Severe Foot Lesions in Dairy Goats Associated with Digital Dermatitis Treponemes

Treponeme-associated foot disease has been described in cattle with digital dermatitis and sheep with contagious ovine digital dermatitis. In this study, severe foot lesions in dairy goats associated with digital dermatitis treponemes (i.e. Treponema medium, Treponema phagedenis and Treponema pedis) were characterized macroscopically, radiographically and histologically. The main macroscopic foot lesion was of extensive solar ulceration with or without exophytic papilliform hyperkeratosis. Radiographically, the distal phalanx and distal sesamoid bones were severely damaged and remodelled. Histologically, the lesion was categorized as a chronic lymphoplasmacytic, suppurative and ulcerative pododermatitis. Immunohistochemistry identified the spirochaetal microorganisms located extracellularly in the superficial horn. Study limitations mean that the treponeme bacteria could not be considered the sole or causal agents in the cases described.