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My guinea pig has a swollen foot. Is it bumblefoot? What to do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Guinea Pig | Male | unneutered | 1 year old

One of the feet of my guinea pig seems to be swollen. He's walking and running but with dragging that left hind foot. The vet has prescribed to give 5 drops of Sporidex (cepholexin oral suspension), Melonex (meloxicam oral suspension) and Polybion (vitamin B complex syrup) each day. Is this dosage seems fine to give? What else can I do? Will soaking a cotton cloth in warm water and applying it to the foot help? Can I give some other medications to him? I am from India.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ana M, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 4th, 2019

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Percy. A swollen foot in a guinea pig can be due to a condition known as bumble foot. This is a potentially serious condition that is an infection in the foot. The infection can unfortunately spread to the bone. I would continue to give the medications prescribed by your veterinarian. It should be fine to cleanse the paw with warm water as well. Make sure he is not being housed on wire flooring as this can contribute to the condition. I hope this information helps!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on January 16th, 2017

    By your description, Squirdy may have bumblefoot. It can be a serious infection that is commonly caused by being overweight, long nails, poor cage husbandry or being on a wire bottomed floor. Ideally, she should be seen by your vet for confirmation and treatment which may include antibiotics and anti inflammatories. You will also need to trim the nails and clean the cage daily. You can try foot soaks at home using dilute chlorhexidine, povidone or even Epsom salt baths but this infection can become life threatening (especially in an older pet) if not managed properly.

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