This may lead to pneumonia, hacking cough, depressed appetite and watery eyes. Good nutrition may be helpful in preventing foot rot. Be sure that all cattle receive adequate calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin A for good bone and tissue health. Treatment Research reports from Missouri indicate that when treatment was administered the first day of the disease, recovery was observed in 3 to 4 days. When the first treatment was delayed for 3 days, treatment was required again at 7 days, recovery was delayed for 10 to 12 days, and two animals required 30 to 45 days with multiple treatments to recover.
Early treatment is necessary to prevent animals from becoming chronics.
Examine the feet of lame animals for foreign objects such as wires, nails, etc., and treat as soon as possible. These can be given intravenously or as a bolus. The boluses given simultaneously with penicillin or oxytetracycline for 3 days are probably the best overall treatment. The new, long-acting terramycin injectable and sustained release sulfa boluses used in combination are good drugs for treating foot rot. Treatment with these drugs must be given once every 3 to 5 days to maintain adequate blood levels.