# Swollen ankle. Giant red lump on bottom of foot + bleeding.



## watthemath (Jun 15, 2012)

My rat Al doesn't get along with my other rats, so he has to live alone for now. I was cleaning their cage two days ago and one of the rats jumped from the bathtub into Al's makeshift box. They fought for a few seconds and I saw that Al's foot was bleeding. Most if the bleeding looked like it had stopped the other night. This morning I look in the cage and Al is laying on his tummy [i freaking thought he was dead] and there was a decent amount of blood on a box next to him. I took him out to inspect him and his foot looks like it has a swollen bulge like this:


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## thenightgoddess (Apr 2, 2014)

Looks like bumblefoot to me but Ill let other people chime in. There is info and pictures of bumblefoot near the bottom of this page http://ratfanclub.org/skin.html


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## watthemath (Jun 15, 2012)

Thanks I'll look it it. I was kiiind of thinking that. But the cage is flat, two levels, no bars or wire floor, covered in fleece. So I'm not sure what would cause bumble foot.


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## graphite (Apr 6, 2011)

looks like a classic bumblefoot. Are your rats on wire floors? If not, what kind of bedding are they on, and is it kept clean? Bumblefoot is usually caused by rats walking on dirty surfaces, but it can also be hereditary. I would go to the link thenightgoddess posted for treatment options.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

That's bumblefoot, and a great example of the myths that surround bumblefoot. It is NOT caused by wire floors, bars, etc! It is caused by soiled surfaces, especially if there is even the tiniest break in the skin of the foot that will invite some bacteria in, though that isn't always even the case.

The liners will need to be kept pristine and saline soaks and some raw honey (applied topically) will help with the infection.

Overweight rats (can't tell from the picture) are at higher risk due to the extra pressure that their feet get. If the rat is overweight, definitely start contemplating a diet change. If not, then the main concern is keeping the cage liners as clean as physically possible.

If the saline soaks and raw honey don't help the infection, you can move on to stronger topicals.


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## graphite (Apr 6, 2011)

I just asked if they were on wire cause it's so hard to keep wire floors adequately clean. I wonder if that's why the whole "wire floors cause bumblefoot" myth came along.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

graphite said:


> I just asked if they were on wire cause it's so hard to keep wire floors adequately clean. I wonder if that's why the whole "wire floors cause bumblefoot" myth came along.


Oh, I was not at all meaning to refer to you or anyone in particular! It's just a very false and infuriating myth that is perpetuated.

Personally, I don't feel as though there is any difference. If anything, you get more surface contact with bacteria with liners as it can't "drain" away from the shelves. Now, even with wire cage owners like myself, I do keep the shelves lined, but this doesn't make it any better from a potential bumblefoot standpoint.

Hopefully someday we'll be able to raise sufficient awareness!


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## graphite (Apr 6, 2011)

Lol I know you weren't pointing fingers, cagedbirdsinging, I just know that when I had my rats on bare wire shelves, they made a huge mess of them, and they were always covered with rat hair and poop/pee, and I had to keep scrubbing them with a brush all the time.  It was gross, but luckily I tossed them quickly.


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