Bumble Foot

[fortifiedwithtea]

Claw clipping for the fortified pigs earlier this week. Got a real shock when I got to Coco. She definitely has Bumble Foot on both front paws, the right is the worse. Feel very guilty not to have noticed earlier. They really are shocking, swollen and ulcerated. Heat is spreading up her legs.

Had a Google causes sitting on sharp bedding/wet bedding. I've thoroughly cleaned the hutch and now they are on soft fleece (my poor washing machine)

Remove apple and tomato from diet. Too acid. Bummer Coco loves a tomato.

Can be more common in piggies with poor circulation/heart conditions/pigs that don't exercise. I'm banning paper bags for the foreseeable. I think this may have been the trigger, sitting in a wee soaked bag all day.

I'm a little confused about type of infection. Internet mentions fungal a lot but then says vets often treat with Baytril anti-biotic.

Bad news is Bumble Foot is notoriously difficult to cure. Severe cases can lead to amputation if infection goes to the bone or even death.

Read a couple of times that a soak in Epsom Salts is a good treatment. One website claimed a pig was cured this way after several courses of Baytril failed. However there was a caution that Epsom Salts must not get into piggy eyes, as it will caused serious damage.

This week I've been too ill to leave the house, so I've started Coco on home treatment. Disclaimer I will get her to the vet as soon as I can.

Internet instruction said one cup warm water, 1/8th Epsom Salts. Bathe 3 times a day. I've found it easier to measure 1 tablespoon Epsom Salts to 100ml boiling water to dissolve , then top up with cold water to cool. Then I've filled a dolls teacup with the solution and let Coco stand with her leg in it. The first day she was having none of it and I had to swaddle her. But the following day she must have remembered how soothing it was because now she sits on my lap soaking her leg quite happily. After about 5 minutes I change over leg. So far I've only managed once a day baths but will try to step it up to 3 as it has reduced the heat. Epsom Salts is Magnesium Sulphate and is good for inflammation.

After her leg soaks. I rub Germelene very well in and occupy her on my lap with food. The last thing I want is for her to lick her paws with Germelene on them. According to Rodents with Attitude site Savolon is safe to use but we are a Germelene family. It has Zinc in it, good for healing. After 3 days use, no ill effect so far.

Also I am giving Coco Metacam for pain relief. It was prescribed for her lump but made no difference, she still squawks everytime she has a pee. But for her feet metacam is working. I can tell because she is eating her food quicker. Weight loss is another symptom of Bumble Foot - they don't eat because they are in pain.

I'll keep you updated of her progress.

Oh Fortified . Poor Coco. Really hope she responds well to your nursing. She's probably enjoying being cosseted.

That's a lot of really good info you posted. I'm off to rigorously check my boys just in case.

Thanks Fernie. Just given Coco her first foot bath of the day. I'm hoping to get at least 2 in today. Still feeling like death warmed up. DH has got the same thing and is working from home for the third day running.

Coco's feet certainly haven't got any worse and she is enjoying her pampering sessions. This morning she had thinly sliced melon to while away the time she was having a soak.

Yesterday DD2 took a cute photo of her with her leg in the dolls cup The cup goes up to her armpit.

This morning Coco didn't want to change legs. I had a lift her left leg out and put her right leg in (should've sung the Hokie Cokie) She only had a couple of minutes right leg soak and walked out the cup. I think she was bored with it all and had eaten enough melon. As I said to DD1 if she wasn't enjoying her leg soaks she can just walk out the tea cup. So the fact she stays still tells me she likes it.

poor Coco.

I wonder if bumblefoot is a bit like gout in humans (I'm a Podiatrist) it is always associated with people who eat a rich diet and drink port but , IRL, most gout sufferers don't.
It is most common in patients who take diuertics (which is a huge%)

Poor guineas can't tell you they're ill, you need to read their signs.

I like a good old salt water solution ( boiled water with a hefty teaspoon or so of table salt then dissolve and let it cool ) because it won't harm them if they (or their cagemates) lick it.

I'm aware that my ladies are lardy at the moment . I took them out today and said to DD " If I hadn't put the clean paper in the cage myself, I'd have sworn you hadn't cleaned it yesterday". They are the most unfeasibly manky blighters
So they pee in the corner and just park themselves in it

Poor Coco has been through the mill hasn't she, hope she picks up

Hi, I posted my picture from other thread on a GP forum last night and was advised Epsom salts.

These little buggers do make us worry. :(

Hey sleeping - it sounds as if you're doing great. Its usually caused by Staph aureous a bacterial infection. If you can buy an antiseptic called Chlorhexidine from your chemist, this is ideal as a topical treatment twice a day (diluted down as per instructions). Not sure if germaline has chlorhexidine in it, but if it does, should be fine.

Poor Coco...hope she's on the mend soon (along with her human mum!)

You've reminded me to check Luna's feet - they were a bit on the pink side a couple of weeks back, but we had them in more over half term & I rubbed in Aloe Propolis cream a few times which seemed to nip anything dubious in the bud.

Haven't really looked this week as have had enough on being back to work & getting Bella to take her meds.

They are surprisingly hard work at times, but I love them to bits .

Thanks SunshineAndShadows,that's so useful. Are you a chemist?
Read the tube of Germolene I was using, it expired 2012 active ingredient included Zinc Oxide.

Found another tube in the cupboard, this ones in date, active ingredient has been replaced by Chlorhexidine Digluconate. I will use that at this afternoon's foot spa.

Be really really careful with chlorohexadine - it is hazardous to human corneas.(so guineas eyes,ears etc are very vunerable).
I showered in Hibiscrub before my surgery (to ward off the risks of hospital bourne infections)

I didn't lick my skin after (TMI ) but you've no idea what the hogs will get up to except be judgey.

Thanks 70 I noticed when I googled Chlorohexadine info said not for use on babies under 2 months old so I guessed it was more powerful stuff. As a safeguard I applied finger bandages to Coco's legs and secured with micro pore. She looked very cute like she was wearing white boots. Unfortunately she was very judgey and walked out of them and the ointment had soaked into the bandage. Back to Plan A, i.e. keep her sat on my lap until the cream sinks in.

Here are some photos of her enjoying being bribed with food her food spa this afternoon. DH was about Coco being on the table

Just to clarify I'm a vet and germaline contains chlorhexidine anyway. I'd suggest diluting as directed and applying only to the affected areas (forelimbs) Its only toxic to ears if it penetrates through to the middle ear - you'd have to be pretty careless to get it into the ear canal or eyes when aiming at forelimbs but obviously I wasn't recommending that you splash it around

Taken on board Sunshine - I use Chlorohexadine at work on occasion to pre-cleanse (-I'm a Podiatrist)- but I tend to use sterile saline. Lots of my patients are sensitive to chlorohex on their feet, nowhere near an open orifice, but it's in alcohol soloution, so it's quite astringent

My worry with anything put on cavies is the fact they ingest from their coats.
A friend of mine had cats which groomed each other after she used a flea treatment (back of the neck) one had a reaction, the vet was puzzled until they worked out what had happened . So I'm always careful putting the guinea-pigs Xeno 450 on in case they groom.

Can't be too careful with the guineas, they tell me they are classed as "exotic"

Off to the vet's tomorrow morning at last! Horray

It's hard to believe but this is the first chance I've had to get an appointment. Since starting this thread my daughter has had an appendicitis, emergency op (the whole 9 yards) and I've been ill with chest and eye infection. First lot of ab's weren't strong enough and the doctor prescribed more over the phone I was too ill to leave the house

The home cures were making progress until all of the above happened and the routine went out the window. So all progress that had been made has gone. Coco's feet are as bad as ever.

Can't wait to get that Baytril down her!

Good Luck Coco.
Hope your vet can resolve it for you.
How are Millie and Naughty?

Coco- my sows are suggesting you employ the "Grudge Face" and demand all the nice treats that you can get.

Thanks 70 We are back from the bet and I am literally sitting here with [cuppa] and

Good news! Vet says even though her feet look horrible its not that bad. No oozing and they are dry. He gave them a reasonable squeeze and she didn't protest but they never do under the gaze of the Belgium vet

The vet had Coco walking around the floor and she was interested in everything and done a wee, which he was pleased to see, no genuinely, he was pleased It shows despite her lump (which can't be operated on for fear of damaging her urethra) she can comfortably wee with the help of Metacam. And because she is bright eyed and a very nosey piggy, not depressed either.

Treatment: No Baytril, as not needed (yay). Foot baths twice a day in Hibiscrub and massage with Vaseline to soften her paw pads. The skin will never be normal but can be managed, will heal but she has a predisposition to foot trouble and that will be on going. Important to keep her feet on soft bedding.

Naughty and Millie are good, thanks. Naughty is the same as ever. Millie has taken to washing DD1, an honour previously only reserved for DD2. Also she is happy a curl up croissant style on our laps for a snooze now, whereas before she would be restless and go mountaineering on DD2 head.

Glad to hear everyone in your house is better fortified. Your poor DD - my DD had the app emergency op last year, it's awful. Hope she's recovering nicely. Poor you too - hope you're all better now. No doubt lots of fresh air cutting grass for the pigs will help you recover .