How to prevent bumblefoot?

[Rattie Kisses]

I need to know how I can prevent bumblefoot with my babies. I was thinking about sewing cloth place mats together and velcro the placemats to the wire. Would that work? Any other ideas?

 

[Christie]

Dont let them walk on wire floor...cover it with fleece.

 

[SQ]

Keep their cage very clean.
Try not to let them get over weight be making sure they have a healthy died and lots of exercise.

 

[jorats]

We were having some bumblefoot problems here too but what did it for us was padding the cage. Bumblefoot is almost like bed sores, the pressure makes it worse.

 

[SQ]

I use thick pieces of linolum flooring cut to fit over wire floors to cover the wire.

 

[Lise]

Keep their cage very clean.

x2!

The most important thing to prevent bumblefoot is to keep the cage exceptionally clean. If you add solid floors but then don't clean them often enough so there is pee build-up, then you are actually more likely to have bumblefoot occur.

 

[Moon]

Keep their cage very clean.

x2!

The most important thing to prevent bumblefoot is to keep the cage exceptionally clean. If you add solid floors but then don't clean them often enough so there is pee build-up, then you are actually more likely to have bumblefoot occur.

Nice to see you Lise!!!!

I think it's also more commonly seen in older rats, as they walk on their whole foot more, less often on their toes like younger rats.

 

[jorats]

Pododermatitis is also aggravated by solid surfaces not unlike bedsores. Keeping the cage padded once they have developed bumblefoot can help alleviate the pressures and help speed up treatment. We've had success treating with Novotrimel/bactrim/septra as well as heavy cage padding.
Many here have had great results using blu-kote.
Severe bumblefoot is usually impossible to treat but easier to maintain. Staph sets in and reaches the bone. Each time the rat opens up his sores it leaves it vulnerable to all sorts of bacteria... so I too can't stress enough: keep the cage clean!!