It is an infectious and contagious disease caused by the bacteria, Dichelobacter nodosus (D. nodosus for short). It was previously known as Bacteroides nodosus and before that as Fusiformus nodosus. Benign footrot occurs when bacteria of low virulence (poor ability to under-run the hoof horn) affect the skin between the toes. Virulent footrot bacteria rapidly separate the hoof horn from the foot.
