What is this sore or lump on my guinea pig's foot? Is it serious?

Have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating pocket pets. A fine needle aspirate can be done to collect a sample for pathology. This may lead to a diagnosis. In the meantime, make sure he is eating, drinking and eliminating normally.

This could be potentially rubbing against cornea and in the long term cause both chronic irritation/inflammation (the cornea can get darker than normal) and possibly corneal ulceration. This lump/growth should be ideally examined by your veterinarian to have a definitive diagnosis. Your vet will examine it and possibly perform with an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy. Differentials would include skin cyst, infections or benign or malignant type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for reaching out about your guinea pig. Common ear masses are abscesses (infections) and benign wart-like growths. Due to the nature of guinea pig pus and its thickness, both these conditions probably will require some surgical intervention. Seeking a veterinarian and having the mass lances with a surgical blade will help diagnose the problem but also possible remove it. Good luck.

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!

Thanks for reaching out about Meeko and including pictures. This appears to be benign growth called a trichofolliculoma. These are tumors of the skin with very low likelihood of metastasis but likely to recur if not surgically removed. Hair should be gently clipped around the mass in an attempt to decrease bacterial contamination. Clean cotton tipped applicators can be used to gently remove the debris from inside the lesion. Gentle flushing with sterile saline can help irrigate the lesion, then allow to heal on its own. As previously stated, these are likely to recur. Do not apply any topical antibiotics such as Neosporin or triple antibiotics since guinea pig gastrointestinal tracts are very sensitive to antibiotics. Good luck.

This is likely an abscess which will need to be seen and treated by a veterinarian. The vet will need to lance the abscess and flush it. Since it may be involving the teeth, your vet may want to x-ray the head to see the extent. Kuri will need antibiotics. If you have financial concerns, investigate the possibility of getting care credit (www.carecredit.com), make a few phone calls to some pet charities in your area and talk with your vet about a payment plan.

Thank you for reaching out about Piglet - that is a very cute name. I didn't see how old he was? The reason that I ask is that it is common for older guinea pigs, including males, to have problems occur with their nipples. This can include trauma, masses, and crusting. This can be due to hormonal changes, other systemic disease processes, and cancer. I would recommend one of two courses of action - you can continue to monitor the masses for changes (if this occurs, please take Piglet to a veterinarian) or you can take him to a veterinarian for evaluation now, and get additional recommendations based on the exam that s/he performs. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.