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Molly's Sore Hocks U/D 11/02/09 Great News

L

LionheadLuver

Warren Veteran
Hiya

Looked at her hocks today. And I found a small spot type thing that looked and felt like it had fluid in it. It's on the side of her feet, and I took some piccies of it, that I'll put up later. After her medication is done, I'll take her back to the vet for them to have a look at it. Any advice before then?
 
Oh no. Why is it in that position though? You'd think it'll be on the ball of her foot? See if I can get parents to take to vet tonight or tomorrow night.
 
LionheadLuver said:
Oh no. Why is it in that position though? You'd think it'll be on the ball of her foot? See if I can get parents to take to vet tonight or tomorrow night.
Click to expand...

The infection can be within the actual hock and will track out wherever it can. Point of entry of infection can be the initial sore skin over the hock. This heals but infection remains inside and an abscess forms.

I am not saying that has definately happened. But the leg looks swollen in the photos and it appears that the open area is the infection (pus) tracking back out. If this is the case then heavy duty abx and pain relief are essential as there is a risk that the infection can go into the bone. Sometimes surgery is needed to try to remove as much infected tissue as possible.

Good luck at the Vets
 
LionheadLuver said:
She's on antibiotics. Shouldn't that have stopped the infection?
Click to expand...

Like I have said, I am not certain its abscessated. The abx will only work if the specific bacteria involved is sensitive to the particular abx used. In my experience Baytril is not very useful. But the choice of abx is best based on a culture from a swab taken from the abscess wall.
It is not possible to say for sure what is going on from looking at a photo. Your Vet is the best person to carry out a full assessment :)
 
Well, this morning, it had burst and left a scab, and during the day, the scab fell off. Don't know if that's good or bad, or if the antibiotic was drawing out infection? Going to take her to the vet after her antibiotics have finished anyway, just to see if she need any more treatment etc.
 
The pads of her feet look much better. Before, they were very red and cracked. Now, there's a bit of fur growing over and it's less red (although still red, not pink yet) and not cracked. So, hopefully good news.

I haven't put any salt water or vaseline on her hocks since she started the treatment. Should I start? I could do it for ages couldn't I, as it's not medication? What would it do?
 
The "abscess" has now gone. It burst and it's just plain skin now. Will take photos tomorrow. She's perfectly happy, and hopping and eating nicely.
 
To be on the safe side it'll do no harm to get some Manuka honey and cover the affected area with a pad and a cohesive bandage until you can get it checked out. IF it's an abcess the bacteria can't thrive in honey, and if it's not it won't do any harm either. Fingers crossed.
 
Here are pictures of her hocks before treatment and after. They look a lot better but I think there's still work to do, so we are going to the vet in a couple of weeks to see if there's anything else they can do to improve it.

Before:

Left:
DSCF198011.jpg


Right:
DSCF198111.jpg


After:

Left:
DSCN32491.jpg


Right:
DSCN32501.jpg
 
To be honest I'd not want to wait 2 weeks before going back to the Vet :?
It is worrying to see some broken skin. Is she stll on abx and pain relief ?
 
She's finished all her medicine. She was on anti-inflammatory for 5 days and antibiotics for 10 days. She's not in any pain, she can stand on it, she's eating fine, drinking etc.
 
I agree its stills sore and she will go to a vet, but I don't think 2 weeks is going to make much difference. She's had sore hocks for a year and it's not changed that much.
 
LionheadLuver said:
I don't think 2 weeks is going to make much difference.
Click to expand...

Sadly that is just not the case :cry:
Whilst there is open tissue she needs to stay on abx. Also from my experience of numerous Rexes and their sore hocks a dressing is essential to 1- Keep the open area as clean and dry as possible and 2- to take direct pressure off the hock (so an anti-pressure dressing is needed)

If the affected Bun starts to place their foot to the ground in an awkward way to aleviate pressure then problems can develope with the tendons (displaced digital flexor tendon)
If infection gets into then joint itself the osteomyelitis can set in (infection in the bone)

I still hold with my personal opinion that if Molly were my Rabbit there is no way I'd wait 2 weeks before taking her back to the Vet.

Have you tried using Flamazine Cream on her hocks ? It is a POM so you'd need to discuss it with the Vet. My affected Rexes sore hocks have all responded extremely well to Flamazine- often in conjunction with systemic abx, anti-inflammatories and appropriate dressings.
 
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