Guinea pig limping after nail quick cut and a fall. Should I worry?

If he is eating and walking normally right now, I would suggest that you monitor him closely for the new few hours. Sometimes after a fall or other trauma, they don't show any evidence of injury due to them being so afraid. But, over time, that can change and you may see him limp or his appetite or attitude become abnormal. If you see any changes, I would recommend taking him into a veterinarian immediately as he may have hurt himself when he fell. Please do not give your guinea pig any human medications, as many of these are harmful for our fuzzy friends.

Monitor Popcorn closely over the next day or two for any signs of decreased activity, limping or swelling anywhere on his body, any reduction in appetite, drinking, urination or defecation. If you notice any of these signs, you should take Popcorn to the veterinarian immediately. If Popcorn is behaving normally then there should be no cause for concern.

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.

Ouch, poor Dexter! You're right, accidents do happen (and I've quicked many nails myself). Since Dexter seems resistant to walking on the affected foot, I recommend calling his vet. The vet may be able to prescribe a pain medication (typically a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as carprofen) for the next day or two. Unfortunately, there are no safe and effective over the counter pain medication options. Be sure to keep him from licking at the quicked nail, as this could exacerbate the issue. I hope that he's on the mend soon!

You should leave him for 30-60 minutes and do not interfere with him. If it was only a minor injury, it should get better within about 1hr. If after that time Timber is still limping or looking in pain, you will have to take him to your local vets to find out what has happened to his leg.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear Cookie isn't feeling well! Based on your description, my recommendation is yes absolutely take him to the vet. Limping is a sign of pain, and if he's also looking weak, I'm concerned that he may have suffered a serious injury. His continuous pooping may also be a sign of extreme stress, again potentially related to trauma, injury, or illness. This combination of symptoms definitely worries me, and so it's best to have Cookie seen by a vet as soon as possible. They will do an exam and will likely want to take x-rays to look for evidence of injury or trauma. This may be a serious enough issue that I would recommend you have him seen today if possible. Hope this helps and he feels better soon!

Poor Russell. He definitely avulsed his nail. The remaining quick should not be removed and as long as it is not bleeding, it should not pose too much risk. The unfortunate thing is that these are very uncomfortable and can lead to limping as the quick contains lots of sensitive nerves. I would limit his activity for several days and do not allow him to lick it. It will slowly start to dry out and the nail may regrow. There's potential that the nail may not grow normally and will require more frequent cutting.