General Red Feet from Weather, Bedding, Etc.?

[DisneyQueen]

Hello all, my pigs are both starting to get red back feet (I noticed earlier tonight). They both have red spots on their back feet, and the areas are neither inflamed nor hot so far. Can piggies get chapped feet, or is this perhaps an early sign of bumblefoot, or something else entirely? They live on fleece with U-Haul pads, which I think may be the problem as they?re roughly a year old and may be losing their absorbency. Could that be the case, do y?all think? The bedding isn?t extremely thick and the bottom of the cage is fairly hard, could it just be that they need a softer cage material?

I?m worried about their feet developing issues, as money is tight and I WILL take them to the vet if necessary.

 

[bpatters]

I doubt it. Some pigs just have red feet. It can be a sign of early bumblefoot, but it often just stays the same and doesn't progress any.

What I'd do is keep the cage clean, keep their feet clean, and apply cold pressed virgin coconut oil daily. Be sure it's the cold pressed kind, because when heated, it loses whatever antibacterial and antifungal properties it has, which are considerable. It should keep the skin soft and supple, and prevent, or help prevent, any sort of infection.

Do this for a while, watching carefully. If it doesn't get worse, there's nothing to worry about. If it does get worse, you can get him to a vet then.

 

[DisneyQueen]

I doubt it. Some pigs just have red feet. It can be a sign of early bumblefoot, but it often just stays the same and doesn't progress any.

What I'd do is keep the cage clean, keep their feet clean, and apply cold pressed virgin coconut oil daily. Be sure it's the cold pressed kind, because when heated, it loses whatever antibacterial and antifungal properties it has, which are considerable. It should keep the skin soft and supple, and prevent, or help prevent, any sort of infection.

Do this for a while, watching carefully. If it doesn't get worse, there's nothing to worry about. If it does get worse, you can get him to a vet then.

Thank you so much for the quick reply, I just noticed their feet today which is why I’m so worried about it. Im also a little suspicious about whether it’s a medical issue or not since they both have red back feet, but I suppose living in the same conditions can lead them to get the same foot problems.

what brand of that coconut oil do you use? There are so many out there from just a quick amazon search, I want to make sure I’m getting the right stuff.

Also, side note, how often do U-Haul pads need to be replaced? I’m wondering if mine don’t absorb per as well as they used to.

 

[bpatters]

Brand doesn't matter. Just get the cold pressed virgin stuff.

You can test the bedding. If it's damp, it's not working. If it's dry, it is. The whole idea is that the absorbent layer sucks the liquid through the fleece. If it quits doing that, it's time to replace it.