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Foot Injury (please Help)

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ZoeCavyLover

ZoeCavyLover

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My three year old male boar guinea pig scraped his foot. Its scraped at the top of the foot but I am worried it will get infected. I soaked the wound in warm water, dried it off, applied a very small amount of neosporin, wrapped it in gauze, and wrapped in vet wrap. I also changed his bedding right away. I have a few questions:
1) What is the best way to prevent bumblefoot?
2) Is using Neosporin ok in small amounts?
3) Should I use Hydrogen Proxide?
4) What foods at best for recovering guinea pigs?
5) How often should I change his wrap and soak his foot?
6) How can I tell if he broke or sprained his foot or toes?
 
ZoeCavyLover said:
My three year old male boar guinea pig scraped his foot. Its scraped at the top of the foot but I am worried it will get infected. I soaked the wound in warm water, dried it off, applied a very small amount of neosporin, wrapped it in gauze, and wrapped in vet wrap. I also changed his bedding right away. I have a few questions:
1) What is the best way to prevent bumblefoot?
2) Is using Neosporin ok in small amounts?
3) Should I use Hydrogen Proxide?
4) What foods at best for recovering guinea pigs?
5) How often should I change his wrap and soak his foot?
6) How can I tell if he broke or sprained his foot or toes?
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Hi!

Please have your boy checked by a vet during normal opening hours tomorrow, unless he has lost a lot of blood, in which case you are dealing with an emergency that should be seen immediately.

Just a mild disinfectant like saline solution should do the trick. If it is just a scrape, it should heal pretty quickly.

Bumblefoot is infection of the foot pads, either caused by neglect (infection from uncleaned/filthy surfaces coming through cracks in the skin) or by inefficient blood circulation/ of the extremities/lack of movement in the elderly or frail.

There are no specific dietary needs. A healthy guinea pig on a balanced good diet should be able to fend off most nasties and heal well.

You can't fail to notice if a guinea pig is limping/putting as little weigh as possible on a sprained leg or can't put any weight on a leg at all. With a break, the leg will likely be swollen. Please see a vet in that case promptly!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Please have your boy checked by a vet during normal opening hours tomorrow, unless he has lost a lot of blood, in which case you are dealing with an emergency that should be seen immediately.

Just a mild disinfectant like saline solution should do the trick. If it is just a scrape, it should heal pretty quickly.

Bumblefoot is infection of the foot pads, either caused by neglect (infection from uncleaned/filthy surfaces coming through cracks in the skin) or by inefficient blood circulation/ of the extremities/lack of movement in the elderly or frail.

There are no specific dietary needs. A healthy guinea pig on a balanced good diet should be able to fend off most nasties and heal well.

You can't fail to notice if a guinea pig is limping/putting as little weigh as possible on a sprained leg or can't put any weight on a leg at all. With a break, the leg will likely be swollen. Please see a vet in that case promptly!
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Ok! Thank you so much! The cut is very small and. Mostly scabbed over, he seems perfectly content and is acting very normal!
 
ZoeCavyLover said:
Ok! Thank you so much! The cut is very small and. Mostly scabbed over, he seems perfectly content and is acting very normal!
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Just leave it to heal all by itself. See a vet if he rips/gnaws it open or if starts looking inflamed.
 
Hi, you could always soak his food in salty water to prevent infection
 
Er, ordinary cooking salt? I don't know, sadly! But I do know that Duncan had a cut on his little face, between his eyes, and it healed with no problems- a healthy, well looked after piggy will recover small scratches and scrapes. Hope all goes well!
 
TheCavySlave said:
Er, ordinary cooking salt? I don't know, sadly! But I do know that Duncan had a cut on his little face, between his eyes, and it healed with no problems- a healthy, well looked after piggy will recover small scratches and scrapes. Hope all goes well!
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Ok thank you!
ZoeCavyLover said:
Ok! Thank you so much! Do you know how often I should soak it?
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I'm in the same thought camp as my vet when it comes to scratches.

Give them a quick clean if you notice them when they're fresh and then let them be. Let the body do it's job, scab over and heal.

Check it multiple times a day and only intervene if it becomes a problem.
 
Jaycey said:
I'm in the same thought camp as my vet when it comes to scratches.

Give them a quick clean if you notice them when they're fresh and then let them be. Let the body do it's job, scab over and heal.

Check it multiple times a day and only intervene if it becomes a problem.
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Ok this helps a lot! Thank you so much!
 
Hiya! My Smudge is currently undergoing treatment for an injury to her foot!

She had a deep wound in the bottom of her paw pad - so her foot had to be wrapped up constantly in order to stop her ripping it off! So just make sure you keep an eye on your little one to make sure that he's not biting at it and making the wound worse - infection sets in super quickly if he manages to bite at it and then running around in dirty bedding, etc.

I soak Smudge's foot in Epsom salt once a day, then wrap her foot - using regular dressing and dressing tape! Since she's a trouble maker and likes to bite it off, I usually end up wrapping it up her leg around halfway to ensure she can't bite it off as easily! Here's an example picture on the type of wrap I use it Smudge's foot:

IMG_6216.webp

But you shouldn't need to wrap it - as others has said, leave it be to heal unless he starts to bite at it and make the wound worse - and just make sure it's not infected. A vet will be able to rule out infection, but one sign could be that it's hot to the touch.

Best of luck with the healing process! I really hope the little scratch is all healed up soon!
 
DoragonHinansho said:
Hiya! My Smudge is currently undergoing treatment for an injury to her foot!

She had a deep wound in the bottom of her paw pad - so her foot had to be wrapped up constantly in order to stop her ripping it off! So just make sure you keep an eye on your little one to make sure that he's not biting at it and making the wound worse - infection sets in super quickly if he manages to bite at it and then running around in dirty bedding, etc.

I soak Smudge's foot in Epsom salt once a day, then wrap her foot - using regular dressing and dressing tape! Since she's a trouble maker and likes to bite it off, I usually end up wrapping it up her leg around halfway to ensure she can't bite it off as easily! Here's an example picture on the type of wrap I use it Smudge's foot:

View attachment 55505

But you shouldn't need to wrap it - as others has said, leave it be to heal unless he starts to bite at it and make the wound worse - and just make sure it's not infected. A vet will be able to rule out infection, but one sign could be that it's hot to the touch.

Best of luck with the healing process! I really hope the little scratch is all healed up soon!
Click to expand...
THis helps so much! Thanks a lot!
 
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