Question: Bumblefoot vs. Spurs

[OddballOffbeat]

Today I was clipping one of my guinea pig's nails and noticed two small growths on the side of each of his front feet. I thought this was abnormal, so I researched online what it could have been. I found that it may either be bumblefoot, or spurs.

I'm trying to differentiate between the two. If it is bumblefoot, I need to take him to the vet to see if I can get ointments or antibiotics. If it's spurs, I can just clip the spur right off. What do people know about dealing with both bumblefoot and spurs? How do I tell the difference? Are spurs painful?

Some background: My piggie Offbeat is about 5 and 1/2 years old. He is rather large for a pig. His feet don't look red, and the growths on the side do look like I might be able to clip them. However, I don't want to clip them off and then hurt him. He does seem to be walking and behaving normally, as well as eating.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

 

[Mother Hubbard]

Hi and welcome,

Bumble foot is simple to diagnose, the foot padding will be swollen potentially red or darkened pink and blackness, if left untreated it can be nasty indeed. You may notice your pig licking it and will usually try stay of the foot. Bad cases will have open sores which your doesn't. It does require medical treatment, super clean living space.

Spurs look like flattened hardened skin coming out firm there feet. My eldest pig has a couple and I trim them back but not too far. You don't have too as long as its not catching on anything and causing her discomfort I would leave it.

Good luck.
Lil

 

[SpinningNickel]

Maybe this is a completely useless example that won't make any sense, but... You know alongside your fingernails, you sometimes get that thin hard piece of skin on the top? Doesn't hurt if you chew it off? If you get a manicure they often clip them off? That's what spurs are like. I noticed some on Picchu, although he was very young indeed, when he was ill and I was nursing him, but didn't trim them.

 

[klee]

One of my girls has spurs, which I give a little trim when I cut her nails. They don't cause her any problems and aren't painful for me to trim I just don't want her to catch them on anything. x

 

[OddballOffbeat]

Thanks everyone!

It definitely looks like spurs to me, as his feet are not red or swollen at all, and is just a little flap of skin on the side.. like a hangnail!

I may try to trim them the next time I trim his nails

 

[Shellza]

It sounds like spurs to me. They are easy to clip off and shouldn't hurt your pig. There's an example of spurs
http://www.guinealynx.info/feet.html#spurs

Here's an example of bumblefoot
http://www.guinealynx.info/pododermatitis.html
It can be very sore and needs vet treatment.

Hope this helps

 

[Freela]

Sounds like spurs. Bumblefoot would be red, hot, and swollen. One of my pigs gets spurs, the other doesn't. I clip them when they get long at the same time as I do her nails. They don't appear to bother her at all.