Dry foot with small cut

[Isabella Whateva]

Hey guys
It's been really dry here cause of winter and today when I looked in Pudge's cage I saw a bloody footprint on one of her ledges. I checked her feet and sure enough they were super dry and one had a small cut on it. It looks like a little paper cut.

I'm kinda freaking out and don't know what to do. I'm in class right now and I work immediately after class until 11pm. I know most people use bag balm for dry feet but is this okay if the foot has a cut? Can I use vaseline? Are there any other household products I can use for tonight? Or something I can get at Petsmart or Target (I say those stores cause I work at Target and Petsmart's next door so I can go there on my break).

If I have to, I'll be late to work to get bag balm, but honestly I don't even know where they sell it around here. Maybe Trader Joes? We don't have a Whole Foods.

 

[StevieP]

They have bag balm at Walgreens.

It is hard to say what I would do about the cut foot since i can't see it. But a soak in epsom salt water should help clean out the cut and then immediately follow with neosporin.

You should keep everything in her cage clean. Wipe down wooden ledges with peroxide daily until the cut heals and swap out fleece liners daily too.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

Ok I'll get some at Walgreens. I also found this thread (http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21070) which is helpful.

Should I use the bag balm with the cut? Or is it just for preventing the cut? If I use the bag balm, will the antiseptic in it remove the need for the epsom soak?

 

[StevieP]

The warm water epsom salt soak will help with any inflamation (if there is any), and remove any debris that is in the cut. After the soaking you will have a clean wound and then you protect it with Neosporin. If you did not clean out the cut, you would be sealing in dirt and germs with Neosporin. You only have to put her foot in a little cup of the salt water for about 30 seconds. Longer is better but sometimes they start kicking.

Personally I would not use Bag Balm on the open wound. I would just use it to prevent dryness, like on the other foot and your other chins' feet.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

Shoot, I put the neosporin on without doing the soak. I feel really stupid now I'm really scared. What should I do now?

 

[Isabella Whateva]

Ok, here's a picture of the cut.

 

[StevieP]

Not too bad & no big deal about forgetting the wash before applying neosporin. Just try to do it next time.

For the epsom salt soaks, I use a shot glass and put about 2 teaspoons of salt then fill it up with warm water and let the foot dangle in the mixture.

It wouldn't hurt to run your hands through her cage to make sure there aren't some sharp edges on ledges.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

Ok I'll do a soak tonight when I get home from work. I've been wiping everything down and checking it all. Good thing this in my calm chin. Banilly would never let me hold her still for a foot soak haha.

Thanks so much for your help. Should I do the soaks regularly? Or just once? I'm also getting some bag balm for the other feet.

 

[StevieP]

Yes do the soaks twice daily (maybe in the morning and before bed) right before you put neosporin on. After a few days you should notice it getting better.