vetable hocks?

Sorry for yet another hock thread. As some of you may be aware that Molly and Faline live outside on my parents veranda.

I noticed a week or two ago that Faline was developing a bald patches on her hocks which I suspect is down to having been out on the wet veranda a lot lately. I started putting vaseline on her before letting her out and have been making sure there is extra hay in litter trays. Hard surfaces inside the playhouse have vet bed or carpet on them. She's lived on carpet all her life with no problems, which is why I'm assuming it's the veranda causing the probs.

Anyway, I noticed Molly also has a bald patch right at the backs of his feet.
Sorry for the dodgy photos, no one would help me and you can't see it really if I hold him up.


Here are Faline's


Their feet look a bit mangy as I'd just applied the vaseline, you can't see the patches that well until you move the fur about by putting on the vaseline.

I'm buying rubber matting to go over the veranda tomorrow. Should I switch from the vaseline to sudocream or aloe vera? Do you think these precautions will be enough or is a vet visit in order? I clipped their nails today too as Molly's were a bit long.

I'm not sure Molly's is actually anything wrong with it or if it's just the whorl of fur they have at the back of their hock and I'm being paranoid. :lol: But it seems bigger to me.

I'd say Molly's look normal but Faline's are showing some fur loss. I'd keep her off carpet as much as possible as once fur starts to go from Rex hocks any abrasive substrate often leads to the problem getting worse.