*BLOOD* Rabbits with bleeding toes *BLOOD*

[Graceful Rabbitry]

I have a barn structure with tarps on the side until we can build walls and our cages are about 3-1/2 feet off the ground, and our neighbors dogs found their way into the barn and chewed up some of my rabbits feet through the wire. I had a mom and a litter that got their feet messed up, we cleaned and wrapped them up, but I don’t know how they will heal I will put pictures of the worse one of the kits. The first two pictures is the worst one of the kits. What would you do about the kits? The moms feet weren’t bad enough to wrap up, I think she will heal up fine.

But, I have a silver Marten buck and his foot is terrible, and I don’t know what to do about it! What would you do? I feel so bad for him, he is acting like nothing even happened, I guess he is in a bit of shock.

 

[ladysown]

having suffered rat attacks which do much the same thing.... do your best to keep them clean and let them heal up. If any suffer infection, just cull them. When I had any as bad as that second last pic I would definitely be thinking to cull those as well, but I'm a person who culls quickly. It's hard to just tell from pics sometimes though.

But knicked off nails and stubbies... it's amazing how quickly they heal if they just have a chance to be clean and dry. if the buck is the last picture... I'd give him a chance and see how he does. I've seen rabbits heal fantastically from fairly bad wounds though...

Be aware... those dogs will be back with more determination now they know what "fun" is to be had. So think Fort Knox!

 

[Graceful Rabbitry]

having suffered rat attacks which do much the same thing.... do your best to keep them clean and let them heal up. If any suffer infection, just cull them. When I had any as bad as that second last pic I would definitely be thinking to cull those as well, but I'm a person who culls quickly. It's hard to just tell from pics sometimes though.

But knicked off nails and stubbies... it's amazing how quickly they heal if they just have a chance to be clean and dry. if the buck is the last picture... I'd give him a chance and see how he does. I've seen rabbits heal fantastically from fairly bad wounds though...

Be aware... those dogs will be back with more determination now they know what "fun" is to be had. So think Fort Knox!

Thank you for the hope, I am usally quick to cull too and I was thinking of culling, but I love my buck and will be trying to give him and everyone a chance! I had a buck that lost two middle toes from his mom stepping on them. And, he is doing great and healed fast but, his toes were broken off instead of just skinned like the buck, so there was no open bones to deal with if that makes sense. We are going to warp wire all the way around the bottom of the barn(so there is still ventilation), the dogs haven’t been able to tear through the wire we use for the chicken coop, we used chicken wire and then a heavier wire over top. Should I just keep his foot wrapped up but, you said it needs to be dry and I know wrapping it might keep it moist but, I don’t want me snagging it on the wire, or getting it dirty. How would you take care of it? The buck, Cannon, is the one with white on his foot.

 

[Cindy in SD]

Thank you for the hope, I am usally quick to cull too and I was thinking of culling, but I love my buck and will be trying to give him and everyone a chance! I had a buck that lost two middle toes from his mom stepping on them. And, he is doing great and healed fast but, his toes were broken off instead of just skinned like the buck, so there was no open bones to deal with if that makes sense. We are going to warp wire all the way around the bottom of the barn(so there is still ventilation), the dogs haven’t been able to tear through the wire we use for the chicken coop, we used chicken wire and then a heavier wire over top. Should I just keep his foot wrapped up but, you said it needs to be dry and I know wrapping it might keep it moist but, I don’t want me snagging it on the wire, or getting it dirty. How would you take care of it? The buck, Cannon, is the one with white on his foot.

I have no experience with healing up rabbits, but fwiw, I would give them a tile or a piece of untreated board to get off the wire if they like, and keep them & their floor relatively clean as needed.

 

[Cindy in SD]

I have no experience with healing up rabbits, but fwiw, I would give them a tile or a piece of untreated board to get off the wire if they like, and keep them & their floor relatively clean as needed.

Oh and I would definitely have a *word* with the owner of the dogs. I know it's tough, but ppl need to keep their dogs from destroying other ppl's pets, livestock & property.

 

[hotzcatz]

I'd once considered several lines of barbed wire across the bottom of the bunny hutch if there were loose dogs around, but fenced the bunny yard instead.

We've had bunnies that healed up from an entire lost foot when a mongoose got to some babies through the wires. Triple antibiotic and some vet wrap and they got better.

 

[judymac]

It is amazing how quickly they can heal. For the buck, I might consider a layer of deep straw that is changed out several times a day, or an old towel folded several layers thick that can be changed out and laundered. That gets the foot off of the wire and gives something pillow-like to cushion the injured leg.

 

[ladysown]

I would do a low-pile towel to help keep him nice and dry and give him some time to heal.

 

[jaxmarblebuns]

I had quite a few with toes nipped off and one that got "de-gloved" from the elbow down when it was about 3 weeks old. Luckily, I have never had problems with infection or stress stasis! Rabbits are much more hardy than people male them out to be!!!!!!! Just keep the sight clean and as long as it scabs over its all good.

 

[Graceful Rabbitry]

Thank you everyone for the replies, we just put wire all the way around the bottom of the barn! Everyone has a tile in their cage. We ended up amputating the bucks toe off (since there was no meat left of the bone of his toe we didn’t know how it would heal like that) and he took It very well, it was off in less than a second. We just spray it with hydrogen peroxide and put triple antibiotic ointment on it. We then, put gauze over it and then wrap it with tender tape. We might leave the wrap off when we take it off and clean it tonight. He is doing very well!

 

[jaxmarblebuns]

Glad to here he's doing well.

I'm curious How does one go about amputating a toe?

 

[Graceful Rabbitry]

We used a pair of crimping pliers, it was fast and he didn’t freak out he just jumped a little, of course. It also didn’t bleed after the cut.

 

[ladysown]

smart decision. well done!