is this bumble foot or something else?

[kerry3383]

*I’ve got a vet appt in a few days anyways but still wanted some opinions!*

does this look like the beginning of bumble foot or something else? guinea pigs feet look red & irritated! back paws have red irritated patch towards the ‘heel’ of paws & the front paws are really quite swollen and a bit red / irritated looking. i’ve included photos to show sorry they’re not the best she keeps wriggling! photos are of 1 out of 2 guinea pigs. our other pig (who shares cage) has same problem just *a lot* more mild than the photographed one! also this was before nail cutting so her nails look long but we did cut them!

context: female guinea pig around 3-4y & i use sawdust for flooring with lots of hay for bedding and scattered around cage to play in.

thanks in advance!

 

[Wiebke]

*I’ve got a vet appt in a few days anyways but still wanted some opinions!*

does this look like the beginning of bumble foot or something else? guinea pigs feet look red & irritated! back paws have red irritated patch towards the ‘heel’ of paws & the front paws are really quite swollen and a bit red / irritated looking. i’ve included photos to show sorry they’re not the best she keeps wriggling! photos are of 1 out of 2 guinea pigs. our other pig (who shares cage) has same problem just *a lot* more mild than the photographed one! also this was before nail cutting so her nails look long but we did cut them!

context: female guinea pig around 3-4y & i use sawdust for flooring with lots of hay for bedding and scattered around cage to play in.

thanks in advance!

Hi

I would recommend to see a vet for potentially the very early stages of bumblefoot with both piggies.

 

[Freela]

Yes, that does look like the early stages of bumblefoot. Good that you caught it early. One of my pigs developed bumblefoot in old age... the most helpful thing that I found was an antibiotic prescribed by the vet coupled by twice daily applications of betadine (in my case it was an ointment rather than a soak, I could not for the life of me get her to keep her foot in the water!) Hopefully since you caught it early, it clears up soon!

 

[kerry3383]

Hi

I would recommend to see a vet for potentially the very early stages of bumblefoot with both piggies.

Thanks! I’m taking them to vets on Friday

 

[kerry3383]

Yes, that does look like the early stages of bumblefoot. Good that you caught it early. One of my pigs developed bumblefoot in old age... the most helpful thing that I found was an antibiotic prescribed by the vet coupled by twice daily applications of betadine (in my case it was an ointment rather than a soak, I could not for the life of me get her to keep her foot in the water!) Hopefully since you caught it early, it clears up soon!

Thank you! So glad we noticed as looking at photos online of what it can develop into is scary Will look into getting some betadine to go along with vets treatment, thanks for the suggestion! Was there anything you did different to prevent it happening again? Thanks again!

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks! I’m taking them to vets on Friday

Please be aware that there is no one fail-safe treatment for bumblefoot as a it depends on what kind of bug has got through a tiny crack in the skin, so so not every case of pododermatitis will necessarily respond equally. However by catching it early on you should be able to get on top if it without too much trouble.

 

[Wiebke]

How often are you cleaning out the bedding, especially in the toileting corners and sleeping areas?

 

[kerry3383]

How often are you cleaning out the bedding, especially in the toileting corners and sleeping areas?

once a week rn - since this is happening i think i’m gonna start freshening up damper areas like 3 times a week? what do u think? we use sawdust & hay for bedding!

 

[Piggies&buns]

once a week rn - since this is happening i think i’m gonna start freshening up damper areas like 3 times a week? what do u think? we use sawdust & hay for bedding!

Wet areas of disposable bedding and hay need to be removed every day as routine, particularly under hides and beds. Perhaps removing twice a day while you are potentially dealing with bumblefoot - it’s important to make sure piggies arent sitting in any wet areas. Removing any loose poops on top of the hay can also be done daily (I use a gardening trowel to do so - mine are also bedded on disposable bedding and hay). The rest of the cage being cleaned out once one twice a week as necessary.

 

[Freela]

Thank you! So glad we noticed as looking at photos online of what it can develop into is scary Will look into getting some betadine to go along with vets treatment, thanks for the suggestion! Was there anything you did different to prevent it happening again? Thanks again!

Just really, REALLY diligent cleaning. Removing any bedding that was even slightly damp a couple of times a day. What happened with our piggie was that she was elderly, a little on the chubby side, and would pee in her favorite hidey and then sit there, so we kept having to keep that spot super, SUPER dry all the time.

 

[Wiebke]

Clean the general cage at least twice a week but excavate any damp areas at least once daily and poo patrol daily to keep the living surface dry and clean - the first is crucial. The more your piggies hang out in just the same place, the more often you need to change or clean there.

But more frequent cleaning should hopefully take care of a return of the problem.

You may find some of the practical care tips in our Mobility Care guide helpful because they can also be applied to bumblefoot piggies: Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility

All the best!