Digital dermatitis in cattle

Part II: Treatment, prevention and link with other treponemal diseases

Abstract

Digital dermatitis is the most common cause of lameness worldwide in dairy cattle. In this final part of a twin paper, treatment options and strategies to prevent digital dermatitis are reviewed. There is a wide range of different treatments available but none of them can completely cure the animal. Footbaths and applying high standards for hygiene are ways to keep this disease under control. Moreover, the link to other (human and non-human) treponemal diseases will be discussed. In humans, treponemes are involved in periodontal disease, syphilis and many other illnesses. The dermatological manifestation of some of these human diseases such as yaws have a similar appearance like acute digital dermatitis. Digital dermatitis-like lesions have been described in goats, sheep and elks. The typically isolated Treponema spp. can also be found in equine proliferative pododermatitis affected feet. Besides in digital dermatitis, these bacteria can be found in bovine ulcerative mammary dermatitis and badly healing lesions in cattle.