Footrot treatments

[spoook]

Does anyone on here have experience with formalin in treating footrot? How does it compare with zinc or even copper?

[Inger]

I got a course of injectable medication from our vet and though our older Gotland ewe didn't get pregnant that year, her feet have been sooooo much better, that I don't mind recommending it. I was a type of anitbiotic and was a course of three injections.

Formalin can lock in the infection I think? I know the green Metalex did that. You have to be sure to cut all the footrot out before treating them with Formalin. That's why the course of antibiotics was so useful. I was able to treat the foot from the inside and the outside at the same time.

Now I can just spray any closely trimmed hoof with Aerotet Forte or Iodine and it is enough.

[hilldweller]

Isn't formalin rather frowned on these days for health and environmental reasons? 10% copper sulphate solution works for footrot. I think Zinc is supposed to be even better. Is it definitely footrot?

[spoook]

Yes, it is definately footrot, or will be in a month or so.
We have been using zinc but I have the option of getting some formalin. I remember formalin being a good killer of bacteria and wonder if it would be better than zinc for the goats.

[cowvet]

Formalin is no better than anything else. We won't use it at home - nasty stuff.

The foot treatment of choice - trim, soak in 10% zinc sulphate solution for 20-30 minutes, then put the animals on grating etc until their feet are dry (getting the feet dry afterwards is a big factor). On a large scale this has worked really well for us, but it is also the recommended treatment regime.

Injectible antibiotics - would use them as a last resort if I was faced with the problem just prior to a breeding season etc. But personally I don't agree with using it as an "easy option"

[EmmaOs]

we cut as much away as possible then bandage copper sulphate onto the foot with vetrap bandage. leave it for a few days and then repeat. it really works well for even very bad cases.we have only a few times in ten years needed to use anti biotic on foot problems....generally treat them externally. coppertox and aerotet forte are good applications to use as well...we usually keep using something like that after the second time the bandage is removed.

[Simkin]

Hi Spook,

formalin is nasty stuff - it's also known as formaldehyde. It used to be used in beekeeping many years ago but no longer because it is VERY carcinogenic.

[gaalburn]

Have a look at this link
http://www.lifestyleblock.co.nz/vfor...ad.php?t=11869

A formular I have found to be very good is:

A 2 ltr 'milk container'
Fill up 1/2 with water.
Add coppersulphate until No more will disolve in the water.
(a saturate solution)
Add 1/2 cup of kerosine.
Add 1/4 cup of dish washing consentrate.
Add 10 -15 ml of hydrogen peroxide.
Shake well, fill with more water untill 2 ltr is made up.

If the scauld has " bad bugs" the peroxide will "fizz"
a indication of infection. other than scauld.
With foot rot I would wrap the infected hoof as in the link
photos.
The gell used for this is copper sulphate mixed in to petrolium jelly
making a sticky water proof paste . spread some on a cloth.
place on infected area . Cover and wrap with duct tape.
change each day, 2 days.

It is worthy of note that coppersulphate hardens the hoof.

Cheers.

Gaalburn.

PS the solution is just about the same as some bought solutions.
Just a great deal cheaper
G.

[cowvet]

formalin hardens to hoof too - that being a bit of a problem if there is still infection under the hoof. Then makes the job of hoof trimming even harder.

[gaalburn]

cowvet

formalin hardens to hoof too - that being a bit of a problem if there is still infection under the hoof. Then makes the job of hoof trimming even harder.
__________________

Thanks for that info...

cheers

Gaalburn.

[spoook]

Thanks guys. I have decided against the formalin, mainly due to the major problem of disposal. It is an approved handler chemical, which we have, and needs tracking. All of which is another task I would not need.
I swear, as I sat here thinking about it I could smell it. I agree nasty stuff.
The amount I could have bought would have lasted me my lifetime at the rate I would have needed it.

Thanks Gaalburn for the recipe, I am sure I will be using it before too long.

We usually use zinc for bathing, alamycin or coppertox for in between treatments.