# Possible Bumblefoot.:???



## FinneganandRemy (Sep 25, 2017)

My boy cupid had an abscess drained a week and a half ago and since then has been having problems with his feet. I noticed about four days ago that he isn’t climbing around the cage like usual. Not even for treats. Thinking it was just him still being a little off from the anesthetic I left him be. He had no marks on his feet and was walking fine, showing no signs of pain. Yesterday he started limping a little/ excessively sleeping. He was still eating and drinking fine and could move around on it. Today I was shocked to find that one of his feet are red and the other is purple and swollen with a small scab on it. I can post pictures of it in a few mins. He is not walking on the one foot at all and holds I it above the ground when he walks. He was on baytril for the abscess for ten days and finished the ten days yesterday. I can’t get him to the vet until his post op appt tomorrow. They are booked and that is the only exotic vet in my area. I’m very worried about my boy  he’s in a double critter nation with fleece. I change the fleece every 5 days and have never had an issue before. He eats Oxbow with occasional fresh veggies. He weighs 530 grams


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## FinneganandRemy (Sep 25, 2017)

Here’s pics of the foot that’s worse. He wouldn’t sit still very well.


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## Steffy (Oct 6, 2017)

Yes, that looks like the beginnings of bumblefoot to me. And the history of sitting around after surgery for a while would be too.
My Blazy got it when she had a respiratory infection and a tumor in her armpit which affected her motivation to move around somewhat. After she had tumor surgery, it took her a while to recover and she was moving around even less. This in combination with being overweight led to her feet getting first reddish and then developing raised areas and pressure sores. I have tried to keep them clean and they never got badly infected or developed open areas but I also have not managed to get rid of them.

Apparently, Blu Kote is quite effective, especially in the early stages but I have not been able to find it in Australia. Instead, I have tried Mercurochrome but that did not do much and have resorted to using a saline rinse followed by application of Bepanthen Plus disinfectant wound cream. I'm keen to try a Manuka Honey based cream next...

BTW, the vet who performed the surgery said I should bath her feet (hah, good luck with that!) in a tea tree or Betadine solution and make sure they are kept clean and she rests on soft material, like fleece or towel.


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## FinneganandRemy (Sep 25, 2017)

I soaked his foot in warm saline solution for a bit tonight. I’ll look into the blu kote. My vet is not very rat savvy but I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow. I have some baytril and amoxy but I don’t know if antibiotics would be good after just finishing a round of them..?


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## Steffy (Oct 6, 2017)

There is some good info on bumble foot here if you haven't seen it yet:
http://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/ulcerative_pododermatitis.php
http://www.ratfanclub.org/bumblefoot.html (talks about blu kote)

Antibiotics are probably not necessary (yet). 
Aside from that, my rat specialist vet recommended one of my rats to be on constant antibiotics to curb her reoccurring respiratory infections, it had very little side effects. As a human you would certainly not do that, so not sure if it's really such good advise.


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## FinneganandRemy (Sep 25, 2017)

After soaking his feet and keeping him on ultra clean bedding the last two days, his foot looked much better this morning and the vet didn’t seem too concerned about it. She just said if it seems worse to bring him in. She also said not to use the blu kote which I thought was strange but if it gets worse I’ll most likely go with this forums experience


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## Steffy (Oct 6, 2017)

Good to hear his foot looks better! Sounds like you caught it early enough when it's more successfully treatable.


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## FinneganandRemy (Sep 25, 2017)

*Possible Bumblefoot.:??? Update*

The vet prescribed meloxicam orally and mupirocin ointment after confirming that it is Bumblefoot. does this sound like the right treatment?


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## Steffy (Oct 6, 2017)

The first is a pain killer, the second is an antibiotic. I'm not sure if painkiller is really necessary but it probably won't do any damage (my Blazy would not take it under any circumstances after she had surgery, it must taste awful...) A topical antibiotic sounds like it's worth a try as a treatment. Just going by my own experience and what I've read on relevant websites.


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