Foot Rot - Treatment

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. Penicillin, 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.