Biting back feet

[Popps&Dais]

Hello,

So grateful for this forum. We're off to the vet tomorrow morning and so this is more getting advice on questions to ask, things to be checked.

Our six year old female guinea pig has started savaging her back feet. One possibly more than the other. She's not broken the skin and they're not swollen or red but her nails look quite chewed too and she won't let me touch her feet. I'm not certain it's her feet that are actually hurting as it could be her hips etc. She is moving around fine, and it just seems that sometimes something hurts and then she's gives one or both feet a bit of a tug for a small amount of time and then gets on with her day normally again. She's not hunched and when we stroke her back she does a full body stretch and relaxes even more. Her fur might be a tiny bit on end occasionally which I know can also be a sign of pain. She was bereaved three weeks ago but seems to be coping well in that regard.

Any advice would be wonderful, please.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

So grateful for this forum. We're off to the vet tomorrow morning and so this is more getting advice on questions to ask, things to be checked.

Our six year old female guinea pig has started savaging her back feet. One possibly more than the other. She's not broken the skin and they're not swollen or red but her nails look quite chewed too and she won't let me touch her feet. I'm not certain it's her feet that are actually hurting as it could be her hips etc. She is moving around fine, and it just seems that sometimes something hurts and then she's gives one or both feet a bit of a tug for a small amount of time and then gets on with her day normally again. She's not hunched and when we stroke her back she does a full body stretch and relaxes even more. Her fur might be a tiny bit on end occasionally which I know can also be a sign of pain. She was bereaved three weeks ago but seems to be coping well in that regard.

Any advice would be wonderful, please.

Hi

Please have her lower spine and legs checked for potential arthritis or some other discomfort or irritation. Long term metacam or stronger painkillers in more advances stages as well as glucosamine (which is classed a food suplement and not as a medication so it not prescribed) can help in this case. I use Johnson's 4joints liquid for dogs (0.4 ml once daily for a 1 kg piggy; it is a UK product) to help with joint comfort and mobility in my own arthritic oldies.

You may find our practical Care and Information bundle for older piggies helpful:

Thread 'Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection'

May 7, 2021

1 Caring for Older and Frailer Piggies
- Overview of old age and its particular challenges (Guinea Pig Magazine article)
- In-depth care information
- The importance of regular health/weight monitoring and saving up for euthanasia/vet access
- Signs of illness/pain, emergency and hot weather care
- Common old age issues and practical care advice
2 Facing the End and Dealing with Dying and Loss
- Overview of the challenges and practical approaches...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Grooming Care & Health Monitoring

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[VickiA]

I agree with @Wiebke that I’d be asking the vet to check for arthritis somewhere in the spine/hips/back legs some other problem causing pain in those areas. I do hope you get on okay at the vets – please do let us know what they say tomorrow. We know how much we worry about our older piggies.

 

[Popps&Dais]

Thank you both so much. I will let you know how we get on tomorrow. She’s happily munching her way through a pile of grass at the moment.

 

[weepweeps]

Thank you both so much. I will let you know how we get on tomorrow. She’s happily munching her way through a pile of grass at the moment.

Good luck at the vets.

 

[Popps&Dais]

We’re back, although I’m not forgiven yet.

Her joints checked out well, thank you for the advice to check them. Lungs and heart were also good - hooray. The vet took a bit of matting from her bottom area which could have been sore for her and her back foot pads also looked red (but not infected or bumble foot, thank goodness). The vet feels it’s her not moving as much as she used to which I’d agree with. We have vet bed in her favourite spots because we noticed that. She also had a pedicure.

We’ve been given Arthrocam cat which apparently is same as Metacam cat to try for a week or two to see if it helps. Then the vet will assess if that needs to be a long term thing or not.

Thanks again @Wiebke , @VickiA and @weepweeps