Sore on Buck's leg

[Frecs]

Just got a call from Son. He found a sore on one of my bucks leg near his foot. Here is a picture he sent me – he said it looks worse in the picture than in person. It looks awful to me. I’ve not noticed anything amiss but have asked Son to check for fleas or mites. What could make him chew on himself like this? Son said it looks like he is starting on the other leg as well. Pulling hair and chewing. What should I do?

__________ Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:16 am __________

I believe I have narrowed down the cause to Urine Burn (urine scald as I saw in on one website). I’ll be getting some cornstarch to apply to the area and keep him dry. Son is checking to see if Skipp is urinating on his tile (a ceramic 12x12 tile I put in his cage a few weeks ago for him to rest on) and sitting in it otherwise it seems he may have a UTI or other bladder issue. Ideas I’ve read online include:

Giving fresh (wet) dandelion
Giving a few Craisins
Adding juice to his water to encourage increased intake
Increasing his intake of fresh greens (something I’ve been slacking on recently) and reducing his intake of alfalfa based pellets (something I’ve been working toward already…just need to work harder)

Any other ideas/suggestions?<br /><br />__________ Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:17 pm __________<br /><br />Well, so much for that idea. Now that I'm home to look at it myself, the sores are on the outside of the hind legs, not on the inside as I'd thought. Seems less likely it is caused by Urine Burn. Maybe a spider bite? I don't see a bite wound. The other leg has much fewer sore spots/area and a bit less area that has lost it's hair.

I do not see fleas or mites or any such thing. Ideas anyone?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

If he is peeing on his tile, it could still be urine burn. I've never had experience with it, so I can't say that is what it is. I am a big fan of both Vetricin and Nu-Stock- I use those when I can't think of anything specific, because they cover a lot of issues.

I would remove his tile, and clean his cage really well with vinegar and HOT water. Apply your medication of choice (or choices- if you are going to wrap his legs and leave the bandage for a couple days, I would use a cream or ointment of some sort), and wrap his legs to prevent flies from laying eggs in the wound or biting it. If you have ever wrapped a horse's leg, or know someone who does, wrap it that way. If not, you need a non-stick gauze pad on the wound, followed by a couple wraps of rolled cotton, followed by vetwrap. The reason for the cotton wrap is so you don't secure the bandage too tightly and cut off blood flow to the leg.

Good luck! I hope he heals up soon.

 

[ladysown]

keep him clean and dry. it should heal up. I'd run him daily outside on the grass to keep him clean and dry. make sure he can't sit up against anything that will aggravate it at all. Don't know if I'd want to put cornstarch on it...wouldn't that cake into the wound?

 

[Frecs]

I think the cornstarch was to dry the urine and take it away... the instructions suggested it would clump but then brush away taking the urine with it. But, since there is no urine to clean up and his sore and surrounding area are dry, I didn't do the cornstarch. Skipp was not impressed with the cranberry tablets nor the Craisins idea (which I gave him anyway just on the off chance that he does have a UTI). He has organic apple juice in his water (just enough to flavor it) to encourage more water consumption -- again, "just in case". But, I'm thinking something irritated him, he pulled some fur and in the process tore his skin. Skipp is my sweetest Silver Fox .. he actually likes being held and having his ears tickled when I don't have time to hold him. Son likes to watch him play in his cage--he does a good imitation of a bucking bronco. I just hate to see any of my babies hurt but some...well...it just hurts my heart a little more... (Mother FREAKED...had to calm her down so she could help take care of Skipp..she loves that bunny...)