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How do I treat my rat's bumblefoot at home safely and effectively?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Unknown - Small Animal | Male | unneutered | 2 lbs

Dr. Mariya Gugel replied to my last question and I'm hoping she answers this too. I am not able to take Dobby to the vet right now, the closest vet to me that will take a rat is hours away. I am looking for advice/help/ideas i could do at home for him. What can i put on it that is safe? Should i wrap it? I am spraying it with Vetericyn right now. I did some more research and found that it is Bumblefoot. I'm not sure how to treat it. These pictures are not of Dobby but it looks like this.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 3rd, 2017

From these photos, there is definitely some swelling, and possible ulceration. These are definitely signs consistent with bumblefoot, also known as pododermatitis. This is typically caused by increased pressure on the feet and results in bleeding and pain. This can unfortunately spread to the tissues such as muscles and tendons below, so I still recommend having Dobby looked at by a vet, just in case surgery or pain medication is necessary. Because the condition is caused by pressure on the feet, I recommend making sure that Dobby has soft, and very clean bedding as dirty bedding can cause an infection. You should avoid scratchy materials for bedding. Vetericyin ointment is okay for cleaning the area, you can also apply SSD (silver sulfadiazene) ointment to the area after cleaning. Dobby should definitely visit a vet if the condition continues to get worse over the next few days. I hope this helps!

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