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I think my "Piggies" have Bumble Foot

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Emma Lou

Emma Lou

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Hi, i'm new to the forum, i own 3 guinea pigs, 2 live together in the same cage and the other lives in the same room but in a cage of his own, they are indoor piggies.

Tonight whilst having my routine cuddle with them i have noticed that both Bertie and Alfie, the two who live together, seem to have what i can only describe as a dark claw like growth on 1 of their front feet. At first i thought it was a small piece of nugget food stuck to them but on further inspection it seems to be attached. Both let me examine and touch the growth so don't seem to be in any discomfort and i cant see any signs of swelling as mentioned in some of the articles i have found on the internet.

The pigs live in a plastic bottom cage which is cleaned regularly, i use wood shavings from Pets at Home as the floor covering. The only thing i have done differently recently is put a small amount of straw on the floor of their cage in addition to the wood shavings - but again the straw did say suitable for Guinea pig bedding. I'm going to try and get them in at the vets as soon as they have an appointment free, just to be on the safe side but just wondered if anyone else had come across anything like this with their guinea pigs?

Emma
 
It sounds like dew-claws to me, which I think some guinea pigs get. It's almost like an extra nail on their foot? I'm sure someone will be along shortly with advice on how to deal with it, but wanted to let you know that it might not be bumblefoot so you wouldn't have to worry yourself sick if it's not needed.
 
I agree, it sounds like foot spurs. Usually easy to clip off, just leave a small bit on so as not to catch the actual foot when trimming. I clip my pigs' spurs each time I clip their nails.
 
Thanks for your replies :)

Alfie seems to be a bit under the weather today, normally he's the first to greet me and the hay bag but he's just been sat in a corner, i put a small amount of hay in front of him but which he attempted a half hearted nibble at and then left. In the 18 months i've had him i've never once seen him not go straight for the hay and food bowl. He may just be having an off day, or just be tired today but i'm taking them both to the vets in an hour to have them checked out properly - i'd rather be a paranoid owner than leave it and something be wrong with them.

Anyway i better go get them ready but i shall let you know what the vet says.
 
He may be starting to show symptoms of something else. Piggies tend not to have off days, and it is a big cause for concern if they refuse food or are not eating normally. Good luck at the vets.
 
Well i've had my little ones to the vets, wasn't impressed on getting there that they'd given me a vet with an allergy to Guinea Pigs, so the first words she said was that she couldn't get too close.

She looked at their feet and doesn't think theres anything to worry about as theres no signs of swelling or them being uncomfortable so just got to keep an eye on them. As for Alfie's lack of energy and appetite, she got another vet to look in his mouth and apparently he has a few sores in there and some spurs on his teeth so she's putting his current state down to the fact that his mouth is painful, Bertie also has teeth spurs apparently although he isnt showing any signs of illness. So i have to take them both back next week to be sedated and the dental work done to remove the spurs, i'm now worried sick about the effect the anesthetic will have on them :( Not to mention the fact that its going to cost me £160 to have them both done,thats in addition to the £20 it cost me today for the check up and antibiotics for Alfie. I had to give up work last year to look after my husband who's undergoing treatment for cancer so with both of us not working its a bill i could really have done without......... but if it gets them back to their normal happy selfs then it'll be money well spent.

Has anyone else had to have their Guinea pigs put under anesthetic? :...
 
Mine was put under once, and she recovered from the anasthesia just fine, although her appetite was huge when she came out of it, and she was kind of drunk for a few hours after.
 
Oh Wow..... thats a huge bill for dental work. I haven't had to have any of my eleven done (yet !) but that does sound a lot but like I say I know nothing about this.

I would be seriously annoyed (nearly used a swear word there) if I got to the vets and they gave me a piggy allergic vet. How rude is that ? I am assuming you told them you were going in with guinea pigs ?

Do you know why they have given you antibiotics ? not that I am any expert....just curious as you dont mention a bacterial infection and thats pretty much all an antibiotic can help.

Anyway hoping you get a good resolution with your piggys and the most sincerest best wishes to you and your husband. Life is really hard sometimes isn't it ?
 
Yeah they knew they were Guinea Pigs when i booked them in as they've been there before for their nails triming when i first got them so were already registered with the practice. I think the antibiotics were a precautionary thing ...... although probably just another way to boost my bill!

I'm considering ringing around a few other vet practices tomorrow and seeing if i can get a second opinion from someone who knows a bit more about Guinea Pigs because i got the impression theses people were more Dog and Cat specialists.
 
Emma Lou said:
Well i've had my little ones to the vets, wasn't impressed on getting there that they'd given me a vet with an allergy to Guinea Pigs, so the first words she said was that she couldn't get too close.

She looked at their feet and doesn't think theres anything to worry about as theres no signs of swelling or them being uncomfortable so just got to keep an eye on them. As for Alfie's lack of energy and appetite, she got another vet to look in his mouth and apparently he has a few sores in there and some spurs on his teeth so she's putting his current state down to the fact that his mouth is painful, Bertie also has teeth spurs apparently although he isnt showing any signs of illness. So i have to take them both back next week to be sedated and the dental work done to remove the spurs, i'm now worried sick about the effect the anesthetic will have on them :( Not to mention the fact that its going to cost me £160 to have them both done,thats in addition to the £20 it cost me today for the check up and antibiotics for Alfie. I had to give up work last year to look after my husband who's undergoing treatment for cancer so with both of us not working its a bill i could really have done without......... but if it gets them back to their normal happy selfs then it'll be money well spent.

Has anyone else had to have their Guinea pigs put under anesthetic? :...
Click to expand...

i have had 2 piggies put under anesthetic at the age of 3 years. first one recovered very well. the 2nd one though stopped eating and the vets really didnt think she would make it. She was at the vets for 3 weeks and i had to take her sister in with her to help and it costed me over £200 however she made it and died at the ripe old age of 6 years 4 months.
 
To be honest, I think that there is a shortage of exotic vets and the majority of them are dog and cat people :( One of my guinea pigs was put under for an x ray and she was just fine afterwards, just a little groggy and quiet xx
 
I think that it may well be worth looking for a vet that can maybe deal with guinea pigs teeth without putting them under anaesthetic. I know I have read on here that some peoples piggies have to have regular dental treatment.
Maybe put a thread on asking if anyone has contact details of a more experienced vet who can do dental work without anaesthetic. It may well not cost as much either. Just a thought. I know that I wish I had a more experienced vet but there just aren't enough around :(
 
Anesthetic is not necessary to do most kinds of dental work. The CCT do it for free, if you are a member, and there may be rodentologist local to you who will perform the dental work without anesthetic and for a very low price (if not for free).

The sores in the mouth need treating too - the teeth will not recover and grind down properly until the mouth is sorted, as it will be too sore for the pig to eat (thus wear down the teeth). Daktarin Oral Gel is ideal to treat oral infections like this. The treatment schedule is:

Week 1 - 0.5ml 3x daily
Week 2 - 0.5ml 2x daily
Week 3 - 0.5ml once daily

Despite the vet's incompetence, I am glad you have got an idea of what is wrong.
 
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If your guinea pig is on antibiotics it is best to give them a probiotic such as biolapis as well as antibitoics can upset tyheir stomachs. Good luck
 
Thanks guys, its nice to actually be able to talk about my little piggies without boring everyone to tears!

I've been in contact with a PDSA hospital in our area who has a "small animal" vet, they wanted to have a look at Alfie sooner rather than later so i have to take him in first thing tomorrow, so we shall see what that brings, at least its a second opinion if nothing else and hopefully if they agree with the initial diagnosis then i may be able to get him treated sooner.
 
Hope the second vet's visit goes better. When my piggie has spurs on here teeth the vet did it without anesthetic. It doesn't hurt them as they have no nerves in their teeth. That bill sounds rediculous!
 
There is NEVER any need for a sedative/anaesthetic for ANY DENTAL TREATMENT.
The words rip-off and incompetent come to mind, but I suppose I shouldn't use them!
 
Just a quick update...............

I've had Alfie to the PDSA hospital today and the vet had a good look and feel of him and everything seems okay apart from the spurs on his teeth - although she did say that they were quite minor in comparison to some she'd seen. She wants to give him a few days on the antibiotics to eliminate any possible infection in the mouth and i have to take him back on tuesday to hopefully get the dental treatment done...... all they ask for is a contribution towards the PDSA too so no stupidly high bills. Bertie is his normal self at the moment so we are going to deal with Alfie's issues first and then look at getting Berties dental work carried out afterwards.

I'm still having to feed him and give him water through a syringe aswell as his medication - struggling a bit with the food aspect, i tried making a loose paste out of his usual Super Guinea Exel pellets earlier but ended up with more over me then he actually ate but i shall keep trying! As for his water i've added some guinea pig vitamin solution into it to try and boost his vitamin C and immune system. He is nibbling on bits of fresh vegetables like broccolli, a little soft carrot and he also likes basil leaves - although he nibbles very slowly and only takes small bites i'm clinging to the hope that its better than nothing!
 
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