Phenytoin: A Promising Non-antibiotic Drug for the Topical Treatment of Digital Dermatitis in Dairy Cows

Overview

Journal Vet World

Specialty Veterinary Medicine

Date 2022 Jan 12

PMID 35017837

Authors

El-Sayed El-Shafaey

Mohamed A Hamed

Eman Abo Elfadl

Naglaa A Gomaa

Mohamed Abdo Rizk

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Aim: Digital dermatitis (DD) is one of the most common causes of lameness in dairy cattle. It is seen in nearly all dairy herds across the world and has substantial welfare and economic implications. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of phenytoin sodium topical treatment on painful ulcerative stage of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD).

Materials And Methods: In total, 45 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows with DD were randomly assigned to one of the three topical treatment trials (15 each): Saline solution (first treatment, negative control), chlortetracycline spray (second treatment, positive control), or phenytoin sodium powder (third treatment, positive control) (third treatment). On day 0 (pre-treatment) and on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-treatment, the response of DD-affected cows to the medications used was evaluated by measuring lesion depth and size, as well as the total clinical score (lameness, pain, and discomfort).

Results: The cure rate in cows treated with phenytoin (86.66%) on day 28 was significantly improved compared to cows treated with either chlortetracycline (60%) or normal saline (6.66 %).

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the superiority of phenytoin over the commonly used antibacterial agent, chlortetracycline, in the topical treatment of BDD, and subsequently suggest that phenytoin should be considered a suitable alternative treatment option for the treatment of BDD.

References

Hasamnis A, Mohanty B, Muralikrishna , Patil S . Evaluation of wound healing effect of topical phenytoin on excisional wound in albino rats. J Young Pharm. 2011; 2(1):59-62. PMC: 3035887. DOI: 10.4103/0975-1483.62215. View

Shearer J, Hernandez J . Efficacy of two modified nonantibiotic formulations (Victory) for treatment of papillomatous digital dermatitis in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2000; 83(4):741-5. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(00)74936-8. View

Laven R, Proven M . Use of an antibiotic footbath in the treatment of bovine digital dermatitis. Vet Rec. 2000; 147(18):503-6. DOI: 10.1136/vr.147.18.503. View

Read D, Walker R . Papillomatous digital dermatitis (footwarts) in California dairy cattle: clinical and gross pathologic findings. J Vet Diagn Invest. 1998; 10(1):67-76. DOI: 10.1177/104063879801000112. View

Berry S, Read D, Walker R, Famula T . Clinical, histologic, and bacteriologic findings in dairy cows with digital dermatitis (footwarts) one month after topical treatment with lincomycin hydrochloride or oxytetracycline hydrochloride. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010; 237(5):555-60. DOI: 10.2460/javma.237.5.555. View

Relun A, Lehebel A, Bruggink M, Bareille N, Guatteo R . Estimation of the relative impact of treatment and herd management practices on prevention of digital dermatitis in French dairy herds. Prev Vet Med. 2013; 110(3-4):558-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.12.015. View

Relun A, Lehebel A, Bareille N, Guatteo R . Effectiveness of different regimens of a collective topical treatment using a solution of copper and zinc chelates in the cure of digital dermatitis in dairy farms under field conditions. J Dairy Sci. 2012; 95(7):3722-35. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2011-4983. View

Groenevelt M, Main D, Tisdall D, Knowles T, Bell N . Measuring the response to therapeutic foot trimming in dairy cows with fortnightly lameness scoring. Vet J. 2014; 201(3):283-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.05.017. View

Laven R, Logue D . Treatment strategies for digital dermatitis for the UK. Vet J. 2006; 171(1):79-88. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2004.08.009. View

10.

Millman S . Behavioral responses of cattle to pain and implications for diagnosis, management, and animal welfare. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2013; 29(1):47-58. DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2012.11.007. View

11.

Moore D, Berry S, Truscott M, Koziy V . Efficacy of a nonantimicrobial cream administered topically for treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2001; 219(10):1435-8. DOI: 10.2460/javma.2001.219.1435. View

12.

Somers J, Frankena K, Noordhuizen-Stassen E, Metz J . Risk factors for digital dermatitis in dairy cows kept in cubicle houses in The Netherlands. Prev Vet Med. 2005; 71(1-2):11-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2005.05.002. View

13.

Gomez A, Anklam K, Cook N, Rieman J, Dunbar K, Cooley K . Immune response against Treponema spp. and ELISA detection of digital dermatitis. J Dairy Sci. 2014; 97(8):4864-75. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2013-7616. View

14.

Dopfer D, Koopmans A, Meijer F, SZAKALL I, Schukken Y, Klee W . Histological and bacteriological evaluation of digital dermatitis in cattle, with special reference to spirochaetes and Campylobacter faecalis. Vet Rec. 1997; 140(24):620-3. DOI: 10.1136/vr.140.24.620. View

15.

Pitiakoudis M, Giatromanolaki A, Iliopoulos I, Tsaroucha A, Simopoulos C, Piperidou C . Phenytoin-induced lymphocytic chemotaxis, angiogenesis and accelerated healing of decubitus ulcer in a patient with stroke. J Int Med Res. 2004; 32(2):201-5. DOI: 10.1177/147323000403200213. View

16.

Cutler J, Cramer G, Walter J, Millman S, Kelton D . Randomized clinical trial of tetracycline hydrochloride bandage and paste treatments for resolution of lesions and pain associated with digital dermatitis in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci. 2013; 96(12):7550-7. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2012-6384. View

17.

Kofler J, Pospichal M, Hofmann-Parisot M . Efficacy of the non-antibiotic paste Protexin Hoof-Care for topical treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cows. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2004; 51(9-10):447-52. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0442.2004.00671.x. View

18.

Paudyal S, Manriquez D, Velasquez A, Shearer J, Plummer P, Melendez P . Efficacy of non-antibiotic treatment options for digital dermatitis on an organic dairy farm. Vet J. 2020; 255:105417. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.105417. View

19.

Manske T, Hultgren J, Bergsten C . Topical treatment of digital dermatitis associated with severe heel-horn erosion in a Swedish dairy herd. Prev Vet Med. 2002; 53(3):215-31. DOI: 10.1016/s0167-5877(01)00268-9. View