Found this on the bottom of Merlin's foot

[MichelleM]

It's soft and flexible and doesn't seem to hurt him. He doesn't care about it being touched, but it doesn't want to wipe off so it doesn't seem like it's dirt.

He has a vet appointment tomorrow morning, but I'm a worrier and just curious if anyone here has experience to know what this might be?

 

[Minnou]

Looks like a foot spur. You could gently pull it off if it feels soft enough, or you could trim it but be careful not to break his skin.

 

[Piggies&buns]

It does look to be a foot spur.

Please do not ever attempt to pull it or trim it yourself.

They are harmless and best left alone if they aren’t catching on anything. If they are catching then the vet will be able to help.
Cutting or pulling it yourself could result in a lot of pain if you were to go anywhere near or pull at the live part of the skin, which can then result in a lot of bleeding and then increase the risk of infection setting in. Best to always leave them well alone!

 

[Wiebke]

It's soft and flexible and doesn't seem to hurt him. He doesn't care about it being touched, but it doesn't want to wipe off so it doesn't seem like it's dirt.

He has a vet appointment tomorrow morning, but I'm a worrier and just curious if anyone here has experience to know what this might be?

Hi

This looks like a harmless foot spur. About a quarter of guinea pigs develop these dead skin growths.

They are best left alone unless one is really sticking out and at risk of catching and ripping very painfully and bloody at border of where the live skin starts. Cutting too close to live skin is very painful and can serioujsly cripple a foot, so it is best avoided and done by a vet rather than you.

Because spurs are skin growths, they will always have the same colour as the skin in the spot they are growing out of.

Spurs always appear on the edge of the pressure pads of the front feet while bumblefoot sores generally happen in the middle of the pressure pad where germs can get into the skin via tiny rips.

Thread 'Wiebke's Guide to Feet, Legs and Mobility Care'

Dec 29, 2024

1 Toes and Nails
- Extra toes
- Nails
- Nail cutting tips
- Ripped nails and cuts to the quick
2 Feet
- Bumblefoot infection and the importance of the callus
- Development of bumblefoot (pododermatitis)
- Foot spurs
- Removing stuck poos from feet
3 Legs
- Leg injuries
- Minimising the risk of injuries from falls and blind jumps
- Back leg paralysis
4 Care Tips for Reduced Mobility
- Adapting the bedding area
- Daily health monitoring and grooming support
-...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Wiebke's Guides to the Body

• 

Guinea Lynx :: (for pictures)

 

[MichelleM]

Thank you everyone for your answers! Absolutely not going to try doing anything about this myself. I'll confer with his vet tomorrow about whether to leave it be or have the vet remove it. Thank you so much for putting my worries to rest!

Merlin's also our fourth guinea pig, so the quarter of guinea pigs developing them is really on the nose lol.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you everyone for your answers! Absolutely not going to try doing anything about this myself. I'll confer with his vet tomorrow about whether to leave it be or have the vet remove it. Thank you so much for putting my worries to rest!

Merlin's also our fourth guinea pig, so the quarter of guinea pigs developing them is really on the nose lol.

To be honest, the spurs look too small and tight to the foot to need any intervention whatsoever.