Extra Toe!

[Pig crazy]

today during cuddles I discovered snowflake has an extra toe! It is on her right back foot and none of the others have ever had this. The other foot is a normal three toed foot. The extra toe has a claw and is attached by a thread of skin. It doesn't look like it has been pulled of or injured, just grown. Could this just be due to bad genetics or is it something I need to worry about?

 

[Wiebke]

Polydactyly is a genetic condition that is well known with guinea pigs. You do not need to worry, but please see a vet for a safe removal if the toe is only loosely attached. She has already lost the extra toe on her other back foot.

http://www.guinealynx.info/feet.html#poly
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-body-quirks.58854/

 

[Pig crazy]

Polydactyly is a genetic condition that is well known with guinea pigs. You do not need to worry, but please see a vet for a safe removal if the toe is only loosely attached. She has already lost the extra toe on her other back foot.

http://www.guinealynx.info/feet.html#poly
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-body-quirks.58854/

Ok Thankyou so much I was worried there for a second. I will take her next week if the toe hasnt fallen off by then

 

[7squeakers.]

My sister's Yorkie dog has dew claws on the inside of the front legs that are just the same; just attached by skin.
Its quite strange. She's going to get them removed.

 

[Freela]

It's an inherited genetic trait called polydactyly... other species can have it too, including humans! It's quite common in cats... my friend has a cat with extra toes and her vet has seen quite a few of them over the years! Your vet will likely want to remove it to keep it from catching on something and ripping off and causing injury, since they really are vestigial, don't serve any purpose, and removal is so quick and easy. Hope this helps!

 

[Flutterby]

I've seen quite a few pigs with this recently cropping up here and there.