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Urgent / scab comes off from swollen feet

Kosson

Kosson

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 2, 2018
Messages
140
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127
Points
275
Location
France
My Moru (sow, 5years old and 9 months) has an ovarian cyst possibly since August 2020.
I took her to the vet and was told that it would be complicated to get rid of it by surgery and he gave her some metacam.

Since then I took to the vet whenever she had health problem, such as losing appetite, strong respiration, and since some time (april?) swollen anus...
We noticed that her right feet was swollen on Wednesday, and as the vet prescribed an anti-inflammation creme, I applied it to her feet as well as her anus.
She eats well. Although she is in pain, she is as nice and lovely as ever to us, sleeps on my chest...

This evening, I washed her bum and I noticed some scabs that looked like dried poo, I gently rubbed her feet to get rid of that 'poo'. I rubbed only the edge of that, but finally some bigger scab? at the centre of it came off.
She did not scream, nor she huffed. It just came off. But she bled a little (just small amount, and it seemes to have stopped).

The thing came off has a strong smell. and it actually seems to come from inside her body (not from outside, like poo etc.), I can see a little hole on her feet, where the scab was.

I think it might be something to do with the cyst.
The vet already confirmed that the inflammation of the anus was caused by the liquid from the cyst.

I noticed that last night the cyst that has been on her right side seemed to have gone (or it became really small), but her right feet is swollen and I think whatever inside the cyst went to and eventually came off her right feet.
(on the visit to the vet on 4 July, the vet noticed that her cyst had become smaller than before)

Today is a national holiday in France so the vet was closed, I will bring Moru to the vet tomorrow.

What I would like to know is, what I should do to her, especially for her feet.

As I described, there is a small hole on her feet where the scab was and I really fear that she get infected from there.
Since Wednesday I put a towel as a flooring and I change it three times a day (first thing in the morning, evening, and before I go to bed).
I tried to put some bandage (gauze and scotch) to cover the hole, but it comes off as she walks. Is it OK to put the gaze then put medical bandage directly to her feet?

I would be most grateful what sort of security measure I could take till tomorrow for her feet. Since the scab came off, what I did to her was to apply anti inflammation cream and gave her Metacam, then fed her veg ( she ate all happily from my hand). Now she is having some timothy hay in her cage. She urinates and poos well.
 
Hi

@Viennese Furbabies or @eileen have both got the most practical experience with bumblefoot (pododermatitis) treatment and care. I am tagging them for you.

Keeping the open sore disinfected and clean as much as possible is the most important thing you can do. Adding some painkiller is also not a bad idea.

If needed, you can always make your own mild disinfectant by boiling 250 ml/half a pint of water cool and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency

More information on bumblefoot:
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis Links

Here are some very practical general care tips for guinea pigs that do not move around much and often sit in their excrement as a result due to illness, old age, accidents or paralysis - the hygiene part of which will also apply for bumblefoot piggies: Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

@Viennese Furbabies or @eileen have both got the most practical experience with bumblefoot (pododermatitis) treatment and care. I am tagging them for you.

Keeping the open sore disinfected and clean as much as possible is the most important thing you can do. Adding some painkiller is also not a bad idea.

If needed, you can always make your own mild disinfectant by boiling 250 ml/half a pint of water cool and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency

More information on bumblefoot:
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis Links

Here are some very practical general care tips for guinea pigs that do not move around much and often sit in their excrement as a result due to illness, old age, accidents or paralysis - the hygiene part of which will also apply for bumblefoot piggies: Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for your advice.

I looked at her feet one hour ago and the hole seemed to be somewhat closed though I do not know what is filled... It has been around five hours since the scub came off, she fortunately looks OK and now she is still having timothy hay again.

Having read the Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility, it seems that her immune system has gotton lowered after her piggy friend Zelie passed away two weeks ago. Plus she did not move much as she was so sad after that...

I will phone the vet first thing in the morning tomorrow and I really really hope that he can have a look at her tomorrow...
 
Kosson said:
Thank you so much for your advice.

I looked at her feet one hour ago and the hole seemed to be somewhat closed though I do not know what is filled... It has been around five hours since the scub came off, she fortunately looks OK and now she is still having timothy hay again.

Having read the Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility, it seems that her immune system has gotton lowered after her piggy friend Zelie passed away two weeks ago. Plus she did not move much as she was so sad after that...

I will phone the vet first thing in the morning tomorrow and I really really hope that he can have a look at her tomorrow...
Click to expand...

I am very sorry for your loss. It is difficult with older piggies... :(

All the best with getting her to the vets quickly. Weekends are always tricky.
 
My Billie has been suffering from bumble foot for 2 years now and unfortunately it never got better. It's a constant up and down.

As @Wiebke wrote above it's important to keep the wound as dry and clean as possible. Sometimes soaking the paw with saline solution or mallow tea can help. Dry off carefully after the soaking and apply a cream like Bepanthen or Bepanthen plus.

I did a bandage for many months. The paw got better with the bandage but in Billie's case it didn't last. With a bandage, you have to be very careful that it doesn't obstruct the blood circulation.

If your vet advices you to use a bandage, ask him to show you how it is down.
I modified the way a bit, because Billie wasn't happy with having the whole paw in the bandage.
I did a YouTube Video that might help you:
I'm sorry that it's only in German, but I did try to get every step in video. Saskia from LA Guinea Pig Rescue has also got a very helpful video on bumble foot that helped me a lot when I first started to do the bandaging.

Billie is on long term Baytril to keep the infection under control and on Metacam.
While she had the bandage on, the piggies were kept on their usual bedding. Last autumn, my vet adviced to stop the bandaging because it always affects the circulation, so I switched to fleece bedding.

The ongoing saga of Billie's paw is documented in this threat: Billie's paw

Good luck at the vets.

In Billie's case their is no link to an ovarian cyst (though she has got a big one), but probably to the arthrosis in her hind legs.
If piggies don't move around enough, bumble foot can happen quickly if their is just a little entrace hole for bacteria.
There also seems to be a higher chance to develop bumble foot for US Teddies who also show other symptoms like flaky skin and a lot of ear wax.
 
Wiebke said:
I am very sorry for your loss. It is difficult with older piggies... :(

All the best with getting her to the vets quickly. Weekends are always tricky.
Click to expand...
Yes, indeed... the vet where I usually take Moru is closed today (14 July was the national holiday so the vet decides to take a long week-end, I suppose).
I found other vet who specialises exotic animals. Though they said they would charge me 'emergency fee', I would prefer not wait until Monday...
I will go there this afternoon and hopefully they can do something...
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
My Billie has been suffering from bumble foot for 2 years now and unfortunately it never got better. It's a constant up and down.

As @Wiebke wrote above it's important to keep the wound as dry and clean as possible. Sometimes soaking the paw with saline solution or mallow tea can help. Dry off carefully after the soaking and apply a cream like Bepanthen or Bepanthen plus.

I did a bandage for many months. The paw got better with the bandage but in Billie's case it didn't last. With a bandage, you have to be very careful that it doesn't obstruct the blood circulation.

If your vet advices you to use a bandage, ask him to show you how it is down.
I modified the way a bit, because Billie wasn't happy with having the whole paw in the bandage.
I did a YouTube Video that might help you:
I'm sorry that it's only in German, but I did try to get every step in video. Saskia from LA Guinea Pig Rescue has also got a very helpful video on bumble foot that helped me a lot when I first started to do the bandaging.

Billie is on long term Baytril to keep the infection under control and on Metacam.
While she had the bandage on, the piggies were kept on their usual bedding. Last autumn, my vet adviced to stop the bandaging because it always affects the circulation, so I switched to fleece bedding.

The ongoing saga of Billie's paw is documented in this threat: Billie's paw

Good luck at the vets.

In Billie's case their is no link to an ovarian cyst (though she has got a big one), but probably to the arthrosis in her hind legs.
If piggies don't move around enough, bumble foot can happen quickly if their is just a little entrace hole for bacteria.
There also seems to be a higher chance to develop bumble foot for US Teddies who also show other symptoms like flaky skin and a lot of ear wax.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for your reply.

I really hope that Moru gets better but thanks to your experience, I will not be 'too' optimistic which is good.
Though she has appetite and asks me to hold and hug her, I can see that she is in pain.
I hope that the vet can do something (I do not expect any miracles) ...
 
VickiA said:
I’ve nothing to add but support. The advice above is invaluable.
Click to expand...
I agree with you. They are prividing me with precious advice.
Thank you for your support, I hope that Moru gets better and I will do my very best for whatever I can do.
 
Kosson said:
Yes, indeed... the vet where I usually take Moru is closed today (14 July was the national holiday so the vet decides to take a long week-end, I suppose).
I found other vet who specialises exotic animals. Though they said they would charge me 'emergency fee', I would prefer not wait until Monday...
I will go there this afternoon and hopefully they can do something...
Click to expand...

All the best!

Out-of-hours services are unfortunately very expensive because they cannot be run efficiently - higher salaries with a smaller crew, and outside of holidays like Christmas or Easter usually with not a lot of footfall. But well worth it, especially if you can see an exotics vet with anything that cannot wait another two days.
 
I'm sorry ive just seen this thread.Matthew had bumble foot.i used a table spoon of bath salts in a shallow amount of water,in a plastic shoe box.i placed Matthew in the solution all four paws for ten minutes soak.dried the area.used F10 ointment on the foot after the soak.i did this twice aday , until it healed.two to three weeks.
also had 0.5mls of loxicom for inflamation,twice aday.
i also kept him on vet bed ,that really helped.
i hope you get this sorted.
 
eileen said:
I'm sorry ive just seen this thread.Matthew had bumble foot.i used a table spoon of bath salts in a shallow amount of water,in a plastic shoe box.i placed Matthew in the solution all four paws for ten minutes soak.dried the area.used F10 ointment on the foot after the soak.i did this twice aday , until it healed.two to three weeks.
also had 0.5mls of loxicom for inflamation,twice aday.
i also kept him on vet bed ,that really helped.
i hope you get this sorted.
Click to expand...
I am glad to hear that Matthew's foot was healed. Does vet bed mean this one? Tapis Vetbed® Isobed zooplus, cœurs & pattes pour chien | zooplus
If so I will buy it!
 
Update...

I took Moru to an exotic vet yesterday. The vet listened and looked at Moru carefully.

She prescribed some anti-biotics and advised me to continue to adoministrate metacam.
Besides she prescribed some anti-septic and adviced me to soak some gaze with it and apply to the feet and anus (using separate gaze) but she was not very 'for' about me washing moru in tepid water.

I am doing what she told me (give Moru anti-biotic and metacam once a day = yesterday evening and apply anti-septic twice a day.

However I noticed that Moru's bum and feet were little dirtier ( as I could not wash them) and she eats less timothy hay than usual (she eats veg well). I guess it is due anti-biotics.

As Wiebke suggestrd salted water and also eileen gave her Matthew bath with salted water, I want to try it out... but as Moru has another problem around her anus so maybe I should stick to the vet's advice...?

Moru is not using her right back leg at all and I am really worried...
 
I'm very sorry that Moru is in so much pain. My vet is always in favour of paw soaks, but Billie doesn't have any troubles with her anus. So I'm not sure if her situation is comparable to Moru's.
If you trust your vet and believe her to know what she's doing, I would go along with her advice.

If you're not sure how much experience she has got, you could get a second opinion from a vet you trust and who knows about piggies.
 
I did not give matthew a bath all over,just soaked his feed in epsom salts for ten minutes.dry the feet and then placed F10 ointment on.some use a betadine soak.i agree with Viennese furbabies,if you trust your vet i would follow there advise.
That is vet bed in the zooplus link.
if you can get green backed vet bed and not non slip backing,green back stands washing at 60 degrees centigrade,as non slip only stands 40degrees washing temperatures.
i do hope you get your piggies illness sorted out.
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I'm very sorry that Moru is in so much pain. My vet is always in favour of paw soaks, but Billie doesn't have any troubles with her anus. So I'm not sure if her situation is comparable to Moru's.
If you trust your vet and believe her to know what she's doing, I would go along with her advice.

If you're not sure how much experience she has got, you could get a second opinion from a vet you trust and who knows about piggies.
Click to expand...
Actually the exotic vet I usually take Moru was on holiday till Sunday, so I took Moru to the vet for 'emergency'.
Hence I cannot tell if she (the vet) is really savvy / experienced.

On the other hand, the vet Moru frequent is definitely an exotic vet and she (the vet) agrees that I wash her anus once a day with tepid water (back then she did not have problem with her feet).

She gets filthier and filthier and I do not think this helps the situation at all... I will give her some foot bath tomorrow (as my usual vet agrees for the anus and people here gives foot bath, I cannot see anything bad, just I should dry her throughly afterwards).
 
eileen said:
I did not give matthew a bath all over,just soaked his feed in epsom salts for ten minutes.dry the feet and then placed F10 ointment on.some use a betadine soak.i agree with Viennese furbabies,if you trust your vet i would follow there advise.
That is vet bed in the zooplus link.
if you can get green backed vet bed and not non slip backing,green back stands washing at 60 degrees centigrade,as non slip only stands 40degrees washing temperatures.
i do hope you get your piggies illness sorted out.
Click to expand...
Yes I meant foot bath.
I have some ointment and it seems the it has the same effect as the F10 ointment, so I think foot bath followed by the ointment is a good idea.

by the way how many vet bed did you get? How often did you have to change ? Right now Moru is on her own. (no cage mates right now... as her cage mate passed away two weeks ago...)
 
Kosson said:
Yes I meant foot bath.
I have some ointment and it seems the it has the same effect as the F10 ointment, so I think foot bath followed by the ointment is a good idea.

by the way how many vet bed did you get? How often did you have to change ? Right now Moru is on her own. (no cage mates right now... as her cage mate passed away two weeks ago...)
Click to expand...
I don't use vetbed but with the fleece/pee pads, I have 3 sets that I use in rotation. One is always in use, one in washing and one, if I don't get the washing done immediately.
But you need at least 2 sets to beginn with.
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I don't use vetbed but with the fleece/pee pads, I have 3 sets that I use in rotation. One is always in use, one in washing and one, if I don't get the washing done immediately.
But you need at least 2 sets to beginn with.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I have some fleece so maybe I should get some pee pads, too.
 
Small update...

This morning I soaked Moru's back feet to salted tepid water for about five minutes, followed by desinfectant for 15 minutes and ointment. Between desinfectant and the ointment, I gave her veg breakfast (+vitamin C) which she very happily finished.

I called the vet I usually go and talked to the assistant. As I predicted the assistant told me to wait and see how it would go, as the treatment (antibiotics) had been started. Then come to see the vet after the treatment cycle finished (10 days) / urgent situation (loss of appetite etc.) occurs.

Now (3:20PM), Moru seems to be happier than yesterday (then she was filthier, without foot bath since Friday evening) and she is having timothy hay.

So I will continue 1 foot/anus bath a day, 1 antibiotics and metacam a day, desinfectant and ointment 2times a day till the cycle of antibiotics ends.

I also bought two vet bed to begin with. If I need extra, I will use fleece + pee pad.

Moru is a very brave piggy, even now she eats happily everything and she does not give up. I will support her at maximum of my capacity.
 
Small update...

In the late evening last Saturday, I noticed that lots of pus (white cream like thing) came off from her feet.
Her feet had a large opening ...
Since the last post, I continued to give her antibiotics (once a day for 10 days as prescribed), metacam (continued even after 10 days, as it worked as a pain relief) and disinfectant. I continued to give her foot bath every morning, too.

As she had appetite and drank well, I waited till the exotic vet reopens the door on Monday (not to rush to the emergency vet like I did two weeks ago).
Her exotic vet looked at her condition and the vet said that the prognosis was not good.
As for the bumble feet, the infection reached to the articulation (hence Moru cannot move her back right foot).
The bumps that I thought as one another cyste ( it appered about one week abo) is a tumor.
And she still has an ovarian kyste.

Since the last post, I was considering to adopt two guinea pigs from a rescue association, for Moru.

I told the vet about it and asked him if, considering her prognosis, it was a good idea to adopt two piggies for Moru. He said that right now it was not necessary... I asked him, in his opinion how long Moru would be with us. He said ' I would say some weeks (not a month)'.

He prescribed baytril (twice a day) and disinfectant. I told him that I gave Moru foot bath and he told me to continue it (thank you for your advice!).
Moru looked tired afterwards, especially she was in agony when the vet squeezed out the pus, and also the travel. However at home she enjoyed lots of goodies (fresh grass, hay palet and veg dish) and being with my daughter and me. I cannot believe that, though I do know the condition around her feet, anus is bad, I cannot believe that in some weeks she might go... She even gained 50g, compared to two weeks ago (after the vet squeezed out the pus).

I am deeply sad... but Moru is still there, all I should do is to be happy and do my best and... enjoy each moment with her I suppose.

I hope Baytril works... keep everything crossed.
 
I"m very sorry! I hope the antibiotics will work.
You're doing everything you can for your lovely girl. (And sometimes the vet's prognosis are not correct and guinea pigs live much longer than predicted.)

I hope you will have many happy days with Moru and can create many happy memories.
Sending healing vibes!
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I"m very sorry! I hope the antibiotics will work.
You're doing everything you can for your lovely girl. (And sometimes the vet's prognosis are not correct and guinea pigs live much longer than predicted.)

I hope you will have many happy days with Moru and can create many happy memories.
Sending healing vibes!
Click to expand...
Thank you for your very kind words and healing vibes!

Maybe I am optimistic but her leg seems to be smaller than before. I also give her massage for 30 minutes or so which she loves a lot.
She still eats a lot and she actually moves lots more than before (especially when I give her the antibiotic).

She looks happy. Definitely happier than some days ago.
As for the adoption of two friends, I think I would try (at least I would see if the two piggies and Moru get along with each other), if the vet finds her condition has not got worse this Friday.
 
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