Pododermatitis: A difficult cure

One of the main reasons is having wire mesh for it to walk on in its cage. Imagine if you had to walk on it, what would happen to your feet. Pododermatitis is a condition in which a guinea pig's footpad becomes inflamed, develops sores, or becomes overgrown. The appearance may be similar to callouses, or small tumors on the bottom of the foot. This condition is commonly referred to as bumblefoot.

When bumblefoot is left untreated or is present in a very severe form, there are sometimes complications in treatment and the infected leg may have to be amputated. The infected guinea pig's footpads may become inflamed (redness), develop sores, or become overgrown over the course of many months. Other signs and symptoms include:

Loss of hair on affected foot; reluctance to move or inability to walk normally; loss of appetite due to pain; joint or tendon swelling

Pododermatitis can be difficult to cure. Start with switching your pet's living quarters to ones with a smooth bottom, improving sanitation, and changing the bedding to softer material. Your veterinarian will likely clean any wounds, clip the hair around the affected areas, and trim any overgrown nails. Affected feet should be soaked in an antibiotic solution, and antibiotic ointment should be applied. In severe cases, animals may need antibiotics and pain medications.

See if you can bring a vet to the donkeys. Abscesses in the hoof are a common cause of lameness. In donkeys they are most often caused by small stones or other matter penetrating the weakest part of the foot, the junction between the wall and the sole (the "white line"). Bacteria and other microorganisms are also introduced. The white blood cells trying to eliminate this infection accumulate as a build-up of "pus" between the hoof wall and the internal sensitive tissue. The pain is often intense and gets worse unless the pressure from the buildup of pus is released. Such donkeys will often prefer to lie down and walk only slowly trying to bear the least possible weight on the affected foot. Treatment of foot abscesses includes:

Foot dressings should be kept clean and changed regularly, probably daily. (Waterproof adhesive tape and "silage bag patches" are useful outer coverings to protect from wet and dirty underfoot conditions.)

Be warned. Some very lame donkeys will seem to improve if infection breaks out at the coronary band (the top of the hoof). Prompt veterinary attention is still needed.

Regular tetanus vaccination relieves the worry of this potential complication.

Wet muddy fields, small sharp stones on tracks and stable floors and bouts of laminitis all increase the risk of foot abscesses.

Leave them there. There is nothing you can do.

Inform the police and the Forest Department in your area about the same and they will pursue the matter further. Assist them with the exact location and tracking of the animal. Try to get photographic evidence as well.

Do not let your female pet out during the heat period, in order to avoid unnecessary breeding. Walk your pet on a leash and try to hide her trail from male dogs by putting menthol on the tip of her tail.