Buck with sore hock what to do

[sam]

First i would like to thank this website for being here. It has answered many of my questions without any sort of hostility. You don't get that on other sites. :twisted: Second is there an archive that we can look up possible other threads that may pertain to our questions instead of asking the same question over and over. :? If there is i apologize for not seeing it. Now for my question, I have a buck that has a sore hock and was wondering what kind of remedies people here use for that sort of thing. Again thank you to all that participate on this site and I hope that one day I will be knowledgeable enough to share advice to people starting or just need some help.

Sam

ps I just looked at this sites more smilies and they are awesome. I can't wait to post more so I can use them. Good job to who ever did those. When it comes to computers I'm easily impressed, sorry.

 

[LilacGal]

There is a search feature along the top bar. It's in the second row, should read: Blogs, Start Blogging, FAQ, Members and then SEARCH. Should be able to find advice on sore hocks there. I've never had a rabbit with them or I'd give you advice here as well. This forum and it's members are awesome for help so you should have an answer shortly. Best of luck with the bunny!:good-luck:

 

[sam]

thanks I see it now. These fancy web sites with their high dollar words for finding stuff like "search" who would have thought.

 

[LilacGal]

Any time, hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[DogCatMom]

First i would like to thank this website for being here. It has answered many of my questions without any sort of hostility. You don't get that on other sites. :twisted: ...

Hmm...I'm sure I can name several of *those* sites right off the bat, too. :angry: They were all "Oh, great! you want to rescue an Angora!" back in July/August, but whenever I mentioned that I wanted to actually harvest the Angora's wool and spin it, horror ensued. :? What is an Angora owner supposed to do, let the poor bunny die of heat stroke?! (rant etc. omitted, but you can fill it in for yourself )

 

[sam]

Hmm...I'm sure I can name several of *those* sites right off the bat, too. :angry:

It's not just on rabbit sites. I also belong to a taxidermy site that has a couple of individuals on it that get there undies in a bundle over the smallest things. It's ok to be passionate about something but ticked off 90 percent of the time over new people asking questions is ridiculous. How are we supposed to learn? Thanks again to all who "contribute" to this site, it's fun to be on here.

Sam

 

[LilacGal]

Correct me if I'm wrong but harvesting from an Angora is sort of like shearing a sheep? Doesn't hurt the animal, if anything it makes them more comfortable right?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

First i would like to thank this website for being here.

Me too. Long live RT!

It has answered many of my questions without any sort of hostility. You don't get that on other sites. :twisted:

That's because we have so many violent smileys at our disposal... we can do this :chair: or this :annihilate: or even this :mosquitos: to fractious members. :twisted:

Second is there an archive that we can look up possible other threads that may pertain to our questions instead of asking the same question over and over. :?

There is a search feature along the top bar.

Huh. :thinking: Imagine that. I always search from the bottom of the sub forums. :?

The search in the top bar is much more advanced. That is going to make this little Techno-Peasant's life much easier! Thanks LilacGal! :bow:

I have a buck that has a sore hock and was wondering what kind of remedies people here use for that sort of thing.

I have used Blu-Kote before. It is an antiseptic, anti bacterial, and anti fungal. It is incredibly messy though. Despite coming in an aerosol can, you will inevitably get some on your fingers and it stains like nothing else. Wear gloves... or a full body scuba suit, and you'll be okay. Hopefully.

Some of them will never heal up completely, but most develop a callous on the foot.

I hope that one day I will be knowledgeable enough to share advice to people starting or just need some help.

You will. It doesn't take long to get the basics down.

I just looked at this sites more smilies and they are awesome. I can't wait to post more so I can use them. Good job to who ever did those.

MidnightCoder gets credit for those. He updates them at least yearly.

They were all "Oh, great! you want to rescue an Angora!" back in July/August, but whenever I mentioned that I wanted to actually harvest the Angora's wool and spin it, horror ensued. :?

Seriously? :shock: I think I have heard it all now.

Correct me if I'm wrong but harvesting from an Angora is sort of like shearing a sheep? Doesn't hurt the animal, if anything it makes them more comfortable right?

Yes. I believe the ones that molt will begin to get matted if the wool is not harvested at that time. The owners usually pluck by hand over a couple of days since not all of the wool loosens at the same time.

It's ok to be passionate about something but ticked off 90 percent of the time over new people asking questions is ridiculous. How are we supposed to learn?

Yes, that makes no sense at all. Nobody is born with knowledge, and even the experts were beginners themselves once.

 

[Peach]

It is an awesome site! Thank goodness for RT XD

In answer to your question, I cull out sore hocks BUT make sure you have the proper wire/ and possibly a resting board. They are bigger breed, so weight is a factor to consider. If they have poorly furred, thin feet, they tend to have sore hocks. Short,wide, well furred feet distribute the weight better.

 

[DogCatMom]

Correct me if I'm wrong but harvesting from an Angora is sort of like shearing a sheep? Doesn't hurt the animal, if anything it makes them more comfortable right?

Traditionally, all Angoras were "plucked" (harvested) when they began to molt, as MSD (MamaSheepdog) explained. They just had this dead hair sitting on their little bodies, making them hot and threatening them with wool block--intestinal obstruction--from trying to groom it out themselves. So plucking was a multi-faceted benefit: rabbit health was preserved, people got to spin Angora yarn, and then people got to wear Angora-containing clothing! (seven times warmer than sheep wool, according to studies, and almost indecently soft)

Many Angoras still are plucked. However, in the late '80s an American English Angora breeder observed that one of her does had a coat that never molted. The breeder, an astute woman, immediately thought that this could be the answer to wool block for English Angoras, because this particular doe required scissor-harvesting ("shearing"). After a few generations--and fast-forwarding to today--many English Angoras in the United States are from her lines, so when adopting/purchasing/acquiring an English Angora in the U.S. (and maybe Canada? I simply don't know), it's advisable to ask whether the rabbit needs to be sheared or if it can be plucked. You want to take good care of an Angora, even more so than other breeds (higher % protein in the diet, heavy grooming requirement, etc.).

Plucked Angora rabbits have personal molting cycles. I've read about Angoras having anywhere from 90-day to five-month cycles, so the key is watching the coat closely. If you've ever groomed long-haired dogs or cats, it's like having packed coat: the hair *wants* to come out (on the plucked bunnies), but just needs help. I've had to use rubber gloves to pluck the forelegs of a Golden Retriever, but Angora fiber is less rigorous to remove--assuming you have a cooperative rabbit. The scissored bunnies require a whole different set of skills.<br /><br />__________ Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:04 pm __________<br /><br />

They were all "Oh, great! you want to rescue an Angora!" back in July/August, but whenever I mentioned that I wanted to actually harvest the Angora's wool and spin it, horror ensued. :?

Seriously? :shock: I think I have heard it all now.

It was incredible. Before I was even able to broach the subject at the first rescue, the volunteer said something like, "I'm so glad you're interested in just brushing the Angoras! Most people want to USE them for spinning." The tone of disgust in her voice told me more than I had ever wanted to know about the disconnect between some rabbit rescue folk and reality. But since that particular Angora was bonded to a huge second rabbit and DH was very leery of even one, Miss Angora didn't come home with me. She turned out to be 1) the only true Angora who was 2) really available for adoption at any of the Bay Area rabbit rescues from late July through early to mid-September.

So, for a number of weird reasons, I ended up with my American Chinchilla neutered male gardening assistant....

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I've used Blu-Kote with excellent results. Cannot over-emphasize how messy it can be. If you get the spray, just know it'll get all over you so wear old clothes. (It does wash out usually.) It eventually comes off your skin. Seems to wear off just as quickly without serious scrubbing as it does with serious scrubbing. I've seen that you can get a bottle with a brush instead of the spray can - maybe that would be less messy but I like the spray cuz it gets where it needs to go. (I've used it on my chickens as well and it'll soak into the feathers, etc.) Back to sore hocks...

Once you treat, put some sort of solid thing in its pen for the rabbit to rest on. I've heard some folks that use a board. I don't like wood - too hard to clean, harbors too many germs, the rabbits just chew it up, and so on. I have a piece of plexiglass about 1 foot by a foot and a half. Easy to clean and the rabbits don't chew on it. There are commercial rabbit rest pads that you can buy - those work well, too.

Once the foot has healed, take the rest pad out and see if it comes back. If it does, then you have to decide whether or not to cull or keep something in the pen. Sore hocks can be handed down to offspring.

I raise NZ's and Rex rabbits. Have only had sore hocks with the Rex and then only when I got a new rabbit from someone else. My theory is that the floor of their pens either had some solid surface or was not as sturdy as the floors I have in my pens. Once the rabbits got used to 14-guage 1-inch by half-inch wire, they didn't have any more problems.

Best of luck to you - hope your rabbit is better soon!

 

[sam]

went tonight and got some blu cote. why do they call it blue cote when it comes out purple? hopefully it works cause he was a sore looking little man. Thanks for the help.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

why do they call it blue cote when it comes out purple?

Same reason they call red onions and red cabbage "red"... the person in charge of naming them was clearly color blind.

__________ Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:25 pm __________

:thinking: or spoke mostly in one syllable words...

 

[Zass]

I'm on some taxidermy related sites as well, if it was the same places you would certainly know me by my rabbits I hope I've never done anything to offend you, but if I have, please let me know!

 

[Hoosier]

I had a doe with sore hocks. Folks here were a big help. Very long toenails can cause sore hocks. Just trimming them helped a lot. We covered the front half of her cage with a paper grocery bag so she could get some comfort when she ate and drank. We gave her apple branches to chew on and she pretty much left the paper alone as well as a big piece of cardboard we gave her. We only had to use the liquid Blu Kote a couple of times.
There are a lot of nice people here and they have helped me a lot. I haven't had the best luck with the search function myself.

 

[sam]

I'm on some taxidermy related sites as well, if it was the same places you would certainly know me by my rabbits I hope I've never done anything to offend you, but if I have, please let me know!

It was really one old guy mostly and you don't write like he does. You have been very helpful so far with my novice questions. You most certainly are not him.