Sore Feet

[Becca x]

My girls have had red feet for a couple of months now, it seems to come and go and the feet aren't swollen. Also it's just on their back feet. Some days one will have it but not the other.

I have just bought my own house and moved out of rented accommodation so have been able to buy them a much bigger hutch (almost 3 times the size!) but the bedding has stayed the same. They had it with the old hutch too but I was hoping a bigger one would make it better.

Now one of them has very sore looking red feet (has just come out with it today) and I was wondering if anyone has had something similar?

I will be calling for a vet appointment tomorrow but I find they give treatments etc. but I'd like to know the source of the problem if anyone has ideas?

I used to have two boys but they were completely different, they were very cuddly but never really moved much. They hated being in a run and were quite lazy. My girls are completely different and have so much energy (which is why I wanted a bigger hutch for them to run around). But I never had any problems with my boys :/

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Are you sure that it is sore feet and not just warm/cold feet? Sore feet generally start with one small very local red area.

 

[Becca x]

Well the foot looks like it's starting to blister, although still not swollen. The red bits are on the long part of the foot pads but not the actual toes.

 

[Wiebke]

Well the foot looks like it's starting to blister, although still not swollen. The red bits are on the long part of the foot pads but not the actual toes.

In that case, I would have it seen by a vet.

 

[madguinealady]

What substrate are you using?It could be the substrate they are on drying their feet out.Definitely see the vet, could be the start of bumblefoot

 

[TheCavySlave]

I know the others have told you all you need to know, but just thought I'd chime in-
Dark pink feet, often along with ears, mean your piggy is warm. They'll fade in colour. But swollen, blistered, tender to touch, these are all warning signs. Our piggy's ears and feet get almost hot to touch, then fade to pale pink. Hope all goes well x

 

[Becca x]

Their bedding is newspaper and hay, changed twice a week. Their hutch is 6ft x 2ft.

What causes bumblefoot? I'm calling the vet today for an appointment.

 

[*kate*]

It could also be urine scald as newspaper isn't very absorbent and piggies produce a heck of a lot of wee!

I'd be changing it at least once a day, as soon as it is wet or change to a more absorbent bedding.

 

[Swissgreys]

I tend to agree that the problem could be urine scald.
Obviously they need to be seen by a vet, but I would also think about adding something on top of the newspaper to soak away urine quickly, so they are always on a dry layer.
We used Auboise when ours were in a wooden hutch, with hay on top and newspaper underneath.
The top layer (Aboise) always felt dry to the touch, even when the newspaper underneath was quite wet.

 

[Becca x]

Ah ok, I'll have a look around then. I used newspaper because I read that wood shavings gave them dry skin and breathing problems Will see what the vet recommends.

 

[madguinealady]

I use aubiouse in the litter trays and I've never had any problems with dry feet.They need something dry.

 

[Becca x]

The vet confirmed it's from contact with their urine, when they moved to a bigger hutch they lost any toilet training and now pee everywhere! Have some cream for them and am going to try and litter train them, he suggested using a fleece blanket in the part I don't want them to toilet on.

 

[Adelle]

Id definately recommend providing more absorbent bedding such as auboise or fitch, or fleece or vetbed with puppy pads underneath. All of the above are very absorbent and help keep urine away from the pigs skin and coat, particularly the fleece and vetbed.

Hay stays wet when wee'd on so it may be best to keep this in a rack for a while to stop them standing in wet hay, just until the feet heal up.

Bathe the feet in salt water and pat dry before applying any cream, and take them back to the vet if theres any sign lf infection i.e skin hot to the touch, worsening redness or inflammation anywhere on the legs, paws and toes.

All the best x

 

[Becca x]

Thank you for the tip. Have ordered some vetbed Will see how that goes. I've always given them loads and loads of hay to try and keep them warm at night, what should I use if I'm only giving hay in a hay rack?

I do put a snugglesafe heat pad in with them, which actually still felt warm this morning so I was pleased with that. But that's usually under a cardboard box filled with hay (which they trample on and make more of a mat out of).

Only snag with getting them the huge hutch is they're so much harder to catch! Always hanging out in the bit I can't reach They love floor time with me, playing and eating but aren't keen on cuddles so trying to persuade them to have the foot cream isn't going so well - bribing with parsley!