Piggie spurs on foot

[FernieB]

Smoothpig was just about to have his Christmas bath and pedicure when I noticed he had a spur on his front right paw. It's not bothering him - he's just been running madly round the conservatory (probably excited because he didn't have to have his bath) but I'm taking him off to the vet in 10 minutes.

Do you chaps clip them yourselves? I do their claws but just did not feel brave enough to clip this in case I nicked his foot. Am I a complete wuss?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

There's a picture on guinea-pig forum. It says 25% -33% of guineas have them (does it look a bit like a dew claw that dogs get?)

If it's on a non weightbearing area then it won't cause any problems. I'd have thought the GPs would groom at it themselves if when they wash their paws.

What did your vet suggest?


BTW does SmoothPig have a special bath for Christmas or just one bath a year? I know which one my boars would prefer The little Soap Swervers that they are

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

GP Forum suggests you can trim the spurs but not too much.

I'd be inclined to leave well alone unless it bothered them. It's not as if my chaps are going to be Best of Show anytime soon

[FernieB]

70 - I looked on a few forums as well and it did look like a dew claw (which is what the vet said). Got my lovely vet to clip it off and file it down and she recommended nivea/savlon to keep it soft for a bit. It wasn't bothering him a bit. He showed no interest in grooming it himself, but they are typical boys and show no interest in grooming in general.

My pigs have a bath about every 8-10 weeks (which they hate). They weren't really due but I told them Santa wouldn't come if they were smelly