Wound on leg, advice needed (*Graphic*)

[Noblegarden]

I went down to Arizona and got some baby new zealands. When I got them home, that night I saw the black broken buck had a wound on his back foot. I asked all the breeders I know their advice, and they say to butcher him and get a new buck. I feel bad because he is 8 1/2 weeks old and I kinda like him. I don't know how long he has had it, or how it happened. It is dry, and I am pretty sure his "heel" bone is exposed. There is no smell, no oozing - just dry, but with the bone looking like it is, will the skin heal back over?

I sprayed Vetericyn on it and left it uncovered. I just don't know what the options are. Any advice appreciated.

 

[Miss M]

Yeowch! Poor bun!

The Vetericyn is great stuff, but I don't know how it is on larger open wounds like this. I'd recommend Nu-Stock for it. It's sulphur, pine oil, and mineral oil. The sulphur is a natural antibiotic. Nu-Stock helps wounds heal up from the inside out. It's not expensive, either, at about $13 for a pretty big tube. You can probably get it where you got the Vetericyn, at most feed stores and such. It has no expiration date, and if it ever gets a bit dry, you can just mix in some more mineral oil. I learned that from MamaSheepdog, who sent me a sample once upon a time. I actually squirted my tube into a jar, so I could stir it thoroughly.

Apply it once or twice a day, depending on whether it's worn off by the evening. Most animals will not lick it more than a couple of times, because they don't like the taste of it, but it is non-toxic anyway. I had a rabbit lick it off every time I put it on. :roll:

The skin should heal back over, since it sounds like there's no infection.

Butchering him and getting a new buck is definitely a valid option, and definitely the quickest. However, this just looks like a simple injury that could very well heal with some TLC. And... he'll probably be a little loverbunny by the time he's healed up, because you'll have handled him so much. I doubt you could show him when he's healed, but he could go on to be a great buck!

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[akane]

That's not good. I would say you probably want to actually get that to stay moist or the tissue damage may be too great to heal. There's some dried up dead stuff that needs to come off but some of it is working as a natural bandage for now. I would be pretty confident I could get it to heal well enough to not bother the rabbit if it could be wrapped but rabbits don't tolerate that too well. Repeated application of a product like mentioned which is both antibacterial and would keep things softer is probably the best you can do. You might want to flush it with a stronger antiseptic 1-2 times a day before applying other things. I'd use chlorhexadine for that. Usually I favor betadine as a wound wash but it can be drying to the skin on the edges of the wound. Dried out tissue does not stay alive well and definitely doesn't grow over wounds well. Scarlet oil with wound flushing is often used on large injuries of other livestock but I only know what directions were given to us for specific horse injuries and not all its properties.

 

[Noblegarden]

Thank you Miss M and Akane. I will go get Nu-Stock and chlorhexidine tomorrow. I just watched a youtube video onthe chlorhexidine so I was hopi g that would help too, glade to hear it will.
I know butchering him will be the easy and fast (/less expensive) route, but I'll give it a go on trying to get him better.

 

[Miss M]

I think you should be able to get him to heal up fine. I had forgotten to mention flushing regularly, so I'm glad Akane did. I use Betadyne, since the Nu-Stock keeps the tissues moist anyway. But I am not familiar with chlorhexidine.

 

[michaels4gardens]

do you have a thermometer? his rectal temp should not go above 103, if it does he is getting an infection. IMHO ,temping him is the easiest way to tell if he is starting to get an infection. Rabbits hide their illnesses well.

 

[Noblegarden]

His temp is so far normal and he is still hopping around, eating and drinking. I soak his foot (leg) in a bowl of chlorhexidine mix for 20 min. dry him off, then put Nu-Stock on. Today I loosely wrapped his ankle with pet wrap, he seems to be leaving it alone. I also give him .05mls of Meloxicam (anti-inflammatory) once a day. I am a little concerned because there is a slightly squishy/swollen bump on his joint -- but if his temp is fine it's not likely an infection right? Even though he is healed a lot since when I got him - I still worry if there's hope. Thoughts?

 

[michaels4gardens]

IMHO, --sounds like you are doing what can be done-- just keep looking for signs of infection, and continue till it heals--

 

[Miss M]

I am a little concerned because there is a slightly squishy/swollen bump on his joint -- but if his temp is fine it's not likely an infection right? Even though he is healed a lot since when I got him - I still worry if there's hope. Thoughts?

A small, localized infection won't likely give him a fever.

You can wait and see, or you can open it up and see what you find, ready to flush it with betadyne or chlorhexidine (if it's good for that, I know nothing about it) and pack it with Nu-Stock. If you do open it up, remove the skin covering it, so you can clean it out well and it will heal from the inside. Otherwise, it could close too soon. It's not supposed to with Nu-Stock, but I'd take the skin off anyway.

It's your decision, and neither is wrong.

It sounds like you are doing a great job with him.

 

[Noblegarden]

Good news The swelling is going down! Whoo hooo!!
I was nervous that I was going to have to drain whatever it was :x but it looks so much better today. The bone is almost covered, just a little bit more to go
Miss M - Just like you said, he has turned into a lover bunny, he just lays in my lap and lets me take care of his leg. So glad he is on the mend. Thank you guys for the help.

 

[Miss M]

That's wonderful, Noblegarden! :hooray:

Sounds like you've done a great job caring for him.

 

[Noblegarden]

ahhhhhhhhhhhh I spoke too soon
Tonight I went to clean it up and more skin was just pulling off and there was/is nasty white cheese like stuff under - which I am sure is an infection. The swollen area is warm too errrg.
I cut away as much dead skin as I could and cleaned away as much "cheese" as I could, but I'm feeling pretty defeated. I took more pictures, not sure how many I can post, but if need be I'll make another comment. Advice? I have enough money now for a vet visit, but not for any kind of treatment - so this is a bummer. I have no idea on how to go about slicing the squishy bump open to flush it out - and not sure I have the stomach for it. Tonight I washed with the chlorhexidine, sprayed vetericyn and put on Nu-stock, --- no bandage. He is in a small pet carrier on towels as he was before. :/ out of ideas.

 

[Dood]

I dont believe the skin will heal around the ankle without stitches as it has fused to the bone and the infection is not in muscle but bone and tendons and ligaments and will be nearly impossible to get clean without months of antibiotics - at this stage a vet might even recommend amputation, personally I would end the rabbits suffering.

 

[Noblegarden]

Yeah I kinda figured that's how it looked. Ugh darn it.
I definitely learned that you cant just look at the rabbit when buying - it's a good idea to touch and feel to make sure. I even thought that even if I did have it amputated, he is a large breed and it could lead to problems down the road with his back leg taking more weight than it should. I know there are 3 legged bunns out there that do fine, just trying to feel better. He is so sweet. Sad day indeed.

 

[Miss M]

I am so sorry, Noblegarden!

I fully agree with Dood... that infection's likely in the bone, and amputation is probably the only way you'd totally beat it.

It's so sad, now that he's become such a sweetie, but I'd probably put him down.

 

[Noblegarden]

Seriously sucks. I'm crying just thinking about it. My husband will put him down tonight because I can't. :'(
Valuable lesson, always touch and feel the rabbit you are purchasing. I knew this before, but in the moment I shrugged it off I guess...and the breeder seemed nice, so.
I'm going to miss him. He was a sweetheart. <\3 heartbroken.

 

[Miss M]

I'm so sorry.

 

[Noblegarden]

So Don't hate me - but I haven't done it yet.
- I fully respect and value your advice Dood and Miss M - please don't think that I don't <3
Last night we took him out to do it, but the wound looked totally different. There is still obvious infection, but I guess that bone looking thing was not the bone?
If you wouldn't mind taking a look and let me know what you think, should I still put him down?

 

[Miss M]

No offense taken... I understand your hesitance... I've been in the treat-or-cull conundrum more than once

That is really inflamed and infected. If you don't think that structure was the bone, and want to try to save him, you can. I believe that the protruding structure (which is not protruding now because of the swelling) is the end of the tibia, and therefore bone. Here is a site with a skeleton -- http://www.geauga4h.org/rabbits/rabbit_skeleton.htm -- you can see how the tibia hits the tarsal well forward of the heel, so when you cover that all with muscles and skin, the joint would appear to be a little up the leg from the heel -- exactly where that protruding structure was.

You will need to undertake some seriously painful and rather invasive surgery. You will need to disinfect yourselves and the area. The area will need to be cut wide open, like a big X or something, so you can peel the skin back and clean it all out and try to see exactly where the infection is coming from.

Once you're down to nothing but healthy tissue, you'll need to remove some of the skin so the wound can't close quickly, flush the wound thoroughly with betadyne (or chlorhexidine), pack it with Nu-Stock, and bandage it. You will need to give him a course of Pen-G (there are several options for regimen; I have done once a day for 5 days).

You will also need to disinfect his carrier, perhaps daily as he recovers.

If you don't succeed in getting all of the infection, or if the infection is in the bone, you will probably still end up putting him down.

I'm not saying don't try... I'm just trying to be honest about what you are facing if you try.

 

[Noblegarden]

Thank you Miss M
I am so new to everything I don't know if I have the capabilities to do a surgery type procedure.
I am going to take him to the vet and see if they will work with me, harder to say no to someone in person than over the phone - if they won't, the scales of putting him down will be heavier
ugh -- I really wish I didn't get so attached. He is sweeter than my sweetest rabbit.
As far as the photo, I think he chewed that tip bone off then?? the middle pic was that night, then bottom was in the morning.