preventing foot infection

[Lisa]

A couple days ago, I noticed blood on one of Digit's shelves. I checked him out and his rear paw looked like it had taken off about 3 or 4 layers in one spot. It was red, but didn't look swollen and wasn't draining pus. He got rinsed with saline, Blu Kote'd, and then Bag Balm was put on there. His paws have always been on the dry side.

Last night, everything was taken out of his cage and either sanitized with bleach (shelves) or washed in warm, soapy water (shelf guards). Clean shelves were put in and he's now on fleece instead of his usual aspen bedding. He's been with me for over a year now and hasn't spent any time on wire shelves.

I took him in to the vet this morning and the vet gave me Silver Sulfadiazine. He didn't say anything about Bumblefoot, and to apply the cream 2xs/day for two weeks.

I forgot to ask the vet a couple things, so I thought I'd ask you guys.

#1: How often should I be changing the fleece bedding? Once a day? Twice a day?
#2: Should I be changing out the shelves once a week or so? Or just when they look peed on?
#3: Speaking of shelves, Quality Cage now makes metal ones that I was thinking about ordering. It might be a heck of a lot easier to clean and sanitize than wood. What do you guys think? Metal Shelves
#4: How often should I let him have a bath? Or should I even let him bathe until I see some progress on the healing?

If pictures would be helpful, let me know. I'll have to take them after my fiance gets home.

 

[lauralynne]

Lisa, I'd suggest PMing Stacie (name on here is Stackie). She went through this just recently with one of her boys. She has redone the cage entirely in fleece/fleece covered items. She can also help on the med info.
Here's the thread on it.
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14769

 

[Stackie]

One of my chins has chronic bumblefoot. His first flare up progressed very quickly without much signs before it got really bad. His infection travelled up his legs and it took about a month of treatment to get it under control. It sounds like yours is far less advanced, so hopefully it will be easier to treat. Our treatment regimen consisted of oral antibiotics twice daily, chlorhexidine washes twice daily, blu-kote applications, pain medication, bag balm once the wounds dried up, and keeping him on very soft and clean bedding.

Since it is chronic, he has to be kept on complete fleece the rest of his life. There is not a wooden, metal, or any other type of surface in his cage other than fleece. The cushion helps bring the pressure off of the feet, helping prevent the bumblefoot.

It sounds like the vet didn't give much treatment wise, I hope the topical ointment is enough to clear up his wound. Hopefully the wound is not bad enough that you will need to do all the treatment that we had to. If it does start to get worse, I would ask for chlorhexidine and maybe an oral antibiotic. If he seems to be in pain, a pain medication would not hurt, either.

#1: How often should I be changing the fleece bedding? Once a day? Twice a day?
When Diesel was undergoing treatment I changed the fleece out twice a day. Now that he is just under maintenance, I change it out every other day.

#2: Should I be changing out the shelves once a week or so? Or just when they look peed on?
You could wipe the shelves down with a water/vinegar solution- it does pretty good at cleaning them off. Hydrogen peroxide will get rid of the pee. If he continues to have problems, I would suggest covering the shelves in fleece. You can contact Alli713 on here- she is the one that made me fleece 'covers' for the shelves. They slip over the shelves and have ties that you can tie on to the cage bars. I take these off and wash them every other day.

#3: Speaking of shelves, Quality Cage now makes metal ones that I was thinking about ordering. It might be a heck of a lot easier to clean and sanitize than wood. What do you guys think? Metal Shelves
I would not give metal shelves because the main prevention of bumblefoot is to keep the pressure off of the feet and metal has no cushion at all. While you are treating his bumblefoot I would take out all shelves and just keep him on a solid level for now so he is not bouncing around and agitating the wound.

#4: How often should I let him have a bath? Or should I even let him bathe until I see some progress on the healing?
I did not let Diesel bathe himself until his wounds were scabbed over. I did rub dust into his fur myself though to keep him from getting too greasy.

 

[Lisa]

Uggg. It looks so much worse on film.

 

[Peep_erz]

*giggles* Digit has little feetsies!

Besides having little feet, his sores look like Polos. When I first took him in to the vet they were swollen and red and my vet treated it as bumblefoot. It went away after a week and the swelling went down. Now it re opens every once in a while but I think Polo just has super dry feet. If I don't bag balm him for a while it'll crack and bleed again. It doesn't get swollen or red any more, just bleed. This only happens about once a year though too.

Now for your questions.
I would change the fleece once a day if he pees on it. Less often if he uses a litter box.

Shelves I would clean instead of changing them out unless he pees on them a lot.

The metal shelves I don't really have an opinion on. Its up to you.

I would hold of on the bathing until his foot looks more or less healed. maybe bag balm him after dust baths as well.

 

[Lisa]

Thanks, Leah. What did you end up doing as treatment for Polo?

 

[Peep_erz]

When he first got bumble foot I was given antibiotics for a week and the inflamation and swelling went down. I blu koted and bag balmed every couple of days. His feet are still more calousy than my other boys but they don't look swollen anymore.

I also added a mulberry log in his cage. I liked that idea that was going around for awhile about changing where the pressure is on their feet. I want to add some more branches and things but haven't yet.

Its been about about 3 years since he had bumble foot and I think his feet have cracked 3 times since then. I normally bag balm every 2 weeks to once a month. Sometimes even less but I think its when I miss judge the even less part is when his feet crack and bleed.

ETA: When he first had bumblefoot it bleed every couple days. Now when it bleeds its just for a day or even just one spot in the cage where hes rubbed it all over.