How can I stop stitch chewing?

Hi there,

I wonder if anyone can make any suggestions? My gorgeous bun had stiches in his rear right leg on Thursday following a tear in his skin. (Bonding error ) I have been struggling to keep a dressing over the wound as he tears it off or pulls it down and licks/chews his stitches. He only has two (stitches) in the wound, it was glued as well, but it doesn't look pretty. He's on Metacam and Baytril. I'm not getting much sleep because he tends to do the most damage at night.

He saw the vet on Friday and Sunday, they are reluctant to recommend a collar as it will prevent him eating his poo and lead to a mucky bottom and so on. However, did suggest that we may have to use it at night as this is when he's at his worst.

He is currently living indoors (since op) but usually lives in and out. He has been a bit picky with his food refusing his usual treats and Burgess Excel/Supreme Science pellets. Happy to eat his ready grass, fresh herbs and some greens. Took him out in the garden briefly on Saturday afternoon on a harness, he ate some grass and he seemed to perk up after that but with the rain forecast it doesn't look like I'll be able to do that again for some time!

I'm really worried the wound will turn nasty and I don't want to lose him, he's really super special to me.

I've been using half of a 5cm square dressing stuck (from behind) to a kitchen paper towel with micropore tape and then using the paper towel (as it's a bit more rigid than usual dressing padding, which he removed overnight, and to protect his skin a bit) and attaching with more micropore tape.

Yesterday the vet attached a dressing direct with some tape and he removed it completely within an hour, so that was a complete waste of time and money!

Any ideas? :?

He may leave it alone if you do not put a dressing on it

I usually find that dressings on wounds cause more problems as they annoy the Rabbit and draw their attention to the wound.

Is he shut in the crate at night ? If so is there any way he could safely have a bit more 'free range' space ? Boredom and frustration at being shut in and also being indoors when he is used to living outside may also be contributory factors.

Hi Jack's-Jane,

No he's not in a crate, free range of our living room at the moment (with his bonded Mrs), so not restricted. Plenty of toys and stuff to eat (I feed their greens just before I go to bed to try to distract them a bit). We were hoping to leave it open by now but it doesn't look very dry and, to me, it looks like a hole so reluctant to leave it exposed due to risk of infection.

He'd removed what I put on last night by this morning and has actually torn a stitch out half way.

I'm sat here at the computer cradling him in my arms like a baby getting some air to the wound in the knowledge that he can't chew it just at the moment! I feel so bad.

JoannaB said:

Hi Jack's-Jane,

No he's not in a crate, free range of our living room at the moment (with his bonded Mrs), so not restricted. Plenty of toys and stuff to eat (I feed their greens just before I go to bed to try to distract them a bit). We were hoping to leave it open by now but it doesn't look very dry and, to me, it looks like a hole so reluctant to leave it exposed due to risk of infection.

He'd removed what I put on last night by this morning and has actually torn a stitch out half way.

I'm sat here at the computer cradling him in my arms like a baby getting some air to the wound in the knowledge that he can't chew it just at the moment! I feel so bad.

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Maybe another trip to the Vet this morning then ?

I honestly think that no dressing is more successful 99% of the time. Infection is just as likely to set in if a Rabbit keeps tearing off a dressing as if there were no dressing in the first place. I just base this on my personal experience over the last 17 years. I guess there is no right or wrong approach.

Hope the Vet can help

Thanks Jacks-Jane,

I'm giving the no dressing approach a try, he's still had a couple of goes at it though, he's a bit less fidgety. Keeping my eye on him and trying to keep him occupied!

Vet said to leave it as it is for now as wound is glued anyway ...

We don't appear to have any rabbit specialists in the area!

Many thanks