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Is this bumble foot? + bathing advice

L

livv._c

New Born Pup
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Hi, I'm not allowed to go to the vets as my mum says it's too expensive - I've been looking through youtube videos and websites. I'm pretty sure both piggies have bumblefoot - it looks quite bad but they aren't acting unusual. They still run around, wheek all the time for food, have large appetites! They show no signs of discomfort when I prod and poke the soles of their feet. Although it with my white piggy ipart of her sole seems to have started to peel off... If anyone can help me confirm I'd be truly greatful! I've bought Epsom salt today just in case it definitely is.

I clean their hutch out usually once a week, maybe a day more or less and it's a possibility that one of them is overweight but this doesn't explain why the other one might have bumblefoot.

Here are the images:
Piggies.docx


After giving piggies a bath, I don't want to put them straight back into their cage even though it's a C&C cage so it's quite open. Would using a hair dryer on low setting and then putting them in a small indoor run with plain blankets suffice for them to dry off? I'm not sure how to ensure proper ventilation whilst they dry off...!
 
Hi, I'm afraid your photos are not displaying, but if you suspect bumblefoot you must take your piggies straight to the vet, we do not support or recommend home treatments here and one of the forum terms and conditions is that you agree to seek veterinary care if your pet is ill.
Another of the terms and conditions is regarding age of members... if you are old enough to be on the forum, maybe you are old enough to take your pets to the vet when they need it without having to ask your mother?
 
Please make it known to your mum how important it is that they get the vet care they need. That’s one of their welfare needs which you agree to when you take them on. If she wasn’t willing to pay they should not have been taken on.

You also l don’t need to bath them that regularly. Only do it if they’re really dirty, which I doubt they are.

Do they live in a c&c or hutch outdoors? You can’t put them in a c&c outdoors. It’s not at all suitable now, let alone for Christmas.

I would send come clearer photos (they’re all blurred) to your vet and follow up with an appointment.
 
As an adult why do you need your mum's permission? Are you currently not in work so reliant on her financially? If so then I would say to talk to the vets about payment plans which could help you spread the costs
 
Hi livv._c, sorry to hear you're in a difficult situation like this.

I agree with everyone else that you should take your piggies to the vet to be checked out. Bumblefoot often involves bacterial or fungal infection that won't just go away on its own, and if it spreads or enters the bone it'll cause a lot of trouble and could have serious consequences.

That being said, from your description of their behaviour and from your pictures it doesn't seem like your pigs' feet are that badly affected. They don't look particularly swollen or red, and some of the crusting could even be dirt and dried poo. I'd suggest soaking a soft cloth in clean, lukewarm water and gently washing their feet, allowing the water to soften and dissolve as much of the crust as possible. That should make it easier for you to get a clear picture of the state of the skin.

While it appears soaking in a solution of Epsom salts can be helpful in treating bumblefoot, I wouldn’t recommend doing that, unless other methods fail. If the salt gets in the piggy’s eye (which can easily happen if it tries to groom itself while the feet are wet), it can cause severe injury. Instead I suggest you get hold of some antiseptic ointment containing 2% chlorhexidine as soon as possible (should be available over the counter from your local pharmacy) and apply that to their feet twice a day, after cleaning them with the wet cloth. Wait a bit before letting them back into the run, to give the ointment a chance to be absorbed by the skin, otherwise it’ll just end up on their bedding instead.

However, if you don’t see a significant improvement with this treatment after a few days, or if their condition gets worse, then you really do have to find a way to get your pigs to a vet, as they will need to be treated with antibiotics. If you’re underage your mum has a legal responsibility to provide the necessary medical care for any pets she has allowed you to have. If she needs a monetary incentive, then tell her that the longer you wait to take them to the vet, the more expensive it’ll be to treat them.

By the way, what sort of bedding do they have in their cage?
 
Cilie said:
Hi livv._c, sorry to hear you're in a difficult situation like this.

I agree with everyone else that you should take your piggies to the vet to be checked out. Bumblefoot often involves bacterial or fungal infection that won't just go away on its own, and if it spreads or enters the bone it'll cause a lot of trouble and could have serious consequences.

That being said, from your description of their behaviour and from your pictures it doesn't seem like your pigs' feet are that badly affected. They don't look particularly swollen or red, and some of the crusting could even be dirt and dried poo. I'd suggest soaking a soft cloth in clean, lukewarm water and gently washing their feet, allowing the water to soften and dissolve as much of the crust as possible. That should make it easier for you to get a clear picture of the state of the skin.

While it appears soaking in a solution of Epsom salts can be helpful in treating bumblefoot, I wouldn’t recommend doing that, unless other methods fail. If the salt gets in the piggy’s eye (which can easily happen if it tries to groom itself while the feet are wet), it can cause severe injury. Instead I suggest you get hold of some antiseptic ointment containing 2% chlorhexidine as soon as possible (should be available over the counter from your local pharmacy) and apply that to their feet twice a day, after cleaning them with the wet cloth. Wait a bit before letting them back into the run, to give the ointment a chance to be absorbed by the skin, otherwise it’ll just end up on their bedding instead.

However, if you don’t see a significant improvement with this treatment after a few days, or if their condition gets worse, then you really do have to find a way to get your pigs to a vet, as they will need to be treated with antibiotics. If you’re underage your mum has a legal responsibility to provide the necessary medical care for any pets she has allowed you to have. If she needs a monetary incentive, then tell her that the longer you wait to take them to the vet, the more expensive it’ll be to treat them.

By the way, what sort of bedding do they have in their cage?
Click to expand...
They have cardboard in the corners, then a thick layer of newspaper then shredded newspaper which they can bury in.
 
livv._c said:
They have cardboard in the corners, then a thick layer of newspaper then shredded newspaper which they can bury in.
Click to expand...
That doesn't sound too bad, but maybe you could cover the newspaper with a layer of fleece? Just for a bit of extra softness underfoot and to protect their feet against the ink, in case it should contain any chemicals that might irritate their skin. You can still put the shredded newspaper on top for them to bury in, if they enjoy that.
 
I would like to remind everyone of the forum terms and conditions that each member has agreed to on registering with the forum. In particular:
m) Do not advocate medical 'self treatment'of any animal, any persons found doing this may have their account banned or deleted. By UK law only a qualified vet can diagnose, prescribe and treat an animal and only after a physical examination of the animal.
Please refrain from suggesting over the counter treatments for undiagnosed medical conditions.

Terms and rules can be found here:
Terms of Service And Forum Rules
 
if they are on cardboard maybe the bedding needs to be changed more regularly than once a week there feet do look rather dirty. do you spot clean daily? does the bedding feel wet to the touch especially in the corners that they spend a lot of time in? this doesn't mean they don't need to see a vet, once bumblefoot has started it will only continue to get worse until they get medical treatment to get rid of the infection.
 
I cant see the photos in good quality so don’t rely on what i’m saying but make sure it’s not just some dark colored skin because my guinea pig has black spots on her foot and skin just because of her genetics. Try to do a warm soak of just the feet and keep them clean. Spot clean daily and maybe invest in some fleece flippers, or just general fleece.

I’m not sure how old your guineas are but it’s important to mention that if you want them to be happy and healthy in the long run i’m sure that you’ll need to go to the vet multiple times. They’re sensitive animals and tend to hide it when they’re sick so professional care is always necessary. :)
 
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