Here's our favourite secret remedy.
First make sure it's not an abscess or crack problem though. :!: We use this on chronic footrot, and it also works on joints that get swollen from haemophilus. Everyone says you can't cure swollen joints, but we've never had it fail. It's more of a horse style remedy than cow style, but it works. We've been doing this for fifteen years now.
Soak the foot for about a half an hour in warm water with some hibitaine or other such antibacterial soap. They really like this, and you'd be amazed at how they will just stand there. Then mix about a third of a tube of Domoso gel with 50 cc of Liqua LA. (Any kind of Oxy will work, but it needs to be water based) Take a roll of 4 inch gauze, and roll out enough soak up the mixture. Then wrap it around the leg, using up all the gauze. Cover it with vetrap. Give him a big shot of some long acting antibiotic. We use Nuflor if the LA has failed in the past. Then let him go.
If you put the bandage on properly, it will stay on a very long time. Wear gloves. :!: Otherwise you will taste the domoso! This stuff is a powerful anti-inflammatory, but also has the ability to carry the LA right into the tissues. It takes a few days, but you should see an improvement. The secret to a good bandage is to wrap it so that if you are looking down from above, the bandage goes clockwise on the right legs and couterclockwise on the left legs. Done that way they usually stay on for us until we catch the animal and cut them off. 8)