Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 07:03 pm
Guinea pigs often break their nails, and bleeding may occur.
If your guinea pig happens to break his nail and start bleeding, you will surely be wondering what to do to help him.
In such unwanted situations, you can do several things such as cleaning the wound with hydrogen peroxide, and alcohol wipes, you can press the place where the nail is broken to stop the bleeding, or taking your pet to the vet.
In today’s article, we will learn more about what to do when your guinea pig’s nail breaks, how to make it easier to heal, and other things related to nails in guinea pigs.
Why do guinea pigs’ nails break?
Guinea pigs usually break their nails when they have bigger nails and then they break the nails with their teeth.
Broken nails in guinea pigs also occur when the bottom of the cage is wire and easily scratched by the feet of the guinea pigs, causing breakage and injury to their nails.
If the guinea pig plays with other pets in your home such as cats, then their nails may break.
What should you do if your guinea pig has a broken nail and is bleeding?
If your guinea pig has a broken nail and is bleeding then the first and most important step is to clean the area around the nail. It is best to clean with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
The deeper the cut at the nail, the more it will bleed and the longer it will take to stop the bleeding.
You can also use plain water, although alcohol is good to avoid any infection in the place where there is a wound with blood.
The next thing is to bandage the spot itself, just be careful not to put too much pressure on the nail itself.
The worse the place where the nail is broken, the more pressure you will have to apply to stop the bleeding.
When you have finished applying a bandage and stopping the bleeding at the broken nail site, you need to take your guinea pig to the vet.
How do you check if the nails of guinea pigs are broken?
There are several ways to check if their nails are broken.
Here are some of them:
- Difficulty walking – when a guinea pig cannot walk properly, it may be due to a broken nail.
- If there is bleeding from the nail – it happens because of a partially or completely broken nail.
- If there is swelling around the nails – it is a sign that the nail is broken, while the swelling is dark in color around the nail.
Can a broken guinea pig nail heal on its own?
It is best to treat a broken nail at a veterinarian because he will give him appropriate medicines for faster healing.
The veterinarian will prepare a proper diet menu so that in the coming days the guinea pig can eat food rich in vitamins and minerals for better and faster healing of the broken nail.
Guinea pig nails grow very quickly so expect his nail to be fully healed in no time.
Do guinea pigs’ nails grow back?
Of course, guinea pigs’ nails grow back.
It is necessary to cut his nails once a month, it should be done without waiting because too big nails lead to breaking them more easily.
Let’s just mention that the nails of baby guinea pigs need to be cut more often, or rather every two weeks.
Very rarely it can happen that new nails do not grow, it happens if there is too much damage to the base of their nails, during which either no new nail will grow at all or it will grow only partially.
What should we do after the guinea pig’s nail heals?
Once the guinea pig’s nail has healed you will be able to trim it a little.
Before doing that you will have to wait until the vet says that everything is fine and that you are free to take that step.
To trim your pet’s new nail you will need to put him in a box so he can’t jump out when you cut his nail.
Place a blanket or something similar in the bottom of the basket so that it cannot jump out of the basket.
Then you can start trimming his nails, this process does not last more than one to two minutes.
The most important thing is not to cut his nails too short, so as not to develop ingrown nails.
When you’re done clipping his nails, it’s a good idea to give him a portion of food so he knows you’ve rewarded him for letting you cut his nails.
The Bumblefoot on the nails of guinea pigs
Bumblefoot or pododermatitis occurs when the nails of guinea pigs are not trimmed in time.
Or already broken nails can be the cause of the appearance of bumblefoot.
If your guinea pig has a bumblefoot, you need to take it to the vet right away, the sooner the better.
Why does a guinea pig’s nail bleed?
Bleeding from the nail in guinea pigs is due to injury to the blood vessels in the nail and therefore pressure is needed to be used to stop the bleeding.
Bandages are of course the next thing to put on after cleaning the area with alcohol wipes or hydrogen peroxide.
If you don’t have any of the above things, water will do the job including cleaning the nail, i.e. bleeding.
How to prevent nail breakage in guinea pigs?
To reduce the chances of nail breakage in guinea pigs, it is necessary to make changes in the diet.
It is necessary to give them as much food rich in vitamins and minerals as possible while avoiding giving them sweet treats with sugar and other harmful ingredients.
Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins needed to have healthy nails.
Activity and exercise are important if you want your guinea pig to have fewer broken nails.
The more active they are, the stronger their nails will be and the less likely they will break.
And the very weight of the guinea pig can affect its nails, that is, their fragility.
That’s why you should make sure that his weight is optimal, the more optimal his weight is, the better for your pet.
Why shouldn’t guinea pigs have too-long nails?
Nails that are too long are dangerous for guinea pigs as they can contribute to injuries and sores on your pet’s foot itself.
If the guinea pig has too long nails, the chances are much higher that it will scratch itself on some surfaces such as wires, wood, or similar solid surfaces.
Too long nails in guinea pigs can only cause harm, so you need to cut them once a month.
When guinea pigs have too long nails, they will have a lot more difficulty moving, they will not be able to exercise properly, and similar other problems with movement and coordination.
Read more: Do Guinea Pigs Like Being Held? (All Answers)
How often should guinea pigs’ nails be trimmed?
The nails of guinea pigs should be cut at least once a month, or twice, it all depends on how fast your guinea pig’s nails grow.
Trimming guinea pig nails is a regular procedure that is painless and should be performed regularly.
How to properly cut the nails of guinea pigs?
Although there are several ways to cut nails in guinea pigs, our recommendation is the following method:
take a box and put clean bedding which should be soft so that their feet do not get hurt while cutting their nails.
Add some objects or toys to distract the guinea pigs while you trim their nails so that they are less afraid.
Cut their nails and give them a treat as a reward so they can remember and allow cutting their nails more easily next time.
Can guinea pig nails get infected?
Yes, there is a risk of causing an illness or infection of their nails.
This happens after breaking the old nails, sharp edges are created on their nails which can cause infection on their feet.
It can come from a foot abscess. This happens when the guinea pig cannot break the old nail, and a new nail needs to grow.
That is why it is important to regularly cut the nails of guinea pigs to avoid such unwanted problems.
Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Eat Seaweed? All You Need To Know
What should we do to prevent nail breakage in guinea pigs?
Nail breakage in guinea pigs is a common occurrence and therefore we need to take some preventive measures to make their nails less brittle.
Here are some steps that will help you reduce the breakage of their nails:
- They should have enough space in the cage for normal movement.
- The cage should have a soft floor.
- We should regularly check the nails of the guinea pigs, so we know when to cut them.
The more we pay attention to these basic things, the less their nails will break and the fewer problems such as bleeding or infections will occur.
Do guinea pigs have nails quicks?
Yes, guinea pigs’ nails have quicks.
The quick is the blood veins that are present in their nails, if we cut some of the quicks, there will be bleeding in the nails of the guinea pigs.
In order to avoid something like this from happening, care should be taken when cutting the nails, but mistakes happen even with more experienced owners.
If you cut fast in their nails you should stop the bleeding immediately.
What to do if guinea pigs have a broken finger?
Speaking of broken nails, it’s good to know what to do if guinea pigs have a broken fingers.
Although a broken finger is not dangerous in guinea pigs, it should be properly treated to prevent infections and injuries.
You need to make him a suitable safe place in his residence where he will not be disturbed or cared for by his broken finger.
Then you should take the guinea pig to the vet if you suspect it’s something more serious than a broken finger.
Veterinarians usually recommend wearing a bandage and using ointments to heal your pet’s broken finger in these situations.
Read more: What Herbs Can Guinea Pigs Eat? (Best And Worst)
Do we have to trim guinea pig nails ourselves?
No, if you are afraid or you are still uncomfortable not hurting the guinea pig when you cut its nails, you can take it to the vet.
A veterinarian will trim your guinea pig’s nails for $10-$20.
Of course, the price of such a service varies depending on the place of residence.
Conclusion
Nail breakage in guinea pigs is a common occurrence that we should be careful about as much as we can prevent it.
When breaking their nails, bleeding can often occur at the site of the broken nail, and even swelling can occur.
In order not to break the nails in guinea pigs, we should cut them regularly, at least once a month or twice depending on the speed of growth of their nails.
To prevent nail breakage in guinea pigs, they should have a good and healthy diet with vitamins and minerals, vitamin C is especially important.
Physical activity is also important for guinea pigs to have healthier and stronger nails that won’t break easily.
