Well I spoke too soon about not wanting to update this thread again for a while, what a disaster!
I noticed a small red sore on Teddy's foot when he was lying down this morning about half a centimetre across. I was worried it was bumblefoot so I took him to the vet to have him checked out. I wasn't able to see my normal vet who knows him well. The vet I saw said she doesn't think it's bumblefoot, but it's linked with his head tilt - he favours his left side and therefore probably puts more pressure on his left rear foot *sigh*. I don't think he's had this issue for long at all, and it certainly isn't bothering him or stopping him getting around. I don't know why it's happened now when he's had his tilt for so long...
The vet recommended washing the area and putting sudocrem on twice a day and seeing how he gets on. She also advised me to confine him, which I am loathe to do. I still have their old cage, but it won't work for Teddy now that he has head tilt. For a start his accessible litter tray is huge and wouldn't fit in there. He also makes quite wide turns rather than the quick turns a normal bun can make, so the cage just isn't fit for purpose for him sadly. Confining him in general is also an issue because the less he moves, the stiffer he gets which causes him more problems. He's gaining weight nicely now that he's more mobile, he's not on any pain meds and he's generally a very happy bun! So confining him could risk all of that. I only really thought about this after processing everything the vet told me after I'd got home, so I didn't raise it at the time.
I've read another post on here where a bun caused himself a sore foot by zooming around on carpet, and I'm wondering if this is the case with Teddy. He's only recently started exploring the whole house and zooming up and down the hallway :roll: I've put some old dust sheets down in the hallway and in the other places where he likes to walk and sit, hoping that the softer surface will help him. The whole house is carpeted, which is potentially the 'best' surface for him as he slips and slides on any smooth surface.
I feel like we're in a bit of a catch 22, the more I let him run around the worse his foot could get, but the more I try to stop him the more joint and mobility issues he could get. Not to mention trying to confine one bun while the other wants to be free range! :lol: does anyone have any advice for a situation like this? I just want to force him to lie down until he's better :lol: my poor little Bear doesn't deserve yet more issues!