Why is my guinea pig's nail black? Should I take her to the vet?

Hi. First, thanks for taking such good care of Ralph! It sounds like you’re doing a great job trying to fix a problem you were handed. The soaking and topical dressing sounds good and should help. However, the hanging scab of tissue there is likely to get caught on things again or trap debris in the wound. It needs to be removed. It would be best to remove it with some local anesthetic for pain reliever and also in a controlled environment where it can be cleaned and bleeding can be well controlled. Also, pododermatitis (infection and inflammation of the feet) can extend into the bones and can be hard to control without interventions like surgery and medications like antibiotics and pain medication. Therefore, a trip to the veterinarian is really the best thing for Ralph at this stage. Check AEMV.org to find an exotic mammal vet near you. Good luck!

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach! The first thing I see is that Ella needs her nails trimmed desperately. If you don't know how to do it yourself you will need to get her to a vet so they can do it for you and teach you how. You can also find YouTube videos on how to do this. The second thing is that her foot is very red/irritated and it looks like she has fecal material stuck to it. I suspect she has a skin infection. This should not happen unless she is sitting in a dirty cage, has incorrect bedding and/or a cage with a wire bottom. I suggest you review your husbandry carefully to make sure you are doing everything correctly. The best bedding is Care Fresh. https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=care%20fresh%20pet%20bedding&typeahead=care%20fresh While you are waiting to take her to a vet, I suggest you soak her feet in a dilute betadine solution for 5 minutes twice a day. After soaking, dry the feet very well before putting her back into a clean cage. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-First-Aid-Antiseptic-Topical-Solution-8-Oz/10324543 Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Sounds like there has either been some sort of traumatic incident, or there is some type of inflammatory / infectious process affecting the nail bed. Blackness at the nail bed that you are describing could potentially be pooled blood, or a sign of dying tissue. Tissue could die as a result of a crushing injury or from one of the above mentioned processes. I would recommend having Bella examined by a veterinarian to assess the area and make an appropriate treatment plan. Hope this makes sense.

Check her foot for swelling or redness. She may have an infection (bumblefoot) which would account for the symptoms you are seeing. It happens when guinea pigs are kept on a wire bottom cage. Dirty bedding can also complicate it, especially if she develops a small wound on her foot. You don't necessarily need a vet that specializes in pocket pets. A local vet should be able to diagnose and dispense antibiotics. If this is not possible, try foot soaks in a dilute chlorhexidine or Betadine solution. You don't need much, just enough for her to stand. Soak daily, dry thoroughly and keep her on paper towels until she heals. Change bedding daily or more often if necessary.

Hello. It appears that Daisy has avulsed the nail off of the sensitive nail bed. You might want to have your vet take a look at this to see if she needs antibiotics or needs to have the foot bandaged. You can soak the foot in warm water, your cleanser & Epsom salts for 10 minutes 2-3 times daily over the weekend, but if she is still having problems, please see your vet. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for reaching out about Violet. Black spots under the nail (sub-keratin) can often result from bleeding (hemorrhage) with the possibility of liver disease resulting in blood clotting problems. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Liver disease can be serious and manifest in other problems. Veterinary treatment early in the disease process has an improved prognosis. Causes can be bacterial, viral, dietary and other. Good luck.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Honey. I see the area around the black mark has some red too, which make me wonder if he could have an injury or may have an infection causing both. I would have it checked out by a vet to be safe, as I can't say for sure without seeing him in person if it's normal or not. I hope this helps!