Help!! Missing fur on sole of feet!

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

megs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Messages
79
Reaction score
1
Location
North Yorkshire, , United Kingdom
Hi all!

I'd really like some advise please.
I have a 6 year old female Netherland Dwarf called Harley.
She's an indoor bunny - I've just returned home and let her run about when I noticed something on her back paw. Her fur is missing and it looks very red.
She can bare weight on it - she is hopping around and being as friendly as normal.

After a game of cat and mouse I managed to pick her up and take a look.
I have a picture which I will try attach to this post.

I'd really like some advice? What is it?

Please help!
Thanks,
Megan

IMG_5390.jpg
 
Search for "sore hocks", looks like it. Although Rex and bigger rabbits in cages with wire floor are more prone to it.

Also looks like it's about time to trim her claws.
 
I've searched and that seemed to come up.
How is it treated? Does it mean a trip to the vets?

She does not live in a wired cage and is a small breed of rabbit.

... I'm well aware about her claws, they are due for a cut, I knew somebody would bring it up but I'd rather the topic be about the sore on her foot. Thankyou.
 
What kind of cage does she live in? Specifically what is the flooring like in the cage?
 
The flooring isn't wire - it's just a plastic bottom. Which is never exposed - it's lined with sawdust and we give her hay that she likes to move about pretty much everywhere.
 
... I'm well aware about her claws, they are due for a cut, I knew somebody would bring it up but I'd rather the topic be about the sore on her foot. Thankyou.

The extremely long nails are likely the cause of the sore on her foot.
The nails being that long cause her to sit incorectly on her feet putting pressure where it shouldnt be.
Properly groomed nails are so important to maintain proper posture while the rabbit does.... well anything. So this is causing her to put more pressure further back on her hock leading to the sores. Because she cant put pressure properly closer to her toes.
 
The extremely long nails are likely the cause of the sore on her foot.
The nails being that long cause her to sit incorectly on her feet putting pressure where it shouldnt be.
Properly groomed nails are so important to maintain proper posture while the rabbit does.... well anything. So this is causing her to put more pressure further back on her hock leading to the sores. Because she cant put pressure properly closer to her toes.

I understand your comment - how the photo was taken and they way I am having to hold her make them look worse than they actually are. You don't even know how her front claws look? They are perfectly fine in their length.
If you can understand, I'm incredibly upset about my bunny and I don't want to made out like a bad owner. Because now I feel incredibly guilty.

But if anybody can answer my question in how to treat this please? I'm increofubly worried and don't want it to get worse.
 
I would cut her nails, and put a cheap fleece blanket in her cage to offer more cushion. Then monitor how she is healing.
If you can't cut her nails yourself, I would bring her to the vet and have them do it and you can also ask about what else to do with the sore hock.
 
I'm going to - I regularly cut her nails myself.
Thankyou for the advice - I'll do that if it doesn't seem to be improving I'll take her to the vets.
 
Trimming the nails will help some, but it may be to the point that it needs veterinary care(it's difficult to tell if it's to this point in the picture). If too much skin is exposed, if there is an open sore/abrasion at all, and/or if there is a lump/swelling where the exposed skin is, it won't heal on it's own and may require antibiotics and possibly bandaging(best done under a vets direction so it's not applied improperly where it cuts off the foots circulation).

It might also not just be the nails being long that has lead to the sore foot. Your bun is at an age where they can start to develop some arthritis, which can cause them to alter how they hop and stand due to stiffness and joint pain. If this is the case with your bun, you will need a vet to assess this and possibly start your bun on the anti inflammatory meloxicam. I had an older bun with arthritis that was on this med daily, and it helped her be much more comfortable than she would have been without taking it. Here are a few links if you would like to read up on ulcerative pododermatitis(aka sore hocks) and arthritis in rabbits.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Mechanical/Pod/Podo.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Bone_diseases/Osteo/arthritis.htm
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Ulcerative_pododermatitis_rabbits.htm
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Osteoarthritis_rabbits.htm

If the location you've listed is correct and you don't already have a rabbit savvy vet that you take your bun to, you have an excellent rabbit vet nearby in Harrogate at Crab Lane Vets. There are a few other recommendations for rabbit vets in your area from other rabbit owners.
https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/ve...-owners/copy_of_county-or-city/england/NYORKS
 
Her nails have been clipped!

Thanks for all the info!
Thankfully the skin isn't open or broken it is just red and sore looking. But I will observe it closely and if there is no signs of healing she'll be straight to the vet!
Thanks for the vet suggestion, I live in a little town and the vet there is very good with animals - including rabbits, in which she is registered at!
 
Pippi was starting to lose fur on her feet too, so I figured it was probably the carpet under her xpen... she now has a blanket that I keep in her usual laying spot (she has an igloo bed, but hardly uses it. She prefers to sleep directly in front of her door. Lol). I fold the blanket several times so there's plenty of cushioning to it.. perhaps that's something you can try too. ^_^
 

Latest posts

Back
Top