Sore hocks...what do I do?

[OneAcreFarm]

The oldest doe that I got from my friend has terrible sore hocks...what is the best way to treat? Pics below....





I am pretty sure it is just because of the type of floor wire they were on...it was hardware cloth. I would hate to cull her just for this, but I will if that is best. I would like to try and treat it, since none of the other buns are displaying any sore hocks so I don't think it is just a genetic thing.<br /><br />__________ Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:55 pm __________<br /><br />And yes, that is a Cali doe. Her hindquarters are discolored badly. I would like to clean her but am not sure what to use.... what can remove that staining? At this point, I am thinking that my friend did the right thing by asking for help. It is too easy to get overwhelmed, as we have seen lately with some highly publicized cases. The kits in with her are also dirty, I was told they stayed overnight in an open rubbermaid tub and that is what caused it. I tend to believe that it has not been an ongoing issue, since none of the others are dirty. How can I best clean remove the staining?

 

[ladysown]

staining will come off with time, but to hurry it you'd need to use cornstarch. More important to treat the injury. some have use bag balm, other some antibiotics to try to control the infection. others just give it time. Bedding on straw can help as it cushions the foot.. but it needs to be changed out daily.

 

[eco2pia]

I got a mild case started on my buck after I shoved him in a too-small, saggy-floored cage with long toe nails...here is what I did, and it healed in days, though it had just started to break open.

First, trim any long toe nails and provide a clean resting board.

Second, soak in Epsom salts and water...this is easier than it sounds, just set the bunny in a wash tub with a few inches of warm h2o and Epsom and let them hang out a few minutes--good time too clean off any urine stains too.

Next, dry thoroughly with a towel, and let them wander around indoors a bit maybe to finish drying alllll the way. Dab on a little neosporin.

Next you are going to make little pads of bunny fur and bunny booties for their feet with vet wrap...check out this site http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sorehocks.html Be VERY CAREFUL not to get the wrap too tight!! Pay close attention to that!!

In just a few days there was a huge improvement, and within a week you couldn't even see where they were. He is doing great now!! Cage floors that sag=bad. Long toenails=bad...lesson learned on my part and I felt so bad...

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I dealt with a couple cases ofsore hocksby first, making sure any fur on the hocks was brushed out to be nice and fluffy, then, twice daily spraying the area with iodine. Clean straw for bedding until the fur had grown back. I found that taking each rabbit out once a week, and making sure the hock fur was separated and fluffed out went a long way towards keeping that bony projection from getting sore. Basically, sore hocks are what we would call bedsores or pressure sores in a person..

 

[Random Rabbit]

Friend of ours has used Preperation H with pretty good results. And deeply bedded floors.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Friend of ours has used Preperation H with pretty good results. And deeply bedded floors.

An old vet recommended Prep H for moist dermatitis on dogs-- the shark oil is very healing, and it doesn't 'disappear' as fast once on the animal.

 

[Pickles]

Bag Balm is a wonderful non-toxic ointment that will speed healing. Get that bunny on a towel or mat or straw bedding till th sores have healed. Even after healing make sure you always have a bunny resting mat in the opposite side of his cage away from his "potty corner" so he doesnt have to spend anytime on the wire.
I really hate seeing painful sore hocks, since its 100% preventable if the bun just has a mat to rest on off the wire.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Bag Balm is a wonderful non-toxic ointment that will speed healing. Get that bunny on a towel or mat or straw bedding till th sores have healed. Even after healing make sure you always have a bunny resting mat in the opposite side of his cage away from his "potty corner" so he doesnt have to spend anytime on the wire.
I really hate seeing painful sore hocks, since its 100% preventable if the bun just has a mat to rest on off the wire.

I know, it makes me sad too. I just got this bunny from someone else that was too overwhelmed to care for her and 11 others properly. I have a resting board in her cage, two actually since her kits are still with her. I will pick up some bag balm and PrepH tomorrow, I planned on putting her in a foot bath with some warm water and epsom salts first. Hopefully, that will help with some of the staining on her fur as well. Poor baby, she was in a hutch with hardware cloth floors.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Isn't it a shame that people are told hardware cloth is okay to use for flooring? I saw a nice hutch for sale by the roadside-- brand new-- and the seller saw I was interested, told me a nice price-- but I turned it down-- told him, I would have to replace the wire with the correct stuff, so the good price was moot... Hardware cloth floors, and poultry wire front-- yeah, right--