigital phlegmon is perhaps the disease with the most synonyms: infectious pododermatitis, interdigital necrobacillosis, foot rot , foul in the foot, foot abscess, panaritium are often mentioned. Traumatic lesions of the interdigital skin, caused by rough floor, uneven ground, stones, straw or pieces of wood are the most common causes. Maceration of the skin by wet weather conditions, faeces and urine may predispose the claw to injuries (1- 12). Pain, leading to mild or severe lameness and moderate to severe swelling of the interdigital space are major signs of the disease. Interdigital phlegmon has a worldwide occurence with massive economical losses in milk and meat production. Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus are mostly isolated from this infection. Clark et al. (1986) were able to reproduce foot rot by experimental cultures of F. necrophorum alone, as they injected the agent through the skin into the dermis. Interdigital phlegmon is usually sporadic, but may be endemic in high intensity beef or dairy cattle production units (1, 3, 8, 10) ...