Gilbert's Hands

[Sabrinova]

Can anyone tell me what Gilbert has on his hands? I will try and take a photo later but for now I will try to describe it best I can. Yesterday I spotted a dark brown thing resembling a squashed piggy poo looped round his hand (front paw LOL), so I tried to knock it off and it wouldn't go, so I tried picking it off, but Gilbert snatched it away as it was uncomfortable for him. So I looked underneath and it is actually attached to him, like a growth from the centre pad on his palm, and it loops round to his wrist. I looked at his other hand and it has one just the same but not as long. I checked Milo and he doesn't have them so I'm concerned. They look like extra, flat, claws that have grown from the centre of his palms, but the vet didn't comment on this last month when I took them both to get their nails trimmed. Any idea why they're there? Do you think they're uncomfortable for him? How should I go about removing them?

Thanks

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

Sounds like a foot spur, a kind of horny growth from the paw pad? Lots of piggies that come in here have them, I trim them like a claw close to the skin but not too close. It doesn't seem to cause them any problems. If you google it you'll probably find some pics that looks just like it!

 

[clairelove]

yeah same has Sophie sez i have many guineas here including some of my own with them i just cut them off when i do the nail trimming x

 

[Abi-snail]

Spurs... my piggies have them. Kind of like nails. If they get long so that they catch on things then you can trim them like nails.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

I agree, it sounds like a foot spur. Harmless, painless....just don't cut too close to the foot pad if you do trim them off.

There's a thread about them here that may help:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24654

You can also do a forum search and have a look through the other threads about when others have found spurs on their piggies too.

 

[Wiebke]

Foot spurs are very common. Be careful not to cut them back too closley to the skin.

here is more info: http://www.guinealynx.info/feet.html#spurs

 

[Sabrinova]

Thanks guys, yes that's exactly what they look like. I'm so relieved that it's quite normal. I wonder why I've never noticed them before, and why the vet didn't comment. Can they appear quite suddenly? I think poor little Gilby is going to have an encounter with my nail clippers later Is there no quick in the spurs?

 

[Sabrinova]

Ok, I have clipped them off and he was very brave about it - he must be more comfortable now. Thank you so much for your help