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Flooring for a sore hock bunny (vetbed)

LionheadLuver

Warren Veteran
Hey

Everyone knows about Molly and her sore hocks. Her hocks are fine but she has got 2 abscesses right now (did have another one, but bursting it and cleaning it healed it up well). I think she's sitting in her urine, which is then absorbed by her bare skin on her hocks, which cause the infection in the abscess.

The floor of their hutch and run is thick hay, with Megazorb underneath to absorb urine. However, I think the hay keeps the urine on top, so when Molly sits in a urine patch, it's in direct contact with her skin. The hutch and run is cleaned every day, so she isn't in filthy conditions. They aren't fully litter trained, but I can pretty much guarantee where they will wee (in their bedroom part of their hutch and around their water bowl in one corner of their run).

I'm wondering whether to try vet bed, because it takes urine away from the surface so if she sits on it, urine won't be absorbed into her skin. However, how many layers of vetbed would I need to provide enough cushioning for her sore hocks? Is it a good idea? And would I have put hay on top of the vet bed to provide warmth, or is that defeating the aim of this?
 
I'm not sure about layers... It is quite thick so I wouldn't have thought you would need 'layers'. Also it is very fleecy, so it will be warm. You could always put a tray of hay on top in the corner though.
Hope her feet get better soon x
 
I personally found vetbed made Mini's hocks worse unless I covered it with a cotton sheet which kind of defeats the object you are trying to achieve.
 
hi, im new on here but read ur thread and thought that something I am doing for my bun may actually work for u.

I have a 10 week old mini lop an have ordered a load of the boredom breakers 'chill n chew' mats to use on the bottom of his cage. He is perfectly well, I just thought it would be nice for him as he can chew them and be safe, and it gives him something nice to sit on and nibble.

But the way the mats are, they are woven so I would imagine wee would possibly sink through them rather than sit on the top. So perhaps u could try something like that but with something absorbent under it like newspaper? just an idea, the cheapest place I have found them is UKPetSupplies, £1.75 each.
 
It's certainly worth a try with vet bed. I've found vet bed really good for buns who tend to sit in their wee. Make sure you put towels underneath to soak up the wee, and get the deep-pile vet bed. Ebay is probably the cheapest place to buy.
 
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