Tumor & Bumblefoot

[crazydaisy]

I need some advice until I can get a hold of the vet in the morning.  This is about pinky she is a albino and having problems, she has had bumblefoot for a year now and she has a lump that will be removed on friday.  She seems to be having problems walking and I think it's the bumblefoot that is bugging her we have tried blu kote and it's not working and she looks like she is in pain. We soak her in the tub and he occasionally put neosporin on it and top of this she has scabs on her back too we are trying to get rid of.  That lump is taking all the energy out of her & I'm really nervous putting her under because she is so stressed I just pray she will do ok during surgery. Anyone want to give me any suggestions.  I know albinos have problems which I have had before with another female albino.

Jennifer

[Suebee]

I haven't had any luck with Blu-Kote, either...

But I have used Noah Kingdom First Aid Ointment with some success. It's the fourth item down on the page.

Keep us posted...

[kbrodents]

For the lump, try Barley green, it may help with size, who knows I have had it completely illiminate the tumors, and lumps on my rats, and Colodial Silver heps for the Scabs, and possibly for the bubble foot too. Give her orally a few drops of Colodial silver then apply on the scab itself. If you have any questions you can send me a message or E-mail me at kbrodents@excite.com

[kim]

fella -- email me privately at ksomjen@yahoo.com and i can put you in contact with someone who can give you a brand new treatment, from the animal medical center in NYC. i am still waiting it's "press release" from the vet herself, but until then the woman may be able to tell you what you shoudl tell your vet to treat - she has seen results within a WEEK of treatment.

[crazydaisy]

Thank you both for your help, I will be emailing you guys asap.  My husband took pinky to the vet this morning and she got a shot of steriods to help her out I think It helped.  She is going in for a tumor removal on friday morning so I know we will be up all weekend watching her so she won't pull stitches out. Thanks again.

Jennifer

[sevenpapermen]

I've currently got an obese rat named Stuart (from MadTV character) that has a horrible case of bumblefoot on both of his back feet.  I just ordered Blu-Kote from RMCA and put Neosporin on his feet after giving him a bath.  Hopefully this all helps.

What I'm curious about is if Bumblefoot is contagious to other ratties considering it's a bacteria.

Stuart is separated from my boys and was going to be introduced later this week when they get their new cage but not if the bumblefoot is contagious.  I will probably keep him separated anyway to prevent further sore openings if possible.

[Suebee]

As far as I know, bumblefoot is not contagious... I've never had it spread from one rat to another...

But I also have had ZERO luck with Blu-Kote. I posted a link to the product I use in a previous response...

[sevenpapermen]

Thank you very much.  I will try the Blu-Kote knowing that it has varying degrees of success.  I called a friend who said they pretty much go away on their own so I'll replace his bedding with old towels every other day and see if that helps.  He's also going to go on a more strict diet since his obesity seems to be the cause.

Not sure how to help a rattie lose weight though.  I feed my boys NutroMax dog food and veggies here and there.

[crazydaisy]

I called a friend who said they pretty much go away on their own so I'll replace his bedding with old towels every other day and see if that helps. I feed my boys NutroMax dog food and veggies here and there.

Believe me it will not go away on it's own. Pinky has had it for over a year now and it still hasn't gone away and I have tried everything.  I'm going to call the vet and see if antibiotics will clear it up. She's not fat at all so I don't think it's from obesity, she got it from a rusty wheel that she was running on when we got her. Nutro Max I think has a lot of fat and protein in it you should try the nutro natural choice lite.  

Jennifer

[sevenpapermen]

Thank you very much.
I'm taking my cat and one of my rats to the vet tomorrow.  I'll ask about Stuart's bumblefoot and see what they suggest.

Do you suggest Nutro Lite for all ratties?  A few of my other ratties seem to be a bit hefty and although exercise seems to help, I'd like the food to do its part too.

Thanks so much!

I love this board!

[crazydaisy]

Do you suggest Nutro Lite for all ratties?  Thanks so much!

I love this board!

No Problem :)I feed my rats a version of the suebee mix and I add nutro lite. I also have lab blocks that I give them every other day and they get peas & other goodies. Good luck with that bumblefoot I hope the vet can help you with that.

Jennifer

[Kimmers]

This may be a dumb question, but...what is bumblefoot?

[sevenpapermen]

What is "bumblefoot"?

Ulcerative pododermatitis, also known as bumblefoot, is an inflamation of the balls of the feet of birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, and rats. The inflamation is usually caused by infection with Staphylococcus aureaus, but may be caused by other bacteria. The infection occurs when the bacteria contacts broken skin, such as a wound or abrasion, on the foot. Rats can get abbrasions on their feet from walking on wire cage flooring or rough textured cage litter.

Bumblefoot usually appears first as a small, reddish bump or lump on the foot. It can look similar to a corn or callous you see on human feet. Inside the lump is a closed abcess. In progressed stages the lumps grow large and can break open and bleed.

The best treatment for bumblefoot in rats is a combination of a systemic antibiotic (Cefa Drops) and topical applications of an antiseptic/disinfectant, (Dr. Naylor BLU-KOTE). Some people have seen faster improvement by cleansing the feet with chlorhexidine, an antiseptic/disinfectant solution, between BLU-KOTE applications.

The best prevention against bumblefoot is a clean, disinfected cage with solid surface floors and soft cage litter.

P.S. This is what it looks like: http://www.rz.unibw-muenchen.de/~r21d55/bfoot3.jpg

[Kimmers]

Oh. Thank you.  I'd been meaning to ask for a while.  

[Eileen]

I recently had the pleasure of Agatha getting bumblefoot. I tried soaking it but found it only irritated it.

What has helped her is I have only towels in the cage, & change them twice a day. I do not allow water or feces to remain in the cage. Her foot has not bled for two months now, though a tender spot still exists.

Kim - what were you referring to, medication for tumors or bumblefoot?

[Suebee]

The best prevention against bumblefoot is a clean, disinfected cage with solid surface floors and soft cage litter.

Well.... there's some debate about the solid floors in the last few years... all my bumblefoot cases DID live on solid floors, as did a friend of mine who had about ten or so wire cages -- her only bumble case lived on a solid floor. I've had no issues so far with wire floors.

I would update that to read: "clean, disinfected cage with soft cage litter, and do what you can to prevent obesity."

[sevenpapermen]

That's one thing that urked me about Stuart's case.  He lives in a flat space and has bumblefoot (and doesn't even climb the wires on the side) yet all my other boys in the separate cage have a flat space except for their shelves which are generally covered with toys.  Right now their big shelf is covered with a little newspaper and PVC pipe.  The small shelf is more of a ramp landing than anything and is plain wire.

Their new cage (Midwest Ferret Cage) is coming soon and it has plastic solid shelves.  I hope they don't cause bumblefoot.

[Suebee]

Just keep 'em clean... you may want to wipe them down every few days if they've peed on them.

[Blue Steel Rats]

What I'm curious about is if Bumblefoot is contagious to other ratties considering it's a bacteria.

No, Ulcerative pododermatitis is not contagious.   It also will NOT go away on its own.  If left untreated it will get far  worse.

There may be more to the story than "just" a bacterial infection.  Sometimes bumblefoot is associated with type 2 diabetes and its complications.  Have you read the article regarding the correlation between obesity, bumblefoot, and type 2 diabetes at http://www.ratpalace.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=listarticles&secid=14
Y'all mentioned that both Stuart and Pinky were obese.  How old were they when they first developed this?  How old are they now? Have they had any other health problems? Do they drink vast quantities of water?  Does it ever seem like their paws/feet "fall asleep"?  Do they have repeated respiratory infections that just keep coming back even after administering antibiotics?  Has either of their vets thought to check their fasting plasma glucose levels yet?

Stuart's and Pinky's bumblefoot may be due to nothing more than a bacterial infection, in which case a round of strong antibiotics and a very clean and cushiony cage should help it clear right up.  But then again it may not be a simple infection.  
I have used and had success with Blu-kote, but not when treating ratties who are also affected with t2d.

Oh, and Kim, I would very much be interested in that new treatment you were referring to from the gal in NYC.  I'm up for anything that will help increase the Knowledge Level.  Even though I (thankfully) have no affected ratties now, the knowledge is always good to have.  Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.   Could you please let me in on it, too?  PLEEEEASE?  

[sevenpapermen]

Thank you very much for the info!

I rescued Stuart from a not so knowledgeable owner so I'm not sure of his age.  I believe him to be about a year old.  Around that.  He was picked up at a pet store as a little beefy and got worse with the kid.  Stuart's only problem tends to be the bumblefoot and obesity.  He doesn't have any of the problems you mentioned.

Thank you so much for your info.

I talked to the vet today and he said there is no specific fail-proof medicine for bumblefoot.  He said it really depends on the husbandry.  The more attention and care, the better it'll get.  <3

Good thing I'm a slushee for animals!

[wolfsoul]

what works good for swelling in almost anything, is hemheroid (sp?) cream. I'd put some of that on her little footsies.

Good luck!