Alfie has developed sore hocks :(

My little Alfie has developed sore hocks

He went to see the vets last night and she said I had got them early but as the skin wasn't broken she couldn't give him any cream (I asked for Flamazine). She tried putting padding on his little feet to let them clear up, but he got that off straight away!

As he is an indoor rabbit we think its the carpet that has caused the fur to rub away. All the vet suggested is to section off a bit off the living room and put soft material (vetbed/foam etc) down. He will not like that as he has run off the flat and is always causing mischef. I don't want to restrict his area or Bugsy's really so can anyone suggest anything else.

If the only way to clear it up is to restrict the area I will have to do that.

Even if the skin isn't broken, cream will help stop the hocks getting inflamed and cracked...try Sudocrem

Most buns tend to spend most of their time in certain areas, so perhaps just put some padding down in those areas? Fleece blankets are pretty good for cushioning and dry out quickly even in winter.

i would possibly restrict his movement to one room for now...by putting down foam adn vet bed in that room or lino. and if this seems to help then i would in summer allow him to be an outside bunny with grass being a soft cusion and a depe layer of hay in hutch. if you want him to remain inside could you lino a room for him? and lay foam and vet bed? or you can see how his hocks go.. i would pm both jacks jane and ravens rexes both have a lot of rexes bunnys who are prone to this condition and might be bale to offer better more constructive advice x

Thanks for the replies, I shall get him some Sudocrem at lunch.

He can't be an outside bun as I'm in a one bed flat. They have a three storey NIC house in the living but are out whenever we are in.

I will try and put foam down in the places he spends most of his time before I restrict him. Bugsy and Alfie tend to have different fav places (like Bug's is the window sill) so I would feel too bad stopping her going where she wanted. However if the problem gets worse I will have to.

How about putting down an old cotton sheet, or, I use a duvet cover spread over the carpet in our hallway which appears to be particularly abrasive. I know it doesn't look great, but seems to have worked so far