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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.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on February 6th, 2018
Pododermatitis is a condition where the skin of the paws is infected. Molly can show signs such as ulceration, bleeding, and swelling of the feet. This condition is extremely painful and can be brought on by improper cage flooring, compounded with being over weight. Molly may need oral antibiotics, which can be prescribed by her vet. In the meantime, you can make sure she has nice soft bedding, keep her cage as clean as possible, keep her feet clean, and apply SSD (silver sulfadiazene) ointment to Molly's feet. I hope this helps and that all is well!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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