Randomized clinical trial of long-acting oxytetracycline, foot trimming, and flunixine meglumine on time to recovery in sheep with footrot

Abstract

Background: Internationally, foot trimming is used by most farmers, and parenteral antibacterials by some, to treat sheep with footrot. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are sometimes used. No clinical trials have compared these treatments. Objectives: To investigate the above treatments on time to recovery from lameness and foot lesions in sheep with footrot. Animals: Fifty-three sheep with footrot on a commercial farm in England. Methods: In a randomized factorial design, the sheep were allocated to 6 treatment groups. The treatments were oxytetracycline spray to all sheep (positive control) and one or more of parenteral administration of long-acting oxytetracycline, flunixine meglumine, and foot trimming on day 1 or 6 of diagnosis. Follow-up was for 15 days. Time to recovery from lameness and lesions was investigated with discrete-time survival models. Results: There was significant association (P