Bumblefoot what do I do while I wait for vet appt?

[Cryptillian]

I wanna start by saying for context the swelling (which I believe is bumble foot) was mostly likely caused by the soft poops he’s been having in his enclosure from veg. Mocha is a senior (turning 6 this year) and he gets soft poops when eating veg (1 cup a day of lettuce, carrots, and bell peppers) and it got pretty bad this past week. I use fleece and while I do spot clean daily some of the poops did smear on the fleece and I wiped it up a bit and left it thinking I would just clean the whole cage in a couple days and it would be fine. I feel really guilty because of it because I think it’s probably the cause. Their cage is about 30 sq ft also for reference, yes I know that’s big lol.

His palm pads (idk what you’d call those?) on his forepaws are what is swollen and one looks a bit red. It isn’t super severe, but will definitely need to be looked at by my vet.

The vet is currently closed for the holiday so I can’t call until tomorrow when they open. I probably won’t get an appointment for a couple days since covid has made everything busy. What can I do for now to prevent his feet from getting worse at home? So far I’ve separated him on carefresh bedding. I gave him a bum bath and soaked his feet. Should I attempt to bandage them or is there any ointment I could pick up a store to help temporarily?

This is my first time ever dealing with this in my 5 1/2 years owning guinea pigs so I’m really anxious :,) Would really appreciate any advice until I can get him seen.

 

[Siikibam]

I’m sorry your boy is suffering. I wouldn’t separate him. Bond him back with his friend (neutral area) soon as you can. Separating for medical reasons can cause a fracture in the bond, so it’s generally not a good idea.

I think bumblefoot usually presents as localised redness and swelling, with open sores developing as well, rather than the whole paw.

Are you able to post some photos perhaps? Hopefully someone with more experience will be along soon. Do get him booked in for a check. Good luck.

 

[Wiebke]

I wanna start by saying for context the swelling (which I believe is bumble foot) was mostly likely caused by the soft poops he’s been having in his enclosure from veg. Mocha is a senior (turning 6 this year) and he gets soft poops when eating veg (1 cup a day of lettuce, carrots, and bell peppers) and it got pretty bad this past week. I use fleece and while I do spot clean daily some of the poops did smear on the fleece and I wiped it up a bit and left it thinking I would just clean the whole cage in a couple days and it would be fine. I feel really guilty because of it because I think it’s probably the cause. Their cage is about 30 sq ft also for reference, yes I know that’s big lol.

His palm pads (idk what you’d call those?) on his forepaws are what is swollen and one looks a bit red. It isn’t super severe, but will definitely need to be looked at by my vet.

The vet is currently closed for the holiday so I can’t call until tomorrow when they open. I probably won’t get an appointment for a couple days since covid has made everything busy. What can I do for now to prevent his feet from getting worse at home? So far I’ve separated him on carefresh bedding. I gave him a bum bath and soaked his feet. Should I attempt to bandage them or is there any ointment I could pick up a store to help temporarily?

This is my first time ever dealing with this in my 5 1/2 years owning guinea pigs so I’m really anxious :,) Would really appreciate any advice until I can get him seen.

Hi!

Just keep an eye on the area and keep the cage as clean as possible in the meantime; especially the area in which your piggy is sitting/lying in most of the time. As long as there is no open sore, you are still fine and can afford to wait a few more days.

Bumblefoot can happen in older guinea pigs when mobility issues and a less good blood circulation combine.
Because a lot depends what kind of bug has got through the tiny crack in the skin, there is no one surefire way of treating bumblefoot/

You can find more information on it in these links here:
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis
Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility (tips for cage and body care in guinea pigs with mobility issues, including bumblefoot piggies, in chapter IV)