guinea pigs foot

Question
My daughter has a guinea pig that is having a problem with his foot. He was find until she had to move and take him in a carrier after that his foot became swollen and red. they put a antiobioc ointment on it and she said it seem to get better but today when she picked him up he had a spot that just started tp bleed ( same foot) he had had a spot tht lost the skin. what could be causing this. She wants to take it to vet but I know they are expensive.  Thanks

Answer

Bumblefoot   If he was in a wire bottom carrier he may have a pressure sore. There really isn't anything the vet would do other than what you are doing.

There is a condition called "bumblefoot" that occurs in pigs for no reason we can explain. The pad of the foot (usually the front feet) gets very swollen and sore. It will bleed easily when touched. In all the years I've raised guinea pigs I've never been able to effectively cure this condition, nor have any of my breeder friends.

There was a gentleman from England by the name of Peter Gurney. He was considered by many to be the "Guru of Guinea Pigs."  He wrote many articles and books about various conditions and treatments, having been unsuccessful in finding knowledgeable vets experienced in caring for these little guys. Below is a copy of what he wrote about Bumblefoot.

I've attached a picture of one of my sows who had this problem. It didn't seem to bother her unless I handled her and put any pressure on or touched the foot, at which point it would bleed. This is one of the more severe cases I've ever seen.

If you wish to google the website simply type in Peter Gurney. He has since passed away but blazed a trail of knowledge in guinea pigs as pets and is still referred to today. Here's what he wrote on this condition:

BUMBLEFOOT  
As one of my first guinea pigs died because it was given a drug which was toxic to the species when I took it to a vet for treatment for this condition, I have very strong feelings about it. I have yet to come across a single case of Bumblefoot which has caused a serious hazard to the overall health of a guinea pig.

The symptoms are swelling of the footpad, with causes the skin to break and over which scabs are formed. The owner is usually alerted to this by the guinea pig limping. A great deal of research has gone into trying to uncover the cause of this condition but I have yet to read any veterinary medical book which has come up with a convincing answer.

Sometimes Bumblefoot can occur when there is an overall mycotic problem and the use of the prescription only drug, GRISEOFULVIN seems to clear this up in tandem with curing the mycosis However it is unclear whether this is a result of the anti-fungal properties of the drug or the anti-inflammatory ones.

In the main I leave well alone, for after a while the swollen tissue in the foot will calcify, the limping will cease and the animal will carry on as though there were no problem at all.

As there are other causes for swollen foot pads, obviously the guinea pig should be checked out by an expert before deciding what, if any, action is to be taken.