Pulling fur off his paws U/D: Possible Ringworm

U/D in post 15

Pasha has started pulling the fur from underneath his front paws.

EDIT: Should have added that it looks quite sore, one paw in particular is now very pink underneath, and completely free of fur.

We noticed the underside getting pink yesterday - but thought it might be a slight carpet burn.

Today we've noticed him pulling the fur away, which he must have started from underneath, but has now gone around the sides.

He's also doing it to both front paws (we thought perhaps he had something stuck in there, but there is nothing that we can see.

We're going to take him to the vets in the morning as we're worried about potential infection (it looks very pink now - although skin isn't broken).

Is there anything we can do to stop him pulling and licking his paws ?

Also is there anything we can use to help the healing process and prevent infection ?

Jaro had sore hocks which prompted the vet to bandage it - but that just got Jaro literally gnawing away at his leg, so we took it off straight away.

Thanks

Martin

It could be an irritant, have you used any cleaners, disinfectants, airfreshoners etc. on the flooring?

It could be a skin condition eg mites although it seems a bit localised if it's not elsewhere.

It could be a sign of pain eg a foot injury or sore hock that's annoying him.

Thanks Tamsin,

nothing different than before , we've checked everything ie chemical based (very little to be honest - the only detergent he would come into contact with is the bunny disinfectant (end of bottle too, so it's been in use for a at least a month)

He wasn't favouring his paws at all - was his usual self running around (hence we thought possibly a carpet burn to begin with) - but it's both front paws.

Not sure whether he has just become 'fixated' with pulling the fur out there.

We had a good look there with a torch looking for any sign of a splinter or any sort of injury that could have sparked it off, but nothing that we can spot.

The worst area is the bulbous section of his paw at the foot of each claw - these are obviously more in contact with the ground, and are pinker.

They are now quiet raw looking in their pinkness.

Just wondering what a Vet can do to stop him from pulling the fur ?

Martin

To physically stop a buster collar (makes eating poop difficult), bandages (not easy for rabbits) or something nasty tasting - anti bite spray).

You could try bathing them (just water with a tiny pinch of salt) then putting on a thin coat of something like sudocreme. That may sooth irritation. You can also try to distract him by upping the number of new toys and novel things to chew. It can end up a vicious circle with the chew and then it gets sore and then they chew because it's sore when the original reason (if there was one has gone).

Thanks again Tamsin.

We took him first thing this morning, it looked more inflamed today, with the pad of his front paws inparticular looking quiet sore. Small Parts of his rear legs are also showing as furless and pink now - especially at the foot of the claw.

The vet supsected mites - especially as we hadn't noticed him pulling at his rear legs, which suggested the pulling / licking is in response to the problem rather than the cause.

He gave him a steriod injection for the inflamation / tenderness and a gel at the back of his neck for the treatment for mites and told us to come back in 10 days if there is no change.

We'll obviously monitor his condition, and get some Sudocrem that we can at least apply if his paws continue to look sore.

Thanks again,

Martin

Mart said:

He gave him a steriod injection for the inflamation / tenderness and a gel at the back of his neck for the treatment for mites and told us to come back in 10 days if there is no change.

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:wave: Beau is on treatment for mites, and as I understand it, they have to go back in 10 days even if there is improvement, cos the course is a tube of drops once, then again ten days laters, then again ten days after that, so it would be like stopping taking anti-biotics before completing the course.

It is now 10 days after the treatment, and whilst it didn't help, things didn't get particularly worse until yesterday.

He is now very obviously suffering discomfort on his paws, frequently flicking them and licking / cleaning.

He has also started the same on his rear legs - kicking out and flicking them in particular.

His paws are just as pink / raw looking as before - although the area of rawness has enlarged - and he has pulled more fur away from the top /sides of his front paws.

We've had a good look for signs of mites - and can't see any - and he's not scratching or pulling the fur away anywhere else - only his paws.

He's also now getting more and more grumpy.

We're going to take him back to the vet's in the morning (we need to take Yalta too for dental problem that has become apparent this weekend)

Anyone have any ideas on treatment, or anything to help alleviate the discomfort ?

thanks

Martin

Could you post a pic of the sore areas ?

It couldn't be 'grass seeds' could it I know rabbit's do get them and they can be very painful and sore if gone undetected ? :?

I know of two rabbits who have done this 'self-harming' when they need a dental, it would be worth a check if nothing else is shedding any light on the problem.

Jack's-Jane said:

Could you post a pic of the sore areas ?

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Gah - should have taken a few photos there - we had him out to have a rummage around his bits (we were wondering whether the back leg kicking could be more to an infestation around them rather than his paws).

He's just back in his pen now (hding in his box) and we don't want to get him straight back out, we'll let him settle and try again later.

Can you spot mites with the naked eye ?

We've been looking for dandruff type signs - and there is the occasional fleck of dandruff, but nothing particularly noticeable.

The only pink areas are the underside of his paws.

Martin

It sounds a bit like potential sore hocks to me on the underside of his paws? When a bun we looked after had this he was constantly licking his paws and chewing at the undersides where the sores were and it would appear that he was pulling the fur out as he did this. He would also flick these paws quite a lot from the discomfort as every time he put them in contact with the ground they would hurt weight bearing and touching the ground so he'd hold them in the air and flick them. If this is what it is, and obviously you'd need a vet to confirm this, a course of Metcam over 2 weeks really helped with the pain and inflammation that seemed to be causing the discomfort and need to chew his feet.
Also important for vet to assess tendons and bones of the feet. Often antibiotics given as prophylatic. We also tried to distract him from chewing his feet as much as possible as they were healing. Hope your bunny feels better soon

Assuming it's mites, I would recommend moving your bun indoor. Prior to that, soak his paws with water and wash it.

If he stop after a few days, then you need it's mites.

We've left him in at the vets.

He think's it's some sort of parasitic infection that we must have brought back with us from one of our walks (he's an inside bunny).

They are going to take a biopsy, blood sample and a scraping to send off for identification, so hopefully we may have a better idea in a few days.

He is also going to check Yalta - they don't live together, but obviously we could have transferred parasite to her as well.

Yalta is in for dental work today - so we are doubly worried.

Thanks

Martin

They have taken a load of samples from Pashas paws (+ blood) - it actually looks as though they took a big chunk of his paw too, they've stitched it together with what looks like 3 stitches.

The nurse said that top of the list they are checking for is Ringworm, although the main reason for telling us this is to warn us as it can be transferred human-to-bunny and vice versa.

Now Pasha's back - he is continually licking and pulling at his stitches (far worse than before) - and is in obvious discomfort, it looks as though he just cant get comfortable.

They gave him AB, a painkiller (24 hours) and gut motility injections as well.

Hopefully we will start getting results in a couple of days (although some may take 2-3 weeks apparently).

Anyone had any experience of Ringworm in rabbits ?

Martin

Mart said:

They have taken a load of samples from Pashas paws (+ blood) - it actually looks as though they took a big chunk of his paw too, they've stitched it together with what looks like 3 stitches.

The nurse said that top of the list they are checking for is Ringworm, although the main reason for telling us this is to warn us as it can be transferred human-to-bunny and vice versa.

Now Pasha's back - he is continually licking and pulling at his stitches (far worse than before) - and is in obvious discomfort, it looks as though he just cant get comfortable.

They gave him AB, a painkiller (24 hours) and gut motility injections as well.

Hopefully we will start getting results in a couple of days (although some may take 2-3 weeks apparently).

Anyone had any experience of Ringworm in rabbits ?

Martin

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I have - and can I say your vet sounds awful - more like a butcher than a vet.

When I bought Lily, she had fur missing. I took her to the vet who immediately tested for mites and admitted her for further tests. He took some scrapings - no blood and certainly no stiches. He suspected ringworm and started threatment for this. The results come back as positive for ringworm (it took 10 days for the cutures to grow). Treatment for Lily was Surolan applied twice a day to the affected areas and an anti fungal tablet (can't remember the name) for three weeks. Lily is now clear and none of the other pets caught it, but I did and I had to take anti fungal tablets for a month and I looked awful with lesions on my face, back, neck and arms. Ringworm is highly contagious.

I have written to the pet shop owner claiming back the costs of Lily's and my treatment and my vet kindly did a report free of charge. I suspect I will have to lodge a claim in the small claims court though as the pet shop is ignoring my letters.

Good luck and I hope it is not ringworm.