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Interdigitated whitlow
Interdigitated whitlow is an infection of the skin and deep tissues located between the two hooves. Bacteria from the dung and mud enter through a small wound in this space, and the infection quickly spreads to the soft tissues of the foot....
What is it?
Interdigitated whitlow is an infection of the skin and deep tissues located between the two hooves. Bacteria from the dung and mud enter through a small wound in this space, and the infection quickly spreads to the soft tissues of the foot.
It is one of the leading causes of sudden lameness in cows. In just one day, an animal that was walking normally can no longer put its foot down.
The disease is very painful. A lame cow suffers: it is never a simple gait defect to be monitored from afar.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
Lameness of sudden onset, often severe, on only one foot.
The foot is hot and swollen, and the swelling rises above the hoof, to above the pastern: this is what distinguishes whitlow from other lamenesses, where the swelling remains low.
The two hooves move away from each other due to swelling.
By spreading the hooves, we discover a split in the skin, red and oozing, with a very strong and characteristic odor.
Fever, decreased appetite and drop in milk production often accompany lameness.
The cow spends more time lying down and moves less towards the trough and the waterer.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
The infection is due to bacteria which normally live in the livestock environment, first and foremost Fusobacterium necrophorum, often associated with other germs.
These bacteria do not pass through intact skin. You first need an entry point: skin softened by permanent humidity, cut on a stone, a sharp stone, a hard thatch or a damaged concrete floor.
A soiled and soggy waiting area combines both conditions: weakened skin and a high microbial load.
Waiting areas, corridors and areas around drinking troughs permanently damp and soiled.
Insufficient drainage: stagnant puddles, low points where water and slurry accumulate.
Damaged soils, broken concrete, sharp stones, stubble in plots grazed after harvest.
Rainy season and periods of mud, but also poorly ventilated buildings where the litter never dries.
Overloading of cubicles and mulched areas: animals trample on their droppings more.
Transmission
The responsible bacteria multiply in dung, mud and accumulated manure. A dirty traffic corridor contaminates all the animals that use it.
There is no direct contagion from one cow to another as with a viral disease: it is the shared environment which distributes the microbe. This is why we often see several cases in the same lot after a period of rain or after insufficient cleaning.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
Any clear lameness that appears in a day or two warrants a call to the veterinarian: several very different diseases cause the same lameness, and the treatment is not the same.
The veterinarian lifts the foot, cleans it and examines it in a holding cage or work: this is the only way to see the lesion and locate it.
He checks if the swelling rises above the hoof, looks for the skin split between the fingers, and rules out other causes of lameness: sole ulcer, digital dermatitis, foreign body, wound, joint damage.
He also assesses the severity: fever, general condition, age of the lesion, possible damage to the joint.
Treatment
Treatment is based on an antibiotic prescribed by the veterinarian, combined with an anti-inflammatory to relieve pain. Treated early, whitlow generally responds quickly.
The foot is cleaned, the lesion dressed if necessary, and a dressing can be applied according to the practitioner's advice.
The cow must be placed on a dry and clean area, with straw, easy access to water and the trough, without having to travel long distances or compete for its place.
A neglected case that affects the joint no longer heals with medical treatment alone and requires surgical intervention, when it is still possible.
Never use leftover antibiotics from another animal or another episode: the withdrawal periods for milk and meat must be respected, and only the veterinarian can indicate them.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Prevention depends on cleanliness and drainage much more than on care.
Regularly scrape and clean the corridors, the waiting area and the areas around the watering troughs, which are the most trampled and soiled areas.
Ensure the flow of water: correct slopes, no permanent puddles, no low points where slurry and rainwater stagnate.
Maintain the soil: repair broken concrete, remove sharp stones, avoid crossing hard stubble just after harvest.
Give each cow a dry and sufficiently mulched sleeping area: a foot that dries for several hours a day defends itself better.
The footbath, when used, does not replace cleaning: its principle is to pass the clean feet through a disinfectant bath at the milking exit. Its content and frequency must be defined with the veterinarian, never improvised.
Observing the herd walking, once a week, at a calm time: spotting a cow which nods its head at each step, which trails behind the herd or which hesitates to turn allows you to intervene before the lesion worsens.
Possible complications
Extension of the infection to the finger joint: the lameness becomes permanent, the swelling hard, and healing very difficult.
Damage to the tendons and the sheaths that surround them, with the same risk of settling over time.
Weight loss and lasting drop in production, the cow eating less because she moves less.
Reduced fertility: a cow that is suffering expresses its heat poorly and is less well detected.
Early culling of animals that are still young is the heaviest and most frequently underestimated cost.
When to see a veterinarian
A cow begins to limp severely within one or two days.
The foot is swollen and the swelling rises above the claw.
A strong odor emanates from the space between the fingers.
The animal has a fever, eats less or produces significantly less milk.
The cow refuses to set foot or remains lying down: call immediately.
A treated lameness does not improve in a few days: the foot must be re-examined rather than continuing the same treatment.
Prognosis
Caught in time, the interdigitated whitlow generally heals well and the animal returns to normal gait.
The prognosis clearly deteriorates as soon as the infection reaches the joint: delay in treatment is the main factor in failure.
In a breeding farm where the areas remain damp and dirty, cases are repeated in other animals: treating without correcting the environment amounts to starting again indefinitely.
Frequently asked questions
How to distinguish a whitlow from another lameness?
The whitlow can be recognized by a warm swelling that rises above the hoof, with the two fingers spread apart and a very strong smell between them. The other most common lamenesses remain low, in the horn or skin of the heel. Only a casual examination allows us to decide.
Is the footbath enough to avoid whitlows?
No. A footbath never compensates for a muddy waiting area: the feet enter already soiled and the bath loses its interest. Scraping, drainage, and dry bedding do most of the work; the footbath is only an addition, to be settled with your veterinarian.
Should the affected cow be isolated?
It is not a direct contagion, so isolation is not a health measure in itself. On the other hand, putting the animal in a clean, dry and mulched box, near water and a trough, significantly accelerates healing because it suffers less and moves around less.
Can I treat myself with an antibiotic I have in stock?
No. The choice of product depends on the lesion, and above all the waiting times for milk and meat must be respected. Impromptu treatment exposes you to a residue in the milk delivered and to poorly treated lameness which sets in.
References
FAO — Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 09 August 2026
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