worse sore hocks

binkyCodie · Sep 29, 2017

I don't know what to do any more, I feel so stuck and frustrated

and at the moment, Luna's sore hocks are even worse. they're bigger on her back legs and very warm to touch. they're a pink colour but they also have red spots on them too. along with that one of them obviously caught on her wooden house as I found blood there this morning. I just don't feel I can let her outside as we live on a hill - concrete steps lead down to the garden with a little bit of concrete patio, the rest is grass. however when they get bad she splits them open on the concrete and has needed antibiotics due to the high risk of infection. and of course little Luna is not happy about not being allowed outside, and I feel bad myself

her claws are always kept short, I clip them every 2 weeks to try and minimise her being on her heel.
her cage has fluffy blankets that her feet sink into.
I've tried various different creams, vasoline, sudocream, Derbymed SCP Spray & HealX Soother Plus Topical Cream (as recommended by MM). Soother plus made a difference but its not currently changing this bout and instead it just keeps getting worse.

I do feel she is in pain as she will sometimes try not to put weight on one of her back legs, and rather than loafing as usual (she loves a good loaf) she lays on her side. and rather than before as she would loaf then kick her legs out (and they'd rub against the floor) she will chose to flop - and if she does kick her legs out and forgets she jumps up rather quickly.

I'm at the point I may just take her to the vet but I do feel its utterly pointless. I've asked and I've asked for their advice but they never gave me any - they don't seem to know either. I feel it would be throwing £40 on the floor almost, something I don't have right now to throw away. even another vet I went too just told me to put sudocream on but doesn't work.

does anybody have any other suggestions?

MiniC · Sep 29, 2017

How good is your vet's rabbit knowledge? Could you take her to a more knowledgeable vet at all?

MightyMax · Sep 29, 2017

binkyCodie said:
I don't know what to do any more, I feel so stuck and frustrated

and at the moment, Luna's sore hocks are even worse. they're bigger on her back legs and very warm to touch. they're a pink colour but they also have red spots on them too. along with that one of them obviously caught on her wooden house as I found blood there this morning. I just don't feel I can let her outside as we live on a hill - concrete steps lead down to the garden with a little bit of concrete patio, the rest is grass. however when they get bad she splits them open on the concrete and has needed antibiotics due to the high risk of infection. and of course little Luna is not happy about not being allowed outside, and I feel bad myself

her claws are always kept short, I clip them every 2 weeks to try and minimise her being on her heel.
her cage has fluffy blankets that her feet sink into.
I've tried various different creams, vasoline, sudocream, Derbymed SCP Spray & HealX Soother Plus Topical Cream (as recommended by MM). Soother plus made a difference but its not currently changing this bout and instead it just keeps getting worse.

I do feel she is in pain as she will sometimes try not to put weight on one of her back legs, and rather than loafing as usual (she loves a good loaf) she lays on her side. and rather than before as she would loaf then kick her legs out (and they'd rub against the floor) she will chose to flop - and if she does kick her legs out and forgets she jumps up rather quickly.

I'm at the point I may just take her to the vet but I do feel its utterly pointless. I've asked and I've asked for their advice but they never gave me any - they don't seem to know either. I feel it would be throwing £40 on the floor almost, something I don't have right now to throw away. even another vet I went too just told me to put sudocream on but doesn't work.

does anybody have any other suggestions?

This is really difficult BC

I'm sure you've seen these?:

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/sore-hocks.html

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sorehocks.html

Wrapping the sore hocks is possibly the way to go. However, it would appear none of your vets are tackling this issue with any degree of seriousness.

I would suggest starting another thread, with your location, and finding a vet (possibly within a large radius if you can manage the journey) who will help. I would also *ring* the vet you propose to go to (hopefully recommended) beforehand and speak with them so that you can ascertain exactly what they would do.

You need help with this, and although we can advise, you need hands on real support.

So sorry, I want you to get some good advice and real treatment xx

You might find some help on these threads:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...-do-you-Bandage-rabbit-feet&highlight=bandage

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?231564-Treating-sore-hocks-when-bleeding

MightyMax · Sep 29, 2017

Just to add, Frances Harcourt Brown gave a lecture that I attended, and she mentions making a boot using pipe lagging. The image she used to illustrate this is shown on this thread:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...re-hock-advice-needed&highlight=bandage+hocks

You are probably already aware how sore hocks are graded?

Grade I: early disease with no symptoms.
Grade II: mild disease with intact skin.
Grade III: moderate with ulcers/scabs present.
Grade IV: severe with abscess formation and deeper tissues affected.
Grace V: severe and often irreversible, as bone infection occurs and tendon damage results in a permanently altered stance.

Jack's-Jane · Sep 29, 2017

binkyCodie said:
I don't know what to do any more, I feel so stuck and frustrated

and at the moment, Luna's sore hocks are even worse. they're bigger on her back legs and very warm to touch. they're a pink colour but they also have red spots on them too. along with that one of them obviously caught on her wooden house as I found blood there this morning. I just don't feel I can let her outside as we live on a hill - concrete steps lead down to the garden with a little bit of concrete patio, the rest is grass. however when they get bad she splits them open on the concrete and has needed antibiotics due to the high risk of infection. and of course little Luna is not happy about not being allowed outside, and I feel bad myself

her claws are always kept short, I clip them every 2 weeks to try and minimise her being on her heel.
her cage has fluffy blankets that her feet sink into.
I've tried various different creams, vasoline, sudocream, Derbymed SCP Spray & HealX Soother Plus Topical Cream (as recommended by MM). Soother plus made a difference but its not currently changing this bout and instead it just keeps getting worse.

I do feel she is in pain as she will sometimes try not to put weight on one of her back legs, and rather than loafing as usual (she loves a good loaf) she lays on her side. and rather than before as she would loaf then kick her legs out (and they'd rub against the floor) she will chose to flop - and if she does kick her legs out and forgets she jumps up rather quickly.

I'm at the point I may just take her to the vet but I do feel its utterly pointless. I've asked and I've asked for their advice but they never gave me any - they don't seem to know either. I feel it would be throwing £40 on the floor almost, something I don't have right now to throw away. even another vet I went too just told me to put sudocream on but doesn't work.

does anybody have any other suggestions?

I am sorry to hear this.

To be honest if her hocks feel hot to touch and she is not wanting to put weight on them then IMO it is essential that she is seen by a Vet ASAP. Unfortunately sore hocks can progress and can result in osteomyelitis (infection in the bone)and displaced flexor tendons.

Personally I would not put a dressing on the hocks until a Vet has seen them. If there is active infection insitu bandaging could make things a lot worse without adequate antibiotic cover.

Anti-inflammatory analgesia is also an essential as sore hocks are very painful.

This image shows the grading of sore hocks :

This link gives some additional information about appropriate diagnostics/treatment

http://www.goddardvetgroup.co.uk/pet-factsheets/Factsheets/Otherpets/24_295077.shtml

My advice would be to consult a Rabbit Savvy Vet ASAP. Doing so may be less costly in the longterm and it may prevent the condition from progressing further.

Good luck x

binkyCodie · Sep 29, 2017

MiniC said:
How good is your vet's rabbit knowledge? Could you take her to a more knowledgeable vet at all?

I used to use the two at Pets at Home, they were very knowledgeable but I had problems getting answers for Luna's blindness, so I headed to another vet in Epsom and got the answers I wanted. while all of these vets I saw have owned rabbits, have done courses etc etc, they offered utterly no help on what to do with her sore hocks. they weren't as bad then but they keep worsening as of recent.

MightyMax said:
This is really difficult BC

I'm sure you've seen these?:

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/sore-hocks.html

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sorehocks.html

Wrapping the sore hocks is possibly the way to go. However, it would appear none of your vets are tackling this issue with any degree of seriousness.

I would suggest starting another thread, with your location, and finding a vet (possibly within a large radius if you can manage the journey) who will help. I would also *ring* the vet you propose to go to (hopefully recommended) beforehand and speak with them so that you can ascertain exactly what they would do.

You need help with this, and although we can advise, you need hands on real support.

So sorry, I want you to get some good advice and real treatment xx

You might find some help on these threads:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...-do-you-Bandage-rabbit-feet&highlight=bandage

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?231564-Treating-sore-hocks-when-bleeding

it is

I feel so lost. I rescued her in october 2015 with sore hocks due to living on plastic and severe overgrown claws. its been a battle ever since to fix them but even so, I feel I can't seem to win.

I have seen those yes. I can't find any reason other than she came to me with them and is a rex for her sorehocks. she's a good weight, and shows no signs of arthritis but I could be wrong. perhaps if I can find a vet I can maybe bring this up. its just frustrating. I've had around 3 vets dismiss my issue almost and they don't seem to have any answers themselves. just put sudocream, vaseline etc on it. but that's not helping. but I ask them what else and they don't know.

wrapping a rabbits feet sounds like a hilarious job, oh no. I'll be sure to take a look at the threads though, thank you

I'll make another post soon, or if it means anything to anybody now, I'm located in Surrey in the small town of Redhill.

I also wasn't aware about the grading actually. I'm not sure what Luna comes under. I'll see if I can get a picture later but the little butt doesn't like to stay still :lol:

Jack's-Jane said:
I am sorry to hear this.

To be honest if her hocks feel hot to touch and she is not wanting to put weight on them then IMO it is essential that she is seen by a Vet ASAP. Unfortunately sore hocks can progress and can result in osteomyelitis (infection in the bone)and displaced flexor tendons.

Personally I would not put a dressing on the hocks until a Vet has seen them. If there is active infection insitu bandaging could make things a lot worse without adequate antibiotic cover.

Anti-inflammatory analgesia is also an essential as sore hocks are very painful.

This image shows the grading of sore hocks :

This link gives some additional information about appropriate diagnostics/treatment

http://www.goddardvetgroup.co.uk/pet-factsheets/Factsheets/Otherpets/24_295077.shtml

My advice would be to consult a Rabbit Savvy Vet ASAP. Doing so may be less costly in the longterm and it may prevent the condition from progressing further.

Good luck x

thank you.

thankfully her sore hocks aren't that bad, they just look pretty painful to me. I'm going to try and get a picture if I can later but bunnies tend to do their own thing haha.

I'm currently trying to find a vet, I'll call a few tomorrow and see what they can do. its just that none of them seem to know what to do or how to treat it. they all tell me vaseline or sudocream and that's it. and when that isn't working, they provide no other solution at all

I'm running low on money some what at the moment but I'll be able to afford a vet appointment if I can find one that can treat her. I jsut don't have the money for a wasted appointment to be told the same thing if that makes sense.

I get she's a rex so I should have seen this coming - but Snoopy's were never this bad and were always manageable. I'd apply some vaseline and we were good. I rescued Luna with sorehocks and its been a battle since then to try and fix them.

binkyCodie · Sep 29, 2017

so this is how they look currently. I'm a bit of a doofus and forgot to mark which was right and which was left but I don't think it matters very much. her claws are currently as short as I can get them as if i go any further down I'm going to hit the quick.

MightyMax · Sep 29, 2017

binkyCodie said:
I used to use the two at Pets at Home, they were very knowledgeable but I had problems getting answers for Luna's blindness, so I headed to another vet in Epsom and got the answers I wanted. while all of these vets I saw have owned rabbits, have done courses etc etc, they offered utterly no help on what to do with her sore hocks. they weren't as bad then but they keep worsening as of recent.

it is I feel so lost. I rescued her in october 2015 with sore hocks due to living on plastic and severe overgrown claws. its been a battle ever since to fix them but even so, I feel I can't seem to win.

I have seen those yes. I can't find any reason other than she came to me with them and is a rex for her sorehocks. she's a good weight, and shows no signs of arthritis but I could be wrong. perhaps if I can find a vet I can maybe bring this up. its just frustrating. I've had around 3 vets dismiss my issue almost and they don't seem to have any answers themselves. just put sudocream, vaseline etc on it. but that's not helping. but I ask them what else and they don't know.

wrapping a rabbits feet sounds like a hilarious job, oh no. I'll be sure to take a look at the threads though, thank you

I'll make another post soon, or if it means anything to anybody now, I'm located in Surrey in the small town of Redhill.

I also wasn't aware about the grading actually. I'm not sure what Luna comes under. I'll see if I can get a picture later but the little butt doesn't like to stay still :lol:

thank you.

thankfully her sore hocks aren't that bad, they just look pretty painful to me. I'm going to try and get a picture if I can later but bunnies tend to do their own thing haha.

I'm currently trying to find a vet, I'll call a few tomorrow and see what they can do. its just that none of them seem to know what to do or how to treat it. they all tell me vaseline or sudocream and that's it. and when that isn't working, they provide no other solution at all I'm running low on money some what at the moment but I'll be able to afford a vet appointment if I can find one that can treat her. I jsut don't have the money for a wasted appointment to be told the same thing if that makes sense.

I get she's a rex so I should have seen this coming - but Snoopy's were never this bad and were always manageable. I'd apply some vaseline and we were good. I rescued Luna with sorehocks and its been a battle since then to try and fix them.

Thank you for your PM.

I am going to have a think and reply as soon as I can

MightyMax · Sep 29, 2017

binkyCodie said:
so this is how they look currently. I'm a bit of a doofus and forgot to mark which was right and which was left but I don't think it matters very much. her claws are currently as short as I can get them as if i go any further down I'm going to hit the quick.

Would you say they are

Grade III: moderate with ulcers/scabs present. .. according to the chart I posted?

I think if you can get a vet to agree that they perhaps need bandaging, and who has experience of doing it, it might be worth a shot. Of course Im sure you understood that I wasn't meaning you should go ahead and bandage them up yourself!

Is she on any pain relief at the moment?

Jack's-Jane · Sep 30, 2017

binkyCodie said:
so this is how they look currently. I'm a bit of a doofus and forgot to mark which was right and which was left but I don't think it matters very much. her claws are currently as short as I can get them as if i go any further down I'm going to hit the quick.

Ouch

Have you looked on these links to see if there is a Vet listed that you could access ASAP ?

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/ve...-rabbit-owners/copy_of_county-or-city/england

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/rabbit-friendly-vets/rabbit-friendly-vet-list/

I really do think this is the most important thing as with the best will in the world no advice given on here can equate to consulting a Rabbit Savvy Vet. Having dealt with 'Rex Hocks' for about 18 years I have learned that it is always essential to treat the condition as being potentially serious. I am sure that you are attempting to do just that and it seems you have been let down by the Vets you have consulted thus far.

binkyCodie · Sep 30, 2017

thank you MM

any help I'm honestly happy to try any help I can get at this current stage.

regarding bandaging them, just the thought of trying to get bandages on and to stay on on this little brat is the bit that make me giggle! I'm sure it could be done but it makes me laugh. I think she'd give an experienced vet or person a run for their money :lol:

no pain relief either. I've been managing by myself and with little luck with vets, I've sort of just been applying cream and giving her fluffy blankets. until recently I've not had an issue and the soother plus was going an amazing job, they had almost healed it seemed. and now..... back to this in what feels like overnight

it would appear that there is scabbing, i didn't think of the black marks being scabs honestly. they've been there as long as I can remember.

I'm going to pick up some vet bed today as my friend suggested that idea, it would line the cage and be fluffy. so then she gets vet bed, fleecy/fluffy blanket and another one on top of that.

I'll check those links Jane, thank you

looking at it the one I used in Epsom (Ewell) is on there.

I spoke to the vets I used in Epsom and got to speak to one of the other vets, she suggested a few things.
one was that I put a bedding similar to carefresh in the cage she's in. the problem is the moment I put any bedding in she presumes her cage is one large litter tray and just pees and poops everywhere

hence why I've always had blankets - maybe its selfish on my part but she's in my bedroom and stinks it up within a day if I do that.
second was I get some tiny fluffy socks and put on her feet - tried that didn't stay on as she really is a little doofus.
third was that I get some padding, and bandage them with sudocream. so in other words, sudocream, bandage, get some finger bandage and put some cotton wool to pad it, and tape it and see if she'll let it stay on.
she did say if it doesn't improve, then we do need to take her in or if it splits open.

they did say they could help us with bandaging but its a 15 mile trip and £35 vet consult, it seems a long way. I don't know maybe I'll have to place that one with my mom as she's the one that would have to drive me.

the only thing I can thing of is to go my usual vet in my town, and ask them if they would be of any help showing us how to bandage a little bunnies feet. I'll just be upfront with them and say I've asked for advice and its been suggested. perhaps they'll be able to supply some better materials than bandages and cotton wool.

TheThreeB's · Sep 30, 2017

Unfortunately I don't have any advice, but I really feel for you, as you've had a bit of a rough ride rabbit wise.

With regards to using something like carefresh, we use Fitch for our indoor bun and its very fluffy / soft but also really absorbant, so things don't get too smelly. However I have zero experience with sore hocks x

MightyMax · Sep 30, 2017

binkyCodie said:
thank you MM any help I'm honestly happy to try any help I can get at this current stage.

regarding bandaging them, just the thought of trying to get bandages on and to stay on on this little brat is the bit that make me giggle! I'm sure it could be done but it makes me laugh. I think she'd give an experienced vet or person a run for their money :lol:

no pain relief either. I've been managing by myself and with little luck with vets, I've sort of just been applying cream and giving her fluffy blankets. until recently I've not had an issue and the soother plus was going an amazing job, they had almost healed it seemed. and now..... back to this in what feels like overnight

it would appear that there is scabbing, i didn't think of the black marks being scabs honestly. they've been there as long as I can remember.

I'm going to pick up some vet bed today as my friend suggested that idea, it would line the cage and be fluffy. so then she gets vet bed, fleecy/fluffy blanket and another one on top of that.

I'll check those links Jane, thank you looking at it the one I used in Epsom (Ewell) is on there.

I spoke to the vets I used in Epsom and got to speak to one of the other vets, she suggested a few things.
one was that I put a bedding similar to carefresh in the cage she's in. the problem is the moment I put any bedding in she presumes her cage is one large litter tray and just pees and poops everywhere hence why I've always had blankets - maybe its selfish on my part but she's in my bedroom and stinks it up within a day if I do that.
second was I get some tiny fluffy socks and put on her feet - tried that didn't stay on as she really is a little doofus.
third was that I get some padding, and bandage them with sudocream. so in other words, sudocream, bandage, get some finger bandage and put some cotton wool to pad it, and tape it and see if she'll let it stay on.
she did say if it doesn't improve, then we do need to take her in or if it splits open.

they did say they could help us with bandaging but its a 15 mile trip and £35 vet consult, it seems a long way. I don't know maybe I'll have to place that one with my mom as she's the one that would have to drive me.

the only thing I can thing of is to go my usual vet in my town, and ask them if they would be of any help showing us how to bandage a little bunnies feet. I'll just be upfront with them and say I've asked for advice and its been suggested. perhaps they'll be able to supply some better materials than bandages and cotton wool.

I hope you can get some pain relief at some stage. Metacam is also an anti- inflammatory so would help with sore hocks.

Regarding bandaging - yes I have bandaged sore hocks, but you paint a hilarious pic of your rabbit refusing to have her hocks bandaged! The best thing I found that worked for healing them though was the little boots I made for my rabbit. He had a couple of pairs, and one was waterproof for the garden which he loved to go out in. I also made several little pairs of cotton socks with elasticated tops so that his feet wouldn't sweat in the boots.

I really think there might be a market for them!

Let me know when you've had the conversation with your vet and what they say

Omi · Sep 30, 2017

I have Rexes and they have all had episodes of sore hocks in the past, although admittedly they have not looked as bad as Luna's. It's a shame that you do not feel you have had good advice from a vet in the past, but I do think, at the stage her hocks are at at the moment, it would be worthwhile consulting the vet in Epsom again (they seem to have given good advice over the phone). I would ask them to show you how to bandage the feet, but importantly also I would get some Metacam for her. Her hocks must be very painful.

My rabbits live outside in a shed, but their runs are all on concrete. I actually find that if I keep their nails short the concrete does not seem to be a problem unless it is wet and then it definitely is. From what you have described about where she lives, I would not let her out in the garden until her hocks look a lot better. When they look better I would make sure that she only goes on the grass, if the concrete is an issue. I have a thick layer of hay over a lot of the shed and I keep the rabbits inside the shed if they have sore hocks. Could you cover the floor of her cage with a thick layer of hay? If she does treat the whole as a litter tray, I think unfortunately you will just need to clean it out more often if it starts to smell. My experience is though that it shouldn't really smell and also I find that even in my rabbits' large litter tray, they still tend to use just a small corner of it.

I have never used any cream or dressing on my rabbits' feet, although I can appreciate that if she would keep a bandage plus padding on, it could help them to heal. The more she is running around on them without protection, the more she will aggravate the areas and they won't be able to heal. This, as you're aware, makes it much more likely that they will become infected.

I hope you can get something sorted out for her.

binkyCodie · Oct 1, 2017

tried to bandage her feet this morning - utter fail! my mom was no help, she was too jumpy and refused to wrap it tight enough so luna pulled them off within seconds. I can't hold Luna on her butt and wrap her feet by myself. she was fairly still, she kicked once or twice but other than that she was okay, still aimed to cut my arm open which she succeeded in :lol: I guess bandaging isn't going to work as I was hoping it too. although in that time I think some of it soaked in. I also beforehand cleaned the area too.

honestly MM I'd pay you for some socks or booties

she's in a dog crate right now, I brought a pillow I suppose? it goes in for a dog to sit on. its lovely and soft and she just sinks into it. apparently its great for digging on and throwing your water bowl over!

I went to my usual vets, companion care in Redhill, and I actually give up. they're utterly useless. I'm not even going to bother with them any more unless its an emergency or vaccinations. this is about the 5th time I've had an issue with them since they've been changing receptionists. I'm mad just thinking about them. the receptionists they have on are nasty and snotty, they refuse to listen. I asked if I could speak to a nurse or a vet to explain the situation, she asked what was wrong and I said about the sore hocks. the receptionist then goes on some long thing about how its an illness and needs antibiotics to treat. I tried to explain its a skin condition, I wouldn't describe sore hocks as an illness, I just wanted some advice and how I could help her. she tells me that I am utterly wrong, it is an illness. I ask again could I explain my situation to a vet or a nurse, hoping they would understand as they're qualified, she completely denies me that right and says if I want any advice or to speak to them I must book a £40 appointment.

afterwards I walked away, went back to the car and ended up having a massive panic attack.

I'll try calling the vets in Ewell tomorrow as their closed today. I'll ask for an appointment and try to get some metacam and see what they can do. maybe they have a better way to bandage a bun's feets.

unfortunately Omi, there is no way I can just let her on the grass. we don't have a run per say, I brought some metal playpen panels and linked them all together to cut off part of the garden. she runs out of our door, down the steps, and into the grassy cut of area. I guess in reality she has just a bit less than half the garden. I've always let them have it this way as I found runs utterly pointless, they're all too small and stupidly expensive in my opinion. if I buy wooden ones, in about 6 months I need another run as they destroy it.

I used to have Luna on a paper based bedding in her 140cm cage, she just treated all of it as a litter tray. there was no set corner, just pee everywhere. I guess I am lazy and I don't want to be on my hands and knees every day for almost an hour trying not to have my room stink. also being a suffer of mental health, on bad days I'm not going to clean for an hour so she'll just be in her own filth and my room stinking. whereas its much easier for a 10 minute clean of a litter tray I suppose. maybe if its the only thing that can be done to fix her sore hocks I'll have to re-evaluate if I can care for her or how I can make it work.

for the moment I'll just continue cleaning her feet and putting the cream on. maybe I'll burrito her after and make her sit still after for 10 minutes so some of it can get in lol.

William · Oct 1, 2017

Don't most cages have a tray attached? Basically the cage looks like a litter tray with bars on top? That's what indoor store bought cages I've seen have. Like this one https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/classi...oor-cage-for-rabbits-guinea-pigs-walsall.html

You just snap the bars off and take the tray and tip it up in the bin. If the tray has pee on it you run it under the tap in the bathtub, take a scrubber pad and vinegar and scrub it down, and rinse. Whole thing shouldn't take more than 10 mins. If your cage doesn't have a tray attached you could look at getting a cage that does so you can make cleaning easier. I really can't think of any reason cleaning up after one bunny should take an hour everyday (unless I'm misunderstanding something?) so I'm sure there's things you can do to make it faster! If it took me an hour just to clean up after one animal I'd never get anything done (I have several animals) so I'm used to figuring out ways to make things as quick and efficient as possible! Plus rabbit pee isn't that offensive smelling but if you cover the bottom in hay that'll also help with the smell (more than paper based bedding, I'd imagine) and with the sore hocks.

And if you want to take her outside to spend some time on grass you could have a smaller playpen set up so you could make sure none of it's on the concrete and then carry her out and put her in the playpen directly instead of letting her run out? I don't know if maybe she doesn't like being carried, but I guess she has to get a lot of hands on care when you're taking care of her sore hocks anyway.

MightyMax · Oct 2, 2017

binkyCodie said:
tried to bandage her feet this morning - utter fail! my mom was no help, she was too jumpy and refused to wrap it tight enough so luna pulled them off within seconds. I can't hold Luna on her butt and wrap her feet by myself. she was fairly still, she kicked once or twice but other than that she was okay, still aimed to cut my arm open which she succeeded in :lol: I guess bandaging isn't going to work as I was hoping it too. although in that time I think some of it soaked in. I also beforehand cleaned the area too.

honestly MM I'd pay you for some socks or booties

she's in a dog crate right now, I brought a pillow I suppose? it goes in for a dog to sit on. its lovely and soft and she just sinks into it. apparently its great for digging on and throwing your water bowl over!

I went to my usual vets, companion care in Redhill, and I actually give up. they're utterly useless. I'm not even going to bother with them any more unless its an emergency or vaccinations. this is about the 5th time I've had an issue with them since they've been changing receptionists. I'm mad just thinking about them. the receptionists they have on are nasty and snotty, they refuse to listen. I asked if I could speak to a nurse or a vet to explain the situation, she asked what was wrong and I said about the sore hocks. the receptionist then goes on some long thing about how its an illness and needs antibiotics to treat. I tried to explain its a skin condition, I wouldn't describe sore hocks as an illness, I just wanted some advice and how I could help her. she tells me that I am utterly wrong, it is an illness. I ask again could I explain my situation to a vet or a nurse, hoping they would understand as they're qualified, she completely denies me that right and says if I want any advice or to speak to them I must book a £40 appointment.

afterwards I walked away, went back to the car and ended up having a massive panic attack.

I'll try calling the vets in Ewell tomorrow as their closed today. I'll ask for an appointment and try to get some metacam and see what they can do. maybe they have a better way to bandage a bun's feets.

unfortunately Omi, there is no way I can just let her on the grass. we don't have a run per say, I brought some metal playpen panels and linked them all together to cut off part of the garden. she runs out of our door, down the steps, and into the grassy cut of area. I guess in reality she has just a bit less than half the garden. I've always let them have it this way as I found runs utterly pointless, they're all too small and stupidly expensive in my opinion. if I buy wooden ones, in about 6 months I need another run as they destroy it.

I used to have Luna on a paper based bedding in her 140cm cage, she just treated all of it as a litter tray. there was no set corner, just pee everywhere. I guess I am lazy and I don't want to be on my hands and knees every day for almost an hour trying not to have my room stink. also being a suffer of mental health, on bad days I'm not going to clean for an hour so she'll just be in her own filth and my room stinking. whereas its much easier for a 10 minute clean of a litter tray I suppose. maybe if its the only thing that can be done to fix her sore hocks I'll have to re-evaluate if I can care for her or how I can make it work.

for the moment I'll just continue cleaning her feet and putting the cream on. maybe I'll burrito her after and make her sit still after for 10 minutes so some of it can get in lol.

The way you've been treated is completely out of order. If the receptionist were qualified to give you all that advice, then she ought to be a vet herself :roll:

I would try and speak with a vet in Ewell, unless you want to risk an appointment first? I would definitely get a vet to call you back. It's just not good enough. I hope you get some sympathetic treatment from that surgery, and they understand all the other times you've been trying to get help but haven't managed to find a vet who's useful in that respect. You don't want to go along, pay, and get nowhere again.

I'm glad the cream that I recommended is at least doing some good. I've used gauze and cohesive bandage (on vet's advice) in the past. Cohesive bandage sticks to itself and it's harder for the rabbit to get it off.

Good luck with getting the Metacam as well. In fact, good luck full stop

binkyCodie · Oct 2, 2017

I never thought of that William. annoyingly though she's in a dog crate right now so I'd have to scoop it out all by hand, as I was doing. she would soak the bedding so half the time I'd have to empty almost all of it out to refill it again. it became expensive and tiring so I gave up and gave her fluffy blankets. she never really pee'd on them unless I annoyed her by moving a house or something! I wonder if its due to her being blind so she just doesn't get it maybe.

I might give setting it up into something smaller ago. I'm just worried she'll get stroppy and jump out as I have no cover for it. she's a right old mare when she wishes to be. at the moment I'm not really letting her out as her coat is damaged (literally, they washed her in a sink with soap every day) and its been very wet here. still on the dry days she walks over to the door and stares at me, I'm sure she's planning to chew my socks in the night some how. our garden is really not secure for a bun bun, I'm such a worrier that even if I was watching her she'd dart off and get injured before I could catch her

honestly I felt the same way MM. I was furious and I didn't needed to be talked down too, she treated me like some sort of scum off of her shoe who knew nothing. most of the time the owners know more than the vets and are able to tell them when something is wrong, or what the issue is over the vet is.

I just decided to bite the bullet and book an appointment for tomorrow. they seem to be more understanding and willing to work with the patient than companion care have been. Luna's left one is extremely warm to touch and she doesn't like you touching them. maybe some medication and advice from them will be the best thing to do. I think I might right out ask for metacam perhaps and see where that gets me. and in reality they seem to be more helpful, willing to work with the patient and cheaper, so I have faith in booking an appointment being the right thing to do. I can't imagine them dismissing my concerns like I've usually dealt with.

we did try cohesive bandaging as I was worried about her munching the tape. she just pulled it right off like the little brat she is :lol:

tomorrow I'll clean out the cats carrier (its a catio, I find it so much easier to use and better for a long journey) and see where it leaves me.

I'll make sure to let you know how it goes!!

MightyMax · Oct 2, 2017

binkyCodie said:
I never thought of that William. annoyingly though she's in a dog crate right now so I'd have to scoop it out all by hand, as I was doing. she would soak the bedding so half the time I'd have to empty almost all of it out to refill it again. it became expensive and tiring so I gave up and gave her fluffy blankets. she never really pee'd on them unless I annoyed her by moving a house or something! I wonder if its due to her being blind so she just doesn't get it maybe.

I might give setting it up into something smaller ago. I'm just worried she'll get stroppy and jump out as I have no cover for it. she's a right old mare when she wishes to be. at the moment I'm not really letting her out as her coat is damaged (literally, they washed her in a sink with soap every day) and its been very wet here. still on the dry days she walks over to the door and stares at me, I'm sure she's planning to chew my socks in the night some how. our garden is really not secure for a bun bun, I'm such a worrier that even if I was watching her she'd dart off and get injured before I could catch her

honestly I felt the same way MM. I was furious and I didn't needed to be talked down too, she treated me like some sort of scum off of her shoe who knew nothing. most of the time the owners know more than the vets and are able to tell them when something is wrong, or what the issue is over the vet is.

I just decided to bite the bullet and book an appointment for tomorrow. they seem to be more understanding and willing to work with the patient than companion care have been. Luna's left one is extremely warm to touch and she doesn't like you touching them. maybe some medication and advice from them will be the best thing to do. I think I might right out ask for metacam perhaps and see where that gets me. and in reality they seem to be more helpful, willing to work with the patient and cheaper, so I have faith in booking an appointment being the right thing to do. I can't imagine them dismissing my concerns like I've usually dealt with.

we did try cohesive bandaging as I was worried about her munching the tape. she just pulled it right off like the little brat she is :lol:

tomorrow I'll clean out the cats carrier (its a catio, I find it so much easier to use and better for a long journey) and see where it leaves me.

I'll make sure to let you know how it goes!!

I have been tediously accused of vet bashing :roll: but honestly you are quite right. You are the paying customer and when you find a vet who knows their stuff they are worth their weight in gold. We can't say that a vet is good when they treat you like that and have you coming back to take your money and not actually improve your rabbit's health! It's fair criticism in my book

Wishing you loads of luck for tomorrow :thumb:

binkyCodie · Oct 4, 2017

sorry, I got so busy yesterday.

her sore hocks aren't caused through bedding, nails or anything like that. from a look at her posture standing and the way her legs naturally place, her legs are misaligned so to speak. her feet will never evenly distribute her weight and it will always end up that she sits on her heel. we could have done x-rays but ultimately its not going to change her current situation - if I can save up some money I might go ahead and do some just to see what is going on. but from the vet feeling her legs and the way they sit (slightly turned in, and she can't seem to put her foot completely flat on the floor). thankfully there is no signs of arthritis but it could come earlier in her due to her legs not being "correct". one of the hocks is also infected.

all we can do for now, is support her through this with painkillers & antibiotics, and wait for the skin to form callouses to protect her foot. so hopefully, the foot skin on her heel will thicken and toughen up to protect her. so she's always going to have bald feetsies :lol: I'm to stop any cream so the skin can harden but instead to just clean her feet twice a day. I think I'll get some baby wipes for that as she gets angry with a butt bath (and I end up getting a wash too!).

I've been given enrobactin(1ml x1) and metacam(0.8ml x1) for her.

I guess I just got the bunny that was the runt of the litter - blind and legs that don't sit properly!!

worse sore hocks

Mama Doe

Wise Old Thumper

Banned

Banned

Wise Old Thumper

Mama Doe

Mama Doe

Banned

Banned

Wise Old Thumper

Mama Doe

Mama Doe

Banned

Wise Old Thumper

Mama Doe

Wise Old Thumper

Banned

Mama Doe

Banned

Mama Doe

Similar threads