[Non-antibiotic treatment of interdigital hyperplasia secondary infected with digital dermatitis treponemes in dairy...

Since the spread of classical digital dermatitis (DD) lesions within the cattle population, frequency of infections of interdigital hyperplasia (IH) lesions with DD-associated Treponema spp. (IH+DD) increased. The aim of the present case series is to describe an alternative treatment technique to surgical lesion removal or local treatment of HI+DD lesions with antibiotics. In this report, the effect of repeated local administration of salicylic acid paste, protected by a water repellent bandage was described and assessed for the treatment of four dairy cows with IH+DD lesions. Milker's fat Eutra was applied to the unaffected skin adjacent to the lesion to protect healthy skin from the keratolytic properties of salicylic acid paste. Treatment was repeated at weekly intervals in all four cases until the IH+DD lesions had completely clinically healed. Two cows additionally showed classical DD lesions between the heels. Clinical healing was defined as remission of IH and complete healing of the DD lesions located on IH lesions and between the heels. Complete healing was evident at three weeks of treatment in all four cases. Weekly repeated topical application of salicylic acid paste under bandage may be recommended as an alternative to surgical or antibiotic treatment of IH+DD lesions.