Lameness

Overview

Both hairy heel wart (digital dermatitis) and footrot are common causes of lameness in cattle, but they have different causes and require different treatment approaches.

Hairy Heel Wart (Digital Dermatitis)

A bacterial skin infection, typically on the back of the heel near the skin-hoof junction.
Appears right at the hair line as a raw, raspberry-like or hairy/wart-like lesion.
No swelling, often pointing toes.
Highly contagious within a herd.

Management: - Topical antibiotic treatment directly on the lesion - Footbaths to reduce herd-wide spread - Improving pen/lot drainage and reducing standing manure/mud

Footrot

A bacterial infection of the soft tissue between the toes, usually following a break in the skin (cuts, abrasions, abscess sites).
Entire foot is swollen not just one side.
Generally affects one animal at a time rather than spreading rapidly like digital dermatitis.

Management: - Systemic antibiotic treatment (not just topical) - Expect significant improvement within 2 days, if not call us. - Keeping the area clean and dry during recovery - Addressing environmental factors (rocks, debris, wet lots) that cause the initial injury

Note

If lameness doesn’t improve within a few days of treatment for footrot or 2 weeks for heel wart, or if you’re unsure which condition you’re dealing with, give us a call.