Swollen Toe Query

[PiggySmitten]

I've noticed that our 11 week old sow has one slightly swollen toe on a rear foot. It's possibly slightly redder than the rest of her foot pad but difficult to say. She's had it a couple of days. It doesn't appear to be affecting her movement at all but I realise guinea pigs don't like to let on they're in pain.

She has been out on the grass or in a hutch lined with cardboard then newspaper then wood shavings on top or in an indoor cage with plastic base lined in the same way as the hutch since we've had her (a few times we've had her out indoors and put a towel on our laminate floor for her to walk on and we've obviously handled her too) so I don't think she has got sore from inappropriate flooring but am happy to hear views on that.

I can't see any sort of cut at all on her toe. She seems ok with me handling her foot but I have been careful not to press at all in case I hurt her.

What other causes could there be and what, if anything, should I do to care for her poor toe? I'm pretty new to having guinea pigs and they are the first pets we've had as adults so please assume I know little.

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Hello & welcome to the forum. Is there anyway you can post a pic of her toe? The best thing to do would be to get her along to a guinea pig savvy vet, or Exotics vet to have a look at it for you. Check our vet locator if you aren't sure about vets. Redness or swelling can indicate infection, so antibiotics may be necessary

 

[PiggySmitten]

Hello & welcome to the forum. Is there anyway you can post a pic of her toe? The best thing to do would be to get her along to a guinea pig savvy vet, or Exotics vet to have a look at it for you. Check our vet locator if you aren't sure about vets. Redness or swelling can indicate infection, so antibiotics may be necessary

Thanks. Will try and get a picture on tomorrow.

 

[PiggySmitten]

Hello & welcome to the forum. Is there anyway you can post a pic of her toe? The best thing to do would be to get her along to a guinea pig savvy vet, or Exotics vet to have a look at it for you. Check our vet locator if you aren't sure about vets. Redness or swelling can indicate infection, so antibiotics may be necessary

Here's some photos including other rear foot for comparison. Hope the upload works. Never done it before!

 

[PiggySmitten]

Ok that seems to just show the good foot. Will try separate posts.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Definitely needs a vet to look at it! It could be broken, or have an infection. Please see a vet with her

 

[helen105281]

I agree that needs to be checked by a vet, it looks a bit painful to me and piggies do hide pain. She may need a course of anti-inflammatories at least.

 

[PiggySmitten]

Thanks for the advice. I've used the vet locator but it isn't showing a vet with special expertise within a distance I'd be able to go without having to get some special help to get me there. There is a pets 4 vets opened near us fairly recently and I think there is a vet at pets at home too. Would it be worth me trying them first?

 

[Elwickcavies]

If you can't get to a guinea-savvy vet, a local vet is better than no vet. Be sure to ask about pain meds and anti-inflammatories. It does look sore. let us know how it goes.

 

[guineapig-al]

Hi, "Piggysmitten" so very sorry for your piggy doing poorly. What is her name? Her little toe looks definitely awful, it needs vet attention, please do not wait on this. Piggies tend to decline very quickly, so please get her the help she needs while it can still make a difference. I understand your transportation is limited, so why not call each of those vets to see if there is one in today that can see her, even if not exotics expert, start there and maybe they can refer you to an exotics vet, if they feel they can't help her. Keep posting to let us know how she's doing
Thanks
Alexis

 

[Briony_S]

I cant vouch for your local vets 4 pets but dependant on the vets that work there some are very guinea savvy. They are linked to pets at home in many areas so often get to see there "stock" guineas from time to time.

I would give the vets a try and to be honest a sore toe isnt a guinea specific issue so any vet should help with that type of issue.

I do find with some vets if you ask for meds they will be happy to give you some. Ie if theydont mention pain relief ask if they can give you some metacam and they will prob agree!

 

[PiggySmitten]

Just a quick update and thanks to all of you. Vets 4 Pets had lovely receptionist who said they see quite a lot of Guinea pigs there. Costs £25 currently to have a consultation. I got called into school this afternoon though. Now got a quite poorly child too! Vets 4 Pets said I can come along tomorrow and they always try and squeeze people in even when booked up if owner feels animal needs to be seen. Checking her again this evening, the swelling seems to have gone down a little but I will still definitely take her.

Whatever the answer to my next question I am going to go there as first impression was so reassuring on the phone but how does £25 sound - expensive/reasonable/cheap? We are in Yorkshire if that helps!

 

[Briony_S]

Just a quick update and thanks to all of you. Vets 4 Pets had lovely receptionist who said they see quite a lot of Guinea pigs there. Costs £25 currently to have a consultation. I got called into school this afternoon though. Now got a quite poorly child too! Vets 4 Pets said I can come along tomorrow and they always try and squeeze people in even when booked up if owner feels animal needs to be seen. Checking her again this evening, the swelling seems to have gone down a little but I will still definitely take her.

Whatever the answer to my next question I am going to go there as first impression was so reassuring on the phone but how does £25 sound - expensive/reasonable/cheap? We are in Yorkshire if that helps!

That Is about what I pay for consultations. Beware that any meds will cost on top and pain meds is generally quite expensive. You may be talking around £50 if your looking at pain meds and antibiotics x

 

[maxinedawn]

My vet is £35. My friend now work as a receptionist at vets 4 pets. She told me that first consult is £25, second is more but I can't remember how much think £35 and vets 4 pets can get meds cheeper than normal vet. Because of bulk ordering.

 

[helen105281]

I think my vets must be extra cheap, a consult is about £15 and sometimes even £8 though that is usually for second consult, but the head vet tends to charge us that a lot of the time. Think it's because we have built up a good relationship with them. Vets and Pets in Broxbourne where the piggy clinics are held charge about £17 for a consultation. The clinic is £15 and I think £3 for each extra pig but it is extra to see the vet.

 

[Wiebke]

£25 sounds about par for the course, some not-for-profit vets are cheaper other are more expensive. As mentioned before, any medication will be on top of it.

You will likely end up with a course of antibiotics and hopefully some painkiller (metacam) - if not ask for it. It would be good if you could get hold of some probiotics to balance the effects of the antibiotics on the guts. Some of them can cause loss of appetite or diarrhoea. You can order probiotics like bio-lapsis or avipro plus online, but in a pinch, the pet@home brand will do.

 

[PiggySmitten]

Nice vet today - my first experience ever with a vet. He said he didn't think it was broken and spent ages closely examining it but said he couldn't see any cut it scratch at all.

He thought most likely an infection and prescribed Baytril antibiotic. I asked about pain relief but he said he didn't feel it was needed at present. I have mixed feelings about that but in a muppet moment, I'd forgotten to bring any means of paying at all so I didn't want to push my luck on the goodwill that had they'd shown so far in agreeing to try and deal without me having payment on me.

Have picked up some probiotic from pets at home later after getting my money but think I will look online for some to have in.

She weighed 530g which I understand is good for a 12 week old.

 

[PiggySmitten]

Meant to post the cost - consultation £25 and 2 weeks worth of Baytril was £9.96

 

[Briony_S]

I would prob ask when you go back and pay again if you can have metacam. Its pricey but worth it if your pigs in pain x

 

[helen105281]

Glad you have a diagnosis, if you think she does need pain relief you could always call them tomorrow and call in for some.

 

[PiggySmitten]

So 6 days on, there's definitely an improvement. There's less redness than there was and the swelling has started to go down. Not gone yet but looks like we're getting there.

 

[helen105281]

That's great, looks a lot better.