Open Access
Research (Published online: 12-11-2021)
9. Phenytoin: A promising non-antibiotic drug for the topical treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cows
El-Sayed El-Shafaey, Mohamed A. Hamed, Eman Abo Elfadl, Naglaa A. Gomaa and Mohamed Abdo Rizk
Veterinary World, 14(11): 2907-2912

El-Sayed El-Shafaey: Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt; Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed A. Hamed: Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt.
Eman Abo Elfadl: Department of Animal Husbandry and Development of Animal Wealth, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
Naglaa A. Gomaa: Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt.
Mohamed Abdo Rizk: Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.2907-2912

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Article history: Received: 20-06-2021, Accepted: 02-10-2021, Published online: 12-11-2021

Corresponding author: Mohamed Abdo Rizk

E-mail: dr_moh_abdo2008@mans.edu.eg

Citation: El-Shafaey E, Hamed MA, Elfadl EA, Gomaa NA, Rizk MA (2021) Phenytoin: A promising non-antibiotic drug for the topical treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cows, Veterinary World, 14(11): 2907-2912.
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.

Keywords: chlortetracycline, cows, digital dermatitis, phenytoin.