Sore hock infection or something else?

[phillinley]

Trying to get some extra input here. Here's the situation. Picked up a Mini Rex lilac buck over a month ago at a show and was so stupid that when checking his front paws and sexing I did not pay attn to his back feet that were developing sore hocks. So the first week in, we discovered them and have been working to treat them ever since. This rabbit was overweight when we bought him but options for MR lilacs in our area are limited so we figured we'd cut back his feed a bit to get him back into shape. He was cut from a cup a day to 2/3 cup to 1/2 cup over the course of 2 weeks and was doing fine. Still we had the sore hocks issue. Early this week I was noticing his coat was starting to look ragged, but I thought he was just going through a new coat. Yesterday I did notice his nose was wet but he often flips his nose in the water bowl because we just put hot water into the ice from the previous night and that's not unusual. No sneezing, no wheezing, no snot, just a wet nose.

Today I come in and he's not acting himself. He's propped up in a display stance with his head cocked up at a 45 degree angle and is looking like he's breathing hard. His coat has gotten worse and his appearance is starting to look gaunt. His nose still wet, but no sneezing, no snot. So this has come up in the last couple of days where he really started to look ragged.

He was isolated today from the rest of the rabbits in a flemish carrier to give him space yet keep him clear of the rest. I disinfected his cage and removed the rabbit closest to him to another area of the rabbitry as a precaution. But I am thinking it's an infection from the sore hocks. He's been with us for over a month and never shown signs of a cold. We even bred him to our lilac doe a week and a half ago and he was performing fine then. So the only thing I can point to is the sore hocks, but I've never dealt with sore hocks before so I'm not sure how easily they can contract infection. It looks like he's in quite a bit of pain today as he's just sitting sullenly. So if it is an infection, would antibiotics be the answer? Or, is it something else, and sore hocks is not the issue. We've been giving him a topical antiseptic every two days for a couple of weeks now.

Any help would be appreciated. The two concerns are, first the safety of the other rabbits, and second the well being of the mini rex and proper treatment.

 

[AnnClaire]

Hi Phil,

Sorry to hear about this poor little buck! I am sure someone with more experience will chime in, but IIRC, the head tilted back and the agonal breathing is a sign of pneumonia ... well past the blowing white stage of pastuerella ... the only thing I would suggest is to browse the links in One Acre Farm's Pastuerella thread ... good luck!!!

 

[phillinley]

OK, so assuming the worst, what is the method of breakdown quarantine wise. He was in the middle row of a 6 hole triple stacker with dura trays. He was alone in the middle level. He bred the doe on the top left level. So taking all precautions separate the doe into her own section, then separate both bunnies who were in adjacent cages to the lilac doe and the ailing lilac buck?

Looking more into the pasteurella, the tilted head is the only thing I see that is the same thing he has. It is a clear wet nose, nothing on the butt (other than the sore hocks), no sneezing. I've got no problem being better safe than sorry and quarantining anyone who was in close contact, but beyond that, I'm looking for a good diagnose to give any treatment to the buck in case it is not pasteurella. The head tilt is similar to a stressed rabbit, and he has always been a calm stress free bun, so that's why it was a major concern for me as I worry he is in pain.<br /><br />__________ Sat Mar 23, 2013 5:58 am __________<br /><br />Well we went to load the buns for the show this morning and he was dead. Last night when I left him he was looking better and had been up and moving around and eating and drinking; improving from where he was. But all for naught this morning. Looking to go full decontamination mode today just in case.

 

[skysthelimit]

Let us know how it goes. It's possible that no one else will have any problems, just watch like a hawk, which you already know. I lost three this fall, straight out of quarantine, but the ones I lost were young ones, no adults were affected.

 

[phillinley]

Let us know how it goes. It's possible that no one else will have any problems, just watch like a hawk, which you already know. I lost three this fall, straight out of quarantine, but the ones I lost were young ones, no adults were affected.

It helps that today we were already going to be buying two new triple stacks in anticipation of babies next month. That gives us a lot of options to move rabbits around to seperate based on risk factor. Right now we left three rabbits in Flemish Giant carriers which long term isn't a good solution.

 

[Marinea]

Sorry to hear about your loss Phil. I can't think of anything to add as it seems you have the situation under control.

*fingers crossed all your other buns are fine*

 

[AnnClaire]

Aww, Phil, so sorry to hear that you lost the little guy!

The only definitive way to be sure if it was pastuerella is to do a post mortem and check his lungs and liver. As you were on the way to a show, I can't imagine you took the time. Next best thing is to sanitize everything he was in contact with, and quarantine the ones around/in contact with him. Hopefully your doe he bred will have a robust immune system and not contract whatever he had.

I am still watching my SF buck I took to the show ... and the other day I thought I heard him sneezing ... well, I had just filled his empty water dish and he had dunked his nose in it

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Much as I hate to say this-- IF one suspects any type of genernalized infection, and one REALLY wants to preserve genetics of a specific rabbit-- then stick them with a shot of a broad spectrum antibiotic.!!! One can salvage 'organic' if need be, but some genetics are irreplaceable....

Yes, sore hocks can get infected, and the infection spread to the rest of the body-- that is true of ANY wound/injury.

I have bought, at auction, many rabbits with sore hocks-- daily brushing of the lower leg, and spraying with tamed iodine helped heal and remedy their situations.

I have treated rabbits with antibiotics when they came from unknown sources as part of the quarantine process. Treatment is determined based on the rabbits overall condition---and the condition of other rabbits near them at the site I purchased from----

 

[phillinley]

Much as I hate to say this-- IF one suspects any type of genernalized infection, and one REALLY wants to preserve genetics of a specific rabbit-- then stick them with a shot of a broad spectrum antibiotic.!!! One can salvage 'organic' if need be, but some genetics are irreplaceable....

Yes, sore hocks can get infected, and the infection spread to the rest of the body-- that is true of ANY wound/injury.

I have bought, at auction, many rabbits with sore hocks-- daily brushing of the lower leg, and spraying with tamed iodine helped heal and remedy their situations.

I have treated rabbits with antibiotics when they came from unknown sources as part of the quarantine process. Treatment is determined based on the rabbits overall condition---and the condition of other rabbits near them at the site I purchased from----

I talked with a couple vet breeders at a show yesterday and after hearing all the details they all agreed it would be highly unlikely that whatever he had was an airborne transmission and unlikely it was infectious. They did recommend precautionary antibiotics for our mini rex doe who was bred and the other rabbit who had a cage where it was possible they could have reached out and touched noses. That reminds me I have to e-mail them to give me the exact name of what they prescribed (well verbally presrcribed, they were there to show and not dole out prescriptions )

The only definitive way to be sure if it was pastuerella is to do a post mortem and check his lungs and liver. As you were on the way to a show, I can't imagine you took the time.

No we didn't have time, but even if I did, post mortem wouldn't be happening. That's not in my skill range. My anti-squeemish skill range that is.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Sorry you lost the little buck, Phil!

When you do get the recommendations for treatment of the two that had the most contact, please share the details.

I have PenB Procaine on hand for emergencies, but have never used it.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Tetracycline is a safe, broad spectrum antibiotic, readily available OTC-- Powder, capsule, and injectable forms. Follow directions for poultry. When my ram was injured, after I got him back from the vet- I made an 'ointment' from the powder form, mixed in vaseline-- the vet was astounded/surprised at the ingenuity. It worked well as a topical on the open wounds...