How can I stop Evo overgrooming his hock?

He has had this once before, but never this bad. He doesn't have sore hocks as such, but the callouses on his feet must be really itchy, cos he gives them a mega groom sometimes and makes them bleed. Last time was November, and this time it has been twice in a week. There is A LOT of blood when he does it and I'm scared he'll do it when I'm not home to sort him out. I had him at the vets within 1/2 hour of him doing it today, and we've got some Dermisol to put on. The vet cleaned him up, and said there was no infection, but to keep an eye on it.

How can I stop him chewing at it, short of putting bandages on.... which wouldn't last 5 minutes. We can stop him when we're home, but that isn't going to help when we're at work.

Bump

hiya im not sure either, Hector has sore hocks too. I felt really bad because it took me a couple of days to notice from when we got him. I notice sometimes he starts licking them. It would be good to know what to put on his feet. Someone mentioned childrens socks but my vet said no becuase it would keep his foot moist and then an infection would start! So atm i dont know what to do apart from his baytil and sudocrem but they have improved!

rachelsawyer said:

hiya im not sure either, Hector has sore hocks too. I felt really bad because it took me a couple of days to notice from when we got him. I notice sometimes he starts licking them. It would be good to know what to put on his feet. Someone mentioned childrens socks but my vet said no becuase it would keep his foot moist and then an infection would start! So atm i dont know what to do apart from his baytil and sudocrem but they have improved!

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Thanks for replying. I have some cream for him, just need to find a way of stopping him making himself bleed again.

Awwww hun sorry I woudl offer some advice if I had the 1st clue but I haven't sending Evo sore hock healing vibes xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

what does he sit on hay sawdust, linus has sore hocks at the mo he over washes, bare in mind with humans when we have big sores etc the tightness, through healing can cause itchyness, ive started to but just a tiny bit of baby oil on his really sore bits, and put a nice fluffy old towel that i washed with no conditioner, after a load of bunching and rearangeing he seems to prefere sitting on it at the moment. just a suggestion

areia said:

what does he sit on hay sawdust, linus has sore hocks at the mo he over washes, bare in mind with humans when we have big sores etc the tightness, through healing can cause itchyness, ive started to but just a tiny bit of baby oil on his really sore bits, and put a nice fluffy old towel that i washed with no conditioner, after a load of bunching and rearangeing he seems to prefere sitting on it at the moment. just a suggestion

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He has 1/2 lino, and 1/2 a base from an old indoor cage which it filled with hay. I can't give him anything loose in his cage to sit on, as he just eats it. :roll:

You could look into grapefruit seed extract to see how safe it is for buns? It's apparently got antibiotic, anti-fungal, antiprotozoan, anti-viral and antiseptic properties when applied externally (supposedly internally too but that got debated quite a bit on a rat forum I'm on), but also it tastes really, really bitter - so should put Evo off! If it's deemed safe and you wanted to give it a go, I've got some sitting around I'd be happy to post down to you

Is his hocks definately the route cause? Just asking because Mo is a single bun and got mites on his back. Because he couldn't reach and had no other bunny to groom him he got frustrated and started over grooming other areas. As soon as the mites had been sorted he didn't over groom at all.

Haven't got any other advice I'm afraid. x

Isabel said:

Is his hocks definately the route cause? Just asking because Mo is a single bun and got mites on his back. Because he couldn't reach and had no other bunny to groom him he got frustrated and started over grooming other areas. As soon as the mites had been sorted he didn't over groom at all.

Haven't got any other advice I'm afraid. x

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I think so. He has always had little callouses there. One is fine and pink, but he's made the other bleed. He washes the rest of himself normally.