Hi
I'm interested to know what folks use for sore hocks.
My bun Giselle is a 6 yr old french lop. She has arthritis and therefore weight bears on her hocks, complicated also due to her size. Initially the hocks were scabbed and had been bleeding. So we started her on septrin and topical dermisol cream. The cream and abx seemed to help initially but once the scabs were off and the new skin showing they flared up again. So we moved to wrapping, I tried all sorts, initially vet grade manuka with pressure dressings (melolin with one layer cut with a hole and a top layer) then wadding, then baby sock (toe cut out and cut down) then vet wrap. I cut the wrap with a section out to avoid wrapping over the front of the ankle. The manuka was really messy so I switched to sudocreme which made them wet, at this point I added foam into the dressings over the wadding and before the sock. The foam (toe foam) kept slipping so I abandoned it. I then switched back to dermisol after having cleaned and dried them. They started to heal but we decided that too much debriding wasn't good so went for dry dressing with melolin, sock and vet wrap. I then started to brush the fur with a toothbrush to help clear any residue from the creams. So far so good - however I noticed that the front of her ankles were losing fur - even though there was no wrap on them, the sock must have been bunching. So today I have completely covered their indoor and outdoor pens with 30mm green back vet bed and removed the wraps. After discussion with my vet the wraps were only really keeping them clean and not helping with the pressure issue.
I was recommended a product called Camrosa Ointment, by the company where I bough the vet bed. Have any of you used it? My vet is looking into it and I have sample on the way. Its meant to promote healing and act as a barrier to moisture and infection.
So this is where I am at, and nervous about whether the vet bed will be enough to support the hocks. I'm also using Oxbow joint support supplements and she's been back on septrin for early two weeks (primarily due to an infected nail bed, but helps her hocks too) She's on twice daily metacam and I give zantac and hour before the septrin doses as she has gut issues. So far she's tolerating the septrin better than before.
Anyone with any other suggestions? I am planning on putting a wooden floor in the run to keep it dry, but for now the vet bed is on rubber backed mats. Its a roofed run with 3 sides timber walls.
I'm aware this is now a life long condition and I just want to be able to do everything possible to stop it getting worse. Her hocks are currently not red, but still swollen, fur covers one but not the other.
Please share any tips and advice
Many Thanks x
I'm interested to know what folks use for sore hocks.
My bun Giselle is a 6 yr old french lop. She has arthritis and therefore weight bears on her hocks, complicated also due to her size. Initially the hocks were scabbed and had been bleeding. So we started her on septrin and topical dermisol cream. The cream and abx seemed to help initially but once the scabs were off and the new skin showing they flared up again. So we moved to wrapping, I tried all sorts, initially vet grade manuka with pressure dressings (melolin with one layer cut with a hole and a top layer) then wadding, then baby sock (toe cut out and cut down) then vet wrap. I cut the wrap with a section out to avoid wrapping over the front of the ankle. The manuka was really messy so I switched to sudocreme which made them wet, at this point I added foam into the dressings over the wadding and before the sock. The foam (toe foam) kept slipping so I abandoned it. I then switched back to dermisol after having cleaned and dried them. They started to heal but we decided that too much debriding wasn't good so went for dry dressing with melolin, sock and vet wrap. I then started to brush the fur with a toothbrush to help clear any residue from the creams. So far so good - however I noticed that the front of her ankles were losing fur - even though there was no wrap on them, the sock must have been bunching. So today I have completely covered their indoor and outdoor pens with 30mm green back vet bed and removed the wraps. After discussion with my vet the wraps were only really keeping them clean and not helping with the pressure issue.
I was recommended a product called Camrosa Ointment, by the company where I bough the vet bed. Have any of you used it? My vet is looking into it and I have sample on the way. Its meant to promote healing and act as a barrier to moisture and infection.
So this is where I am at, and nervous about whether the vet bed will be enough to support the hocks. I'm also using Oxbow joint support supplements and she's been back on septrin for early two weeks (primarily due to an infected nail bed, but helps her hocks too) She's on twice daily metacam and I give zantac and hour before the septrin doses as she has gut issues. So far she's tolerating the septrin better than before.
Anyone with any other suggestions? I am planning on putting a wooden floor in the run to keep it dry, but for now the vet bed is on rubber backed mats. Its a roofed run with 3 sides timber walls.
I'm aware this is now a life long condition and I just want to be able to do everything possible to stop it getting worse. Her hocks are currently not red, but still swollen, fur covers one but not the other.
Please share any tips and advice
Many Thanks x
Over the years I have found that the best substrate is always soft, deep hay. I have never found Vetbed or anything similar to be of any benefit, infact I have mostly found that any fabric, however soft, just makes things worse. But I also think that there can never be a one size fits all for managing this nasty painful condition. What works best for one Rabbit may not do so for another.
