Pixel's Crusty Toenails

[katanamoon]

Pixel seems to be developing crusty nails on one of her back feet and I'm very confused! All her other feet (and all the other pigs) are fine. It almost seems that they grow upwards, even though I'm cutting at an angle, and while they don't seem to hurt her, she walks with them up off the floor. Obviously will be seeing a vet, but does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[VickiA]

Are her toes a bit swollen? Looks like what in humans is a fungal nail infection - not sure if piggies can get that too....

 

[katanamoon]

Are her toes a bit swollen? Looks like what in humans is a fungal nail infection - not sure if piggies can get that too....

I'm not sure if they're swollen (although it's hard to tell as she doesn't like me touching her feet much in case the dreaded nail clippers make an appearance) - they look fine colour-wise and don't feel hot, but maybe they look a little larger than the others?

 

[Flutterby]

I agree with Vicki it does look like a fungal nail infection.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Please get her to see a vet, that does look fungal As with humans it can be transmitted so make sure you use new seperate nail clippers on your other pigs.

 

[katanamoon]

Ick - poor little fatty-bum What could have caused it?

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Sometimes it's just one of those things, or can be caused by trauma to the nail bed.

 

[katanamoon]

Thank you guys x

 

[Mother Hubbard]

OH no, poor Pixel, the nails do look nasty, I agree, the initial reaction makes you think fungal or like when you've kept nail varnish on for too long and they go white and chalky like.

 

[katanamoon]

I've managed to get a vet appointment for 5pm tonight - will update later!

 

[VickiA]

Good luck Pixel x

 

[Flutterby]

Good luck little one x

 

[katanamoon]

Hmm. Well, the vet had a good look all over Pixel, including in her ears, which apparently are a little mucky as well as the obviously manky nails. The upshot is, she's not sure what has caused it so has given me Xeno 450 to treat all four pigs as a precaution for mites, and ordered some cream (I think she said Canesten?) for her feet. She wants to see her again in a fortnight.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Canesten is an anti-fungal Make sure you use seperate clippers for your piggies & have 2 sets for her, one to be used to only trim that foot, so as to prevent it spreading

 

[katanamoon]

A few weeks on now, and I've been back to the vet once for her to take a sample for culture, about a week and a half ago. So far the results are inconclusive but she has recommended starting a month course of itrafungol to see if it has more effect than the cream has.

And so begins a month of wrestling to syringe the world's most stroppy pigger!

 

[VickiA]

A few weeks on now, and I've been back to the vet once for her to take a sample for culture, about a week and a half ago. So far the results are inconclusive but she has recommended starting a month course of itrafungol to see if it has more effect than the cream has.

And so begins a month of wrestling to syringe the world's most stroppy pigger!

I can't believe wrestling Pixel is as difficult as wrestling my Mollie - it's like wrestling a crocodile.....