Sore hocks again on Willow, what now?

After moving the run onto the grass 3 weeks ago, Willows hocks are still bad. Although Flopsy's hocks were nothing like as bad as Willows, they have healed perfectly and the fur has even grown back (see photos). I took Willow to the vets 3 weeks ago and they recommended moving the run onto the grass which I have done. They said she did not need any medication. Her hocks did seem to scab over after a couple of days, but they still look sore and the fur has not grown back like it has on Flopsy's. What can I do? Please excuse the large after photos, but I want you to get a good look at them now.

Willow's hocks 3 weeks ago:


Willow's hocks today:


Flopsy's hocks 3 weeks ago:


Flopsy's hocks today:

I really dont like the look of Willow's Hocks at all
I hope she had some antibiotic cover 3 weeks ago as the hocks are ulcerated in that pic and tissue damage looks significant.
I am obviously not a Vet but fail to see how no treatment can be prescribed for a Rabbit with an obviously painful and potentially infected condition :?
Forgive me for being blunt but I am a bit sick of SOME Vets assuming that Rabbits dont feel pain just because they dont show it :x
Anyway, back to your question. Once sore hocks have progressed to the extent of Willow's it is often not possible to cure the problem. You just have to manage it as a chronic condition. A few of my Rexes have bald hocks. Although the skin is not broken the fur has not grown back.
The worst case is Miss Bunny-Penny's. Like Willow her hocks ulcerated. She was on longterm Baytril and Metacam. I devised anti-pressure dressings for her hind legs. Rather like large corn plasters. Although I realise many Buns would not tolerate dressings.
Once the skin had healed I used Haemorrhoid Cream as a local analgesic/antiseptic. Miss Bunny-Penny had hind leg dressings for about 4 months. She has not needed them again for over a year but her hocks are still bald.

Janex

Ouch - they look sore.

I used to have more paving slabs in their run but have now removed these and also made some adjustments to their ramp so that it is a bit smoother for them. Molly's feet are fine, but Piper's got bald hocks. I wonder sometimes if it is because of his shape - he tends to carry his weight more over his heels than Molly.

I read somewhere that Sudocrem can help.

oh poor wee thing, I was jst wonderin, no offence, but wht did u have run on before? My boys were on grass but they keep digging and as it's council proerty, so i cant let them do that. Ive put a tarpaulin under them as a temp measure but it's not ideal, was jst while I decided wht to do. Asked in forum and some people said slabs (which Im not sure the council will approve off either) and others said mesh was ok, jst to let the grass grow up throo it, so tht's what I was thinking of doing, but if either mesh or slabs caused tht to ur poor baby then I dont want it for mine

Hi Lucy,

Rex rabbit are particularly prone to sore hocks as their fur their is thinner. I think your two are both dutch (cross?) buns which have much thicker fur. I've kept lops/dutch and lionhead on paving without a problem.

Tam

Painting one of the liquid antiseptics such as Nu-Skin onto them may be helpful. This is recomended by Frances Harcourt Brown the author of The Textbook of Rabbit Medicine.

I find that some sort of callous on a rabbit's hock, such as the one Flopsy had is vey common indeed. It is when they progress to the next stage that they are serious. Willow's having broken skin is far worse.

doorkeeper said:

Painting one of the liquid antiseptics such as Nu-Skin onto them may be helpful. This is recomended by Frances Harcourt Brown the author of The Textbook of Rabbit Medicine.

I find that some sort of callous on a rabbit's hock, such as the one Flopsy had is vey common indeed. It is when they progress to the next stage that they are serious. Willow's having broken skin is far worse.

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I think the use of Nuskin is only appropriate if the skin is not ulcerated. I would be concerned about seeling in bacteria :? Also the Nuskin hurts like h*ll!!

Janex

Jack's-Jane said:

Also the Nuskin hurts like h*ll!!

Janex

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Yes - if the skin is broken - do not use Nu-skin.

My bf got blisters on the palms of his hands after chopping wood with an axe (he's such a softy :lol: ) - My Mum came up with the "bright idea" of using Nu-skin on it and he nearly went through the roof it stung so much. He washed it straight off again. :lol:

Nu-skin is designed for broken skin. I have used it when I have had an infected cut, it does sting, but not *that* badly. Men are such babies :lol: My son won't let me put it on him either :roll:
If the skin is intact there isn't much point in it :?

Florence has had sore hocks and in the past they have bled, i changed the run and put rubber matting down which helps.

The sores are now looking like the 1st picture and I`m happy with her hocks at present, if they look a bit sore then i apply sudocream which works very well.

I think that she will never have perfect hocks, I just look after them to keep them clean and not chapped.

doorkeeper said:

Nu-skin is designed for broken skin. I have used it when I have had an infected cut, it does sting, but not *that* badly. Men are such babies :lol: My son won't let me put it on him either :roll:
If the skin is intact there isn't much point in it :?

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I think my Vet (FEMALE!!) would beg to differ!!
She used it on her finger when she got scratched by a cat and nearly passed out from the pain of the Nuskin :shock: :roll: :lol:

Notes on Rabbit Internal Medicine is a more up-to-date Veterinary reference book than FHB's.(Typical after I'd already forked out £65 for the FHB one :roll: ) The authors (Richard Saunders MRCVS and Ron Rees Davies MRCVS) advocate the use of Flamazine Cream (Smith+Nephew Ltd), Dermisol Cream (Pfizer Ltd) or Bactroban Cream (Glaxo Smith-Kline) as topical treatments. They state that systemic antibiotics and analgesia are ESSENTIAL to try to prevent infection entering the tendons or bone. Thye also advise dressing the hocks if at all possible.

Janex

doorkeeper said:

Nu-skin is designed for broken skin. I have used it when I have had an infected cut, it does sting, but not *that* badly. Men are such babies :lol: My son won't let me put it on him either :roll:
If the skin is intact there isn't much point in it :?

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Have never used it on myself, so can't comment. The Nu-skin seemed to have a burning effect on my bf and dramatically lengthened the time it took for the blister to heal (the untreated one on his other hand healed in a fraction of the time).

The thing with bunnies is, if it's really hurting them they can't tell you and they can't wash it off themselves - so best not to use it on them IMO.

Thanks for all the replies everyone. However, i'm still a bit confused as to what to do next for the best. I have seen her licking her hocks quite a bit, she does spend a lot of time grooming normally anyway. Would the licking delay healing? I keep moving the run around onto fresh grass every day, as they both eat most of it through the day and the ground is a little bit hard and parched in the summer. The lawn is also uneven and on an angle and I have to put bits of wood underneath in certain places as there are gaps! I'm always worried about them digging out and they can't run into the hutches anymore for cover as they are away from the shed and catflap link. I really don't want to have to confine Willow to one of the hutches in the shed to recover unless I have to. Poor girl I feel like putting bandages or pads on, but I know she would bite them off. If anyone is interested, I am posting a couple of recent photos (yesterday) of Willow in the stories and photos section. She is such a gorgeous girl

Rex rabbit are particularly prone to sore hocks as their fur their is thinner. I think your two are both dutch (cross?) buns which have much thicker fur. I've kept lops/dutch and lionhead on paving without a problem

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yes my 2 are dutch, I thought Harly might be a cross but they are brothers and others on here have said he is a dutch, jst with unusual markings. She did have babies which were pure white with blue eyes as well, bt said they were 2 diff litters :? . She didnt seem to be a breeder (only wanted a cpl of £s each for thm to cover food for the 2 wks til my hutch came frm internet), but seemed a bit slap dash about thm havin babies...was like "oh I think thr's another litter 2, they jst like digging so I let thm then thy have babies down thr" :roll:, the babies and parents were spotless and healthy tho and had huge space each or Id of had a word!

Ok, Ill jst keep an eye on them. Any advice re the mesh tho? Is it ok? Got conflicting advice before so :?

Does anyone know of any kind of soft washable cushion material I can cover the floor of the hutches and the slabs with to protect the rabbits feet and make it comfortable for them? It would have to be able to withstand weather, biting/chewing, rabbit pee/droppings and being cleaned! I don't know if there is such a thing. The hutches have wooden floors, but no matter how much hay/bedding I put down, they always clear it away and sleep on the wood!!!!!

I`ve put old car rubber mats in my run with straw on top and this works well for Florence, who has sore hocks.

But must make sure they don`t chew or bit it, luckily mine don`t.

They are great had a good test yesterday with the terrible rain storm.

Hi,

Have you thought about using rubber matting? I have some that I use for the horses, and it is very hard wearing / durable.

If you go to ebay, sporting goods, equestrian, stable accessories, and type in rubber matting, you will see various types. They normally come on 6ft x 4 ft pieces.

I was going to use some under the hutch/run in winter.

Jx

Apache, thank you. Those horse mats look like a REALLY good idea. I'm seriously thinking about ordering some. Has anyone else tried these with rabbits?

No problem, they are quite smooth on one side and should be difficult to chew.

Misty (one of my horses) keeps scraping her hock - despite me putting down a bed of 8 inches in depth, and putting the matting down has stopped that.

Jx

I've just found a small sore on one of Alfred's hocks, so I've just washed down a peice of the matting, and am moving the hutch onto it as soon as it has dried, I'll let you know how it goes.

Jx