Toe infection

[KrankyCrumpet]

Hi.

My piggy Tom has been seeing an exotic vet for 3 months now with his toe. As you can see this is a large pimple like object which has thickened the nail and we have been asked by the vet to not trim this.

The same toe on his other foot had a similar lump start to form but the antibotics saw this one disappear.

He can't be put under to have it lanced because for 18months has had a breathing issue, where he sounds like he smokes 10 packs a day. His chest is clear, vet speculates this is in his sinus. The latest round of antibotics for his toe has seemed to assist his noisey breathing.

The antibotics did make the toe decrease in size, the image below I took last night because it has grown again, we haven't had antibotics for 3 weeks now.

I was just wondering if anyone else's pig has had the same and what the treatment was?

 

[GPTV]

Ooh crumbs that looks like it could be sore
Has the vet tried to draw anything out of it with syringe, if it's an abscess it would release the pressure & get rid of some of the pus? Maybe a local anaesthetic or light sedative if you don't want to risk a full general anaesthetic?
What antibiotic is he on? If you could get your vet to try him on azithromycin/zitheromax that should help dry out any pus & aid his breathing too?

A warm compress on his foot or soaking his foot in Epsom salts might also alleviate it. Have a chat with your vet-see what they think?

Have you tried different Hays/bedding material/not wood shavings- he might be sensitive to his current one if he's had breathing problems for a while?

Things like candles burning, scent sprays, washing detergents, damp surroundings could also affect his breathing?
Have you tried a nebuliser? Xx

 

[KrankyCrumpet]

Ooh crumbs that looks like it could be sore
Has the vet tried to draw anything out of it with syringe, if it's an abscess it would release the pressure & get rid of some of the pus? Maybe a local anaesthetic or light sedative if you don't want to risk a full general anaesthetic?
What antibiotic is he on? If you could get your vet to try him on azithromycin/zitheromax that should help dry out any pus & aid his breathing too?

A warm compress on his foot or soaking his foot in Epsom salts might also alleviate it. Have a chat with your vet-see what they think?

Have you tried different Hays/bedding material/not wood shavings- he might be sensitive to his current one if he's had breathing problems for a while?

Things like candles burning, scent sprays, washing detergents, damp surroundings could also affect his breathing?
Have you tried a nebuliser? Xx

No they haven't tried to draw anything out, that was what I thought they'd do aswell. He said it thinks it is dried out puss because it is so hard.

He has been on all 3 of the anitbotics they are able to have, he responded to one more than the others. Good idea about the foot soak I will ask.

We unfortunately can't do even light sedation because they don't think he will pull through, when he is nervous or excited his breathing gets really bad.

We only use fleece bedding and soft beds nothing else has changed. We even got his room a purifier. We also don't have any smelly things in the room he lives in. The first vet I went to was considering allergies but we've removed everything a but at a time and no luck solving it.

We rescued him from horrible conditions 3 years ago, he seems to always get the short end of the straw.

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

I'm really sorry, you and your piggy have to go through this.
I'm battling a nasty case of bumble foot with my Billie and that's a long time issue. Around christmas Billie was put on Baytril long term - meaning she'll get Baytril till the vet says we're in the clear and can stop.
So maybe ask your vet about this option? It could help with the breathing as well. (Of course only if he tolerates Baytril - in Billie's case that's no problem).
Billie also gets extra vitamin C to help her immune system, twice daily foot soaks and bandages with Bepanthen plus cream - but her paw starts to bleed quite heavily without the bandage, so that's probably nothing your boy will need.
Do you give him some kind of pain relieve?

 

[weepweeps]

Maybe it needs a longer course of the antibiotic that it responded to? Good luck.

 

[KrankyCrumpet]

I'm really sorry, you and your piggy have to go through this.
I'm battling a nasty case of bumble foot with my Billie and that's a long time issue. Around christmas Billie was put on Baytril long term - meaning she'll get Baytril till the vet says we're in the clear and can stop.
So maybe ask your vet about this option? It could help with the breathing as well. (Of course only if he tolerates Baytril - in Billie's case that's no problem).
Billie also gets extra vitamin C to help her immune system, twice daily foot soaks and bandages with Bepanthen plus cream - but her paw starts to bleed quite heavily without the bandage, so that's probably nothing your boy will need.
Do you give him some kind of pain relieve?

Oh no! I hope you'd piggy recovers soon.

I have meloxicam. But the vet didn't give me a dosage because he's not displaying pain at all. Running, popcorning and generally being normal him.

I am hoping to take him 2hrs north to a different exotic vet for a check.

 

[KrankyCrumpet]

Maybe it needs a longer course of the antibiotic that it responded to? Good luck.

Thanks! He was on antibotics for 3 months straight. We are giving his body a break at the moment, but I say we are about to go on some more. He's been on and off them off 18 months now.

 

[weepweeps]

Could they do a conscious X-ray to see if it’s a bone abnormality?

 

[KrankyCrumpet]

Could they do a conscious X-ray to see if it’s a bone abnormality?

Yes. My previous vet has done many concious xrays on him, but not since the toe developed. Originally there was nothing to show.

I might return to this vet and ask for a new one.

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

Oh no! I hope you'd piggy recovers soon.

I have meloxicam. But the vet didn't give me a dosage because he's not displaying pain at all. Running, popcorning and generally being normal him.

I am hoping to take him 2hrs north to a different exotic vet for a check.

Good luck!
You're doing everything you can.
Sometimes I would wish for a magic wand or something like this, to make these issues go away.

 

[weepweeps]

I agree it sounds like you are trying everything you can.

 

[KrankyCrumpet]

Thanks everyone.

I always go to end of the earth for my fur children. I was just looking to see if anyone else had seen something like and had any soaking or something else luck.

 

[Merab]

I can’t add anything except support for you