My bunny has a large laceration on his stomach and near his back leg. It is not bleeding much, it is just that the skin seems to have been separated from the fur. I have washed it out. I have put neosporin on it, and I am keeping him confined. Is there something else I can do? Can rabbits actually get stitches? Will it heal on its own, as long as I keep it clean?
laceration
- Thread starter mel
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
It should heal up just fine on its own without stitches as long as the laceration is kept clean. You can use Blue Kote, found at most feed stores, to help keep it clean. It will stain his fur and anything you spray it on blue. I am sure others will speak up about it. Hope your bun starts feeling better soon.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 33
If necessary, you can use Super Glue to close a laceration. Just don't glue yourself to the bunny. :shock:
But yes, Blue-Kote, Vetericyn, or Nu-Stock should be sufficient, depending on whether it seems to stay closed pretty well. I would think Neosporin might not be enough for this job, since it's a large laceration. How large are we talking?
But yes, Blue-Kote, Vetericyn, or Nu-Stock should be sufficient, depending on whether it seems to stay closed pretty well. I would think Neosporin might not be enough for this job, since it's a large laceration. How large are we talking?
If it's not deep I would rinse it really well with betadine and glue it. I've done it on guinea pigs who got a slice through the shoulder area in fights. If the wound is too deep though you don't want to close the outside because it makes a perfect home for anaerobic bacteria to fester under the skin until you have an even larger wound that needs lanced open and drained or even oral antibiotics. In that case you want to rinse it frequently until it scabs over. At least with saline but preferably with betadine or chlorhexadine.
make sure the rabbit is kept clean, a little pee or poop in the wound will open the door to bigger problems. Is the rabbit cleaning the wound himself, if he is, and the wound looks clean and un-infected, you might just watch and see how it goes, but-- if he is not cleaning it himself, or it looks dirty or inflamed, there are some great comments above. [I have not had great success with vetricyn on rabbits]
Thanks all so much. The laceration is fairly long - 2- 3 inches. But the good news is that this morning the bunny does not seem to be in any distress at all. The wound still looks raw, but it is a healthy pink and does not look infected at all. He was happy to eat and drink and snack on a carrot. He's fiesty and he has been licking his wound. I've put diluted betadine rather than peroxide and continue to put neosporin. I am hoping the neosporin is ok. I'm wondering what will happen when the wound heals. I know that when my son had a deep laceration it healed from the outside in, but given that his top layer of skin/fur has been torn back, will that grow back with healthy tissue and will his fur grow back? Any use bringing him to a vet at this point?
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 33
Glad the bun seems to be doing well! 
Betadine is fine, though I don't know how well it works when diluted. You are right to avoid peroxide. Peroxide can be used first (preferably right after injury) to clean and disinfect it, but once that time is past, it should not be used. It will kill new healing tissue cells along with bacteria.
Neosporin is fine to use on rabbits, but if the bunny is cleaning the wound himself, I'm not sure I would use it. It might not be safe to ingest the amounts that you have to apply to a wound that size. The three livestock treatments listed above (Blue-Kote, Vetericyn, and Nu-Stock) are safe if ingested. Vetericyn is expensive, but Blue-Kote and Nu-Stock are not. Nu-Stock allows things to heal from the inside out. It's basically sulphur and pine oil. Both are messy.
Betadine is fine, though I don't know how well it works when diluted. You are right to avoid peroxide. Peroxide can be used first (preferably right after injury) to clean and disinfect it, but once that time is past, it should not be used. It will kill new healing tissue cells along with bacteria.
Neosporin is fine to use on rabbits, but if the bunny is cleaning the wound himself, I'm not sure I would use it. It might not be safe to ingest the amounts that you have to apply to a wound that size. The three livestock treatments listed above (Blue-Kote, Vetericyn, and Nu-Stock) are safe if ingested. Vetericyn is expensive, but Blue-Kote and Nu-Stock are not. Nu-Stock allows things to heal from the inside out. It's basically sulphur and pine oil. Both are messy.
if he eats very much, you might consider a probiotic.
Thank you to everyone. I've bought blue kote although it has another brand name from the feed store. I'm not even sure I had needed it because he has healed himself by licking the wound. He is antsy to get out of that cage and the wound is already closing in. So I guess lesson learned and lesson I hope to share with anyone who is seeking similar advice - I have learned that bunny lacerations on the top layer of skin look a whole lot worse than they are. And never underestimate the ability of a rabbit to tend to its own needs. I'm glad I didn't take him to a vet, I'm not sure if they could have done much more.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 33
They probably would have done the super glue. And you would have been out a lot of $$$.
You must have gotten the "Wound-Kote Blue Lotion" that I found. It's very close in formulation. Not identical, but likely close enough.
Do NOT point it in the direction of anything you would rather not have turn permanently purple. You won't turn permanently purple, but you'll be purple for a while. :lol:
You must have gotten the "Wound-Kote Blue Lotion" that I found. It's very close in formulation. Not identical, but likely close enough.
Do NOT point it in the direction of anything you would rather not have turn permanently purple. You won't turn permanently purple, but you'll be purple for a while. :lol:
mel":sdj4iomj said:
that's wonderful--glad it worked out well, -- often times a trip to a vet is worse then pointless, with all the sick animals going through the vet clinic, we often come home with a much bigger problem then we came with. and--sealing an infection/ hospital acquired bug in a wound by gluing it shut can be a disaster.
