Efficacy of a nonantimicrobial cream administered topically for treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle.
OBJECTIVE
To compare efficacy of a topically administered nonantimicrobial cream with that of lincomycin for treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle.


METHODS
Randomized clinical trial.


METHODS
98 cows from a commercial Holstein dairy herd.


METHODS
Cows with active lesions of digital dermatitis identified on a single observation day were randomly assigned to receive a nonantimicrobial cream, lincomycin paste, or no treatment. Cows were examined approximately every 4 weeks for 130 days after treatment for lesion maturity score, score for signs of pain, lesion size, and lesion activity.


RESULTS
29 days after a single treatment, both treated groups had significantly reduced scores for signs of pain, lesion activity, lesion size, and the decision to retreat, compared with findings in the untreated group. Efficacy of the 2 treatments was not significantly different for decreasing pain score or lesion activity or for increasing lesion maturity score, but lincomycin was significantly more efficacious in decreasing lesion size and avoiding retreatment. By use of multivariate logistic regression, lactation number was a significant treatment effect modifier on the outcome of a healed lesion after treatment. Cows with > or = 3 lactations were more likely to have a healed lesion at 29 days, compared with first- and second-lactation cows.


CONCLUSIONS
Because antimicrobial treatments for digital dermatitis in cows require a veterinarian's prescription, the nonantimicrobial cream could serve as a viable but less consistently effective alternative to antimicrobials and could be applied by veterinarians, hoof trimmers, and others.
Moore
D A
DA
Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, and the Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Berry
S L
SL
Truscott
M L
ML
Koziy
V
V
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000473:pathology; D007774:Lactation; D008034:Lincomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016015:Logistic Models; D009824:Ointments; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009824:Ointments; D008034:Lincomycin