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curly toes/nails

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LittleEskimo

LittleEskimo

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hey I always worry about McMac's curled front paws. His toes seem to sit on the side and the 2 outside toes face inwards and the nail normally curls inwards towards the paw. I always check his underpaw incase of any problems but he doesn't seem to get any since I always try to keep his nails as short as I can. His nails aren't that long but for some reason his nails and toes on both his front paws are curled and sit on their side instead of being flat on the floor like normal
Is there any way I can fix it or is it normal? Is it my fault :S
Thanks it just worries me sometimes x
 
My Bea has this but just on one foot, she was like that when I got her though and as she shows no sign of discomfort from it I just tend to keep them as short as possible
 
One of my piggies has this and i just try to keep them short, it dont seem to cause pain it just looks awkward
 
we have quite a few piggies come in like this to the rescue, i spoke to the vet and he said there is nothing you can do to put it right but as long as the nails are kept short it does not cause them a problem and doesn't cause any discomfort.
 
I have a piggie like this, his outside claws sit on the side a little and curl, terribly difficult to cut seeing as he's such a baby about it rolleyes
But yes, I don't think it's anything to worry about :)
 
One of my girls has one curly toe. She's always having to have her nails cut way more often than my other two cos she's so lazy. The other two seem to wear their nails down from running around :)) I thought her curly nail may be due to the way she lies down but i dont know. Doesn't bother her though as long as it's cut short and being a lazy girl she just lets me get on with it :)
 
Yeah he has had in on both his front feet for as long as I can remember. It doesn't seem t bother him too much. His back paws are perfectly normal too.
I admit that I don't think hes ever ran around on anything other then hay and grass. When I put him out I don't put him on concrete or anything. Could the type of soft flooring have not given him much support on his toes? :S confusing how it happens
 
My Peppa's nails grow like this - he has to have them clipped so much more often than any of my other pigglies.
 
My girls front toenails are like this but my boars are fine -0 I just keep them as short as I can - nice to see Tracey back on from Yate small animal rescue - just down the road from me:)):))
 
Dindy has the same problem. When she came to us her nails had been left to grow to the point that one of them had pierced her foot. I think that having to walk on curly nails for so long has twisted her toes and deformed her feet. She suffers from bumblefoot now and again and cannot use her front paws for grip so carpet is used on any ramps in her pen.
In the Pigtures her feet are flat and remind me of severely artharic hands that some people get. Her nails tend to curl quit tightly and have to be clipped with care. None of this stops her being a healthy and active matriarch.


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Dindypig said:
Dindy has the same problem. When she came to us her nails had been left to grow to the point that one of them had pierced her foot. I think that having to walk on curly nails for so long has twisted her toes and deformed her feet. She suffers from bumblefoot now and again and cannot use her front paws for grip so carpet is used on any ramps in her pen.
In the Pigtures her feet are flat and remind me of severely artharic hands that some people get. Her nails tend to curl quit tightly and have to be clipped with care. None of this stops her being a healthy and active matriarch.


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Aww no :( poor Dindy. At least she's doing well now with some proper care and love :) McMac's front paws do the same as Dindy's but both of the outside toes face inwards so it looks like a little claw. Its very strange but he seems happy enough
 
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. But I'm sure I have read that curly nails are quite normal as a pig ages. I think as long as you keep them trim they shouldnt cause a problem.
 
Saysie said:
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. But I'm sure I have read that curly nails are quite normal as a pig ages. I think as long as you keep them trim they shouldnt cause a problem.
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I believe you are right that older Piggies nails tend to get curlyer as they get older. What we are discussing here though is the actual toes that are curled to the side resulting in a deformaty of the foot.
 
Its all very strange :/ I don't even know how it happened. McMac is only 2 years old so I don't know if he is considered an older piggy. But yeah its his toes that are 'deformed' instead of the nail. He is a shop bought piggy if that might have anything to do with it.

Is there any way to fix it?
 
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