Possible bumblefoot

[Jmoney361]

Is it ok to do a soak on my guinea if I think he has bumblefoot.? His feet are bright red and look very uncomfortable so I have been doing all the treatments for bumblefoot but it’s not getting better so I might be going to the vet soon but any help would be appreciated.

 

[Bradshaw Piggies]

Hello,

A vet visit is definitely needed to assess his feet and confirm what is going on.

what type of cage is he kept in? What type of bedding?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please do have your piggy seen by a vet rather than try any home treatments
i hope things improve soon

 

[Free Ranger]

It is better to see the vet earlier than later - and it's usually cheaper to deal with something in the early stages. If his feet are bright red but the skin is not broken it might be urine scald... where the feet are burnt by urine. This is uncomfortable for them and can also lead to skin breakage and infection - the classic 'bumblefoot' - more difficult to treat. The Epsom salt soaks are aimed more at this situation but they don't hurt a 'normal' foot - my old girl had soaks on the front feet when she had a bumble on one because it was easier to stand in the little bowl with both.

If you have urine scald it needs thinking about. It can simply be a bedding issue but there can be other triggers which are causing it and to get to the bottom of the cause is vital. It is more common on back feet so if your lad has it on all 4 feet too you need a re-think about your bedding situation. The front feet will get urine scald when they are standing on wet bedding. If you are smelling the ammonia pong of old urine it is another indication that you need to spot clean or change the bedding more often. The back feet are more susceptible because they are close to the source of the problem! I recently saw it in one of my new girls and I was most upset because I have been keeping pigs 10 years or more, but she has long hair and there is lots of wispy floof on the back legs. This was getting soaked in pee and causing the urine scald on her sensitive skin. She is my first long-hair so I didn't foresee the problem. But one important cause which is often overlooked is incontinence. Does your boy have a wet belly or rear end? Does he make little squeaks when toileting? Is there a pink tinge of blood to his urine? He may have a urinary tract infection (UTI) which leads to him dripping pee and this can cause the side-effect of scald where they have not had it before. UTIs are quite treatable with antibiotics and it is important to get on top of it, not just for the sake of his feet, but if they are trying to hold in pee (because it hurts to go) it increases the likelihood of them developing stones and then things are getting bad for piggy and both expensive and upsetting for you. My boar was 3 when he got his first ever UTI and it turned out he had the beginnings of impaction (problems with pooping) which was part of the reason he got it. So visit the vet at this stage and it might just be a quick diagnosis and a tube of cream - or it might be antibiotics and painkiller. A hands-on professional examination is needed to check out all the possibilities. I hope this helps - good luck little chap, and I hope you fell better soon. Keep us updated! x

 

[Wiebke]

Is it ok to do a soak on my guinea if I think he has bumblefoot.? His feet are bright red and look very uncomfortable so I have been doing all the treatments for bumblefoot but it’s not getting better so I might be going to the vet soon but any help would be appreciated.

Hi!

Please do not diagnose and treat on spec and please accept that we cannot diagnose anything sight unseen and just based on your own speculations.
Please take pictures of the feet and upload by using the green Attach File button under the post you are writing for upload.

Bumblefoot is a localised skin infection when bugs get through a tiny crack in the skin. It starts with a red dot on an otherwise much lighter foot sole that then becomes a scab or open sore. The swelling of the infected area should be noticeable when you compare it with the other foot.
It does NOT cover the whole bottom of the feet evenly. Soles turn red if a piggy is hot and is shedding the excess heat by increased blood flow in their ears and and feet.
Please also be aware that bumblefoot is rare in well kept guinea pigs that are not sitting in their own excretement or living on a bare wire cage bottom. Most well cared for piggies with bumblefoot have longer term mobility issues and/or old age related issues with their blood circulation.
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis

If you treat on spec, you can actually cause the hard skin the in the soles to soften and make it easier for bugs to get in.