Treating ear wound?

[Lilyfarm]

I have two pairs of bunnies recently rehomed to me, we took a break / slow approach to bonding and they are living in a large outdoor predator-secured pen with each pair separated by a smaller fence. During the night one bunny made it over to the other side and the intruder has been in a fight with one other. Some fur has been pulled and I see a clear bite mark in the ear of the resident bunny. I will check closer for other injuries.

Can you please give me advice on how to treat the wound? Are there any other type of injuries I should look for? I would prefer to take him to a vet, but none are open on the weekend where I live and I do not want to wait until Monday...

 

[InspectorMorse]

Are there no emergency vets covering out of hours ? This is always the case in the UK.

Without being able to see the wound(s) it’s impossible to give specific advice. Flushing out/bathing the damaged tissue will be essential. Pain relief and antibiotics could also be needed, hence the need to consult a Vet. Bite wounds frequently cause additional problems, especially abscesses. A dilute solution of hibiscrub can be used as a ‘first aid’ to clean the wounds.

You will need to do a thorough check for other wounds. The genitals often get bitten during a fight. And small puncture wounds are easy to miss when they first occur. This type of wound is the most likely to abscessate. Scratches to the cornea of the eye can be another consequence of a fight.

Check all the other Rabbits too. When a fight occurs even ‘onlookers’ can start to scuffle with each other.


Make sure all Rabbits are eating and pooping normally. Fighting can trigger stress induced gut stasis.

 

[bunny momma]

I am sorry your bunny has a bite wound. Bunnies hide pain well, plus the stress can result in a bunny not eating or pooping which is an emergency.
As IM stated above, check bunny for other bites. They can be hidden by fur and fur will need to be clipped away and wounds cleaned and kept clean and dry which may be a challenge with outside bunnies. My Zorro was bullied before I got him and he had bites on his genitals along with many on his hips and rear. Vet care is recommended since pain meds and antibiotics can only be prescribed by a vet. Some wounds may require flushing and/or sutures.

 

[mandy_2lops]

I was wondering if you had an update on your poor bunny with the ear bite?

I'm late to the thread, but I would have used saline or diluted hydrogen peroxide to rinse the wound of any debris and I have a pet safe antimicrobial wound spray I got at the pet store that I have used on wounds to keep it clean and prevent infection. I know many people use Neosporin antibiotic cream on bunnies (but not Neosporin Plus, it has to be the regular kind).

(If the wound was actively bleeding obviously apply pressure first with gauze or a cloth.)