mellers foot issue

[Jimturner]

Zipo, a young wc i got in April had a issue with its back right foot. I treated it with polysporin and it seemed to heal into a dry scab that looked like it would shed. today i noticed the same behaviour, favouring the foot, kinda gingerly stepping and hesitant to really move about. it's foot looks like it did back in april, i guess this is some kinda fungal infection. i'm gonna have to treat it with polysporin again and hope that temporarily helps. cant get to the vets till late next week! i have read that these types of problems can be moisture related. I'm gonna shorten the misting sessions, it's a fine line between too wet and good hydration it seems

 

[kinyonga]

Do you use those biovines or anything else that takes a long time to dry out? Do you let the cage dry out between mistings (so the feet would dry out too)?

 

[Carlton]

It could also be ulcerative pododermatitis. The Melleri Discovery website has good information about it. I haven't dealt with it luckily.

 

[Jimturner]

It looks to me that the cage dry's out.. I have excellent drainage & cage bottoms are usually dry well before the next misting. I run a Mistking with their seconds timer.. 15 min @ 9:30, 5 min @ noon, 5 min @ 3:30 and 15 min at 7pm, lights out @ 9. I'll go with 10 min @ 7? No biovines but plastic foam covered wire bendy type branches that don't absorb water. I'm using polysporin again, it seemed to at least put what ever it is into "remission" last time.. just till I get to a vet later this week. Im on my way to melleridicovery to read what they have to say about ulcerative pododermatitis. Thanks for your input and please post any thing else you might think of. Oh yea... I'll post photos of the foot in question this eve.

 

[Jimturner]

I looked @ melleridiscovey.. all I could find about ulserative pododermatitis is that they are foot sores.. pretty vague..here are some photos

 

[draetish]

For now, I would get an antiseptic and wash really good, let it dry and put on the polysporin or silvadine cream would be even better. I would put that on after he is asleep. That way he's not climbing around rubbing it off.

 

[Jimturner]

After it's asleep.... great idea! guess I'll do it now then

 

[kinyonga]

This is about rabbits but it might help a little...
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/171347.htm

 

[Jimturner]

do you think that i should maybe remove Zipo's tree? it has lots of small branches and places to perch that are maybe too small for it's feet... the fake vines are about the circumference of my thumb and mostly horizontal but the tree varies greatly. I recently purchased 50 feet of half inch soaker hose to use as "highways" for my larger mellers new home as in summoner12's free ranges, so I could do a complete refit for Zipo with stuff I have on hand. couldn't hurt except maybe a little stress for Zipo. Plus it would be a super thorough cleaning. I think im gonna do it

 

[Jimturner]

I got started on the refit... gathering supplies, I'm on the hunt for branches that are big & grippy enough. I have a few pothos plants, my soaker hose and some cable ties to strap it all together. now I just need the time! I think all this should prevent a recurrence. one question though... should I wait till after the vet visit and I start treatment with whatever meds they prescribe, or rebuild Zipo's home asap?

 

[draetish]

I got started on the refit... gathering supplies, I'm on the hunt for branches that are big & grippy enough. I have a few pothos plants, my soaker hose and some cable ties to strap it all together. now I just need the time! I think all this should prevent a recurrence. one question though... should I wait till after the vet visit and I start treatment with whatever meds they prescribe, or rebuild Zipo's home asap?

I would wait, you don't want him to spread anything to the new branches if it's infectious