BUMBED OUT: BUMBLEFOOT Part I

We don't talk about bumblefoot much because myco seems to overshadow everything else. But I gotta tell ya: I hope you never have to deal with it.

I was shocked when Shadow developed it because I cover the wire floors (explanation below). He had myco and holed up for a long time in his hammock. I believe that's what brought on the condition: he'd eat his food in there and the hammock would get mucky and his feet were just marinating in it. If I'd realized it, I'd have forced him to get out of the hammock and walk around a bit for exercise every day and I'd have washed that hammock out every 3 days or so.

When he got it, I asked the Ratlisters for the latest, greatest treatments. This article summarizes the information they so generously provided. Take a minute to read it. Then, if your rat develops the condition, you'll remember the information is here. At that time, you'll also want to post to the Ratlist to find out if there has been any wonderful breakthroughs in treating bumblefoot since 1/03, when I wrote this article.

To the Ratlisters: thank you as usual for your generosity in sharing your knowledge, experience and sympathy.

To all: I hope to heck you never need this information.

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BUMBLEFOOT IS: Well, if you have Debbie Ducommon's Rat Health Care book, you always have this information right at hand anytime. So go to the Rat Fan Club Site and get it - it's just a few dollars and it pays for itself the first time you use it!

http://www.ratfanclub.org/books.html

Bumblefoot is a Strepp or Staph bacterial infection on the sole of the rat's foot, at the heel. (usually a Staph infection: the same nasty we carry in our nostrils). It starts as a round, red irritation. When it's full blown, it is a terribly scary looking, sore. While the "bumbles" look dreadful and bleed sometimes (like when the rat grooms his feet), they don't seem to hurt the rat. I sure hope that's true because it's hard to cure.

Irritation to the foot, in rats who have a genetic dispostion to the affliction, is what brings it on. Walking on wire cage floors may cause it and that's why we cover the wire with a solid surface: linoleum, plastic needlepoint canvas, etc.

Take a little time to search the Internet for information and pictures. You'll want to check Debbie D's site and RMCA sites

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