My rabbit has sores on three of his feet

[Lymie]

I lost my job, and my rabbits haven't been getting a proper diet. I've been trying to re-home them, and today there is a girl coming by to look at them. Note, because of no income they haven't had soft bedding, just towels and he's a Mini Rex without much fur on his hind feet. I think I read something about this a long time ago.

I think it's from him sitting on the hard surface. I haven't handled him in about two months, out of guilt, so I haven't noticed. I put some anti-botic ointment on it, cleaned out some pus and cleaned it up with peroxide. I handled them, poked them, washed them and he didn't show any signs of pain and he's really friendly. They're red, and raw looking. There is no fur and one has scabs.

I feel awful, like one of those people who neglect their animals on t.v. I sent her an e-mail explaining what happened, and that I would keep him here and treat him until his feet are fine again.

But I don't know. I can't believe this. What if they do hurt and he just wasn't letting me know? What if it's really bad? The other rabbit doesn't have any sore hocks, but he has a ton of fur and padding.

God, someone shoot me. I can't even express how I feel.

 

[Lymie]

I lined his cage with a ton of bedding. I think I have an old sheet, three towels, a soft rug and one of those bath mats. I'm going to wrap his feet after I treat them and let him rest.

The other one is going to be re-homed today.

 

[Lymie]

Okay, I read about it and most of those symptoms fit him. I removed all the wood from his cage, and I will treat it twice a day. They look nasty, but I think I can do it and I think I've caught it in time. My grandma is a nurse so I have all the supplies.

I clipped his nails again, too. He looks like he's sinking into his bedding. :/

 

[gentle giants]

If they have gone far enough that there is actually pus coming out, he needs some antibiotics as well as the ointment on his feet. Where are you located?

 

[Lymie]

gentle giants wrote:

If they have gone far enough that there is actually pus coming out, he needs some antibiotics as well as the ointment on his feet. Where are you located?

I'm in Iowa.

What kind of anti-biotics? I have triple anti-biotic ointment.

I know this sounds bad, and it is, but I'm afraid to take him into a vet or shelter. I feel like a failure as it is, I don't want them looking down on me. And I can't afford to take him in, anyway.

 

[gentle giants]

I mean something like penicillin. You mentioned that your rabbits haven't been getting a proper diet. What have they been getting? Oh, I almost forgot to ask. The antibiotic ointment that you have been using, is it the kind with pain relievers in it? If so, don't let him lick his feet, it would upset his tummy.

 

[Happi Bun]

I'm very sorry you lost your job, I know how awful it can be especially in this economy. That said, I'm concerned for your remaining rabbit because you say he isn't receiving a proper diet and hadn't been handled in two months. Not too mention the sore hock problem which sounds serious if pus is coming out.

I completely understand that due to your lack of funds, veterinary care is extremely hard to get. Surrendering to a shelter can be difficult too. Not all are created equal. Some do not care about Rabbit's and will simply euthanize. Others are so full they have to euthanize due to space issues. Going through a Rabbit Rescue would be your best option.

Here is one Rescue I found in Iowa that looks promising.

http://www.furryfriendsrefuge.org


Have you considered trying to rehome the mini-rex to someone here on RO?
Perhaps a train could be set up or someone would be willing to have him flown to them.

 

[Lymie]

gentle giants wrote:

I mean something like penicillin. You mentioned that your rabbits haven't been getting a proper diet. What have they been getting? Oh, I almost forgot to ask. The antibiotic ointment that you have been using, is it the kind with pain relievers in it? If so, don't let him lick his feet, it would upset his tummy.

When I lost my job I had money put away and stocked up on hay and pellets. The hay went first, then the pellets and then they were just getting fruits and veggies. Then I started getting pellets, and two weeks ago they had hay. So he has pellets and veggies. He has a bit of an appetite, but not as much as he used to.

I thought that my baby had gotten bigger, and that's why he looked smaller, but it's weight loss. Not to much, but I guess in a rabbit it's a lot. So tomorrow I'm going to suck it up, ask for money and go out and get hay.

I don't know what kind it is, but we use it on the dogs when they get scrapes and their cuts heal up within a few days. I assumed that since my grandma uses it on the dogs it would be okay. He's already licked his paw.

As for anti-biotics, my grandma has access to a lot of medications. If there is something I can give him I can do it from home. Carefully of course. When I took Alfie into the vet for sniffles she said that they're very delicate when it comes to medication.

I just don't know. I'm such a terrible person. I took the bottom out of their cage and it was wet underneath. I never noticed that while cleaning it. :/ I threw it away and now it's just the bedding on the floor. He's buried into it.

 

[Lymie]

Happi Bun wrote:

I'm very sorry you lost your job, I know how awful it can be especially in this economy. That said, I'm concerned for your remaining rabbit because you say he isn't receiving a proper diet and hadn't been handled in two months. Not too mention the sore hock problem which sounds serious if pus is coming out.

I completely understand that due to your lack of funds, veterinary care is extremely hard to get. Surrendering to a shelter can be difficult too. Not all are created equal. Some do not care about Rabbit's and will simply euthanize. Others are so full they have to euthanize due to space issues. Going through a Rabbit Rescue would be your best option.

Here is one Rescue I found in Iowa that looks promising.

http://www.furryfriendsrefuge.org


Have you considered trying to rehome the mini-rex to someone here on RO?
Perhaps a train could be set up or someone would be willing to have him flown to them.

I can't go to them. I know the people there, I've volunteered for them before.

They have a lot of rabbits, and they're good people, but I doubt they have room anyway.

Sorry, I didn't notice what you said at the bottom. If that's at all possible and he would go to a great home (I'm about to cry) I would.

 

[Pipp]

My guys here get the utmost in care, vet checks, luxurious housing, constant attention, ridiculous diets (they eat better than me), and my mini-rex STILL has a sore hock with pus.

I've moved him from his carpeted pen to one with a combo of linoleum, wood and a different type of rug, we'll see how that goes.

The danger is letting it go so the infection spreads to the bone. If you're cleaning them and putting the ointment on, you're ahead of the game. Just make sure his surroundings are clean, too, and I'm sure he'll be fine.

I had the vet do surgery on his hock when he got his neuter, and I was initially giving him systemic antibiotics (I think injectable penicillin), but it was just too much stress for both of us, so I just keep an eye on them. It seems to be better, hasn't gotten any worse, it doesn't bother him.

Cleaning it with peroxide is good as long as it's not poured in an open wound. I use betadine.

Can you get pics of the sores? I'd see how they are, and if it's still a problem, I'd try oral or injected antibiotics.

It's just a mini-rex thing.


sas et:

 

[Pipp]

Did Alfie get antibiotics for sniffles? Baytil or something similar? Do you have any left?

You have to be extremely careful giving rabbits oral antibiotics, you can't give them any of the 'cillins', although injectable kinds are safe.

I'm in Canada, different drugs here, but hopefully somebody else will have suggestions re: adapting human antibiotics.

Was the bunny previously overweight? Mini-rexes are prone to weight issues and that can cause the sore hocks. The wet floor would have also been a problem.



sas

 

[Happi Bun]

Lymie wrote:

Sorry, I didn't notice what you said at the bottom. If that's at all possible and he would go to a great home (I'm about to cry) I would.

I'm so sorry, I know how difficult all this must be. :hug:
Mini Rex's are very prone to sore hocks though and like Pipp pointed out, it often happens under even the best circumstances. I recommend making a new thread in the 'Rescue Me' section locatedHere with his information and personality type. That way, if re-homing to someone on RO really is what you want to do, hopefully we all can come together and work out a plan. It's been done before and I'm sure it can be done again.

 

[Lymie]

Pipp wrote:

Did Alfie get antibiotics for sniffles? Baytil or something similar? Do you have any left?

You have to be extremely careful giving rabbits oral antibiotics, you can't give them any of the 'cillins', although injectable kinds are safe.

I'm in Canada, different drugs here, but hopefully somebody else will have suggestions re: adapting human antibiotics.

Was the bunny previously overweight? Mini-rexes are prone to weight issues and that can cause the sore hocks. The wet floor would have also been a problem.



sas

Alfie was on medication, but it didn't help him at all. I try to keep the dust down in both his pellets and the room and that seems to keep him from being to agitated. Three is no medication left.

He was fat when I got him, but he didn't have sore hocks then. Now he is skinnier, and has them. He's still a big boy though.

 

[Lymie]

Happi Bun wrote:

Lymie wrote:

Sorry, I didn't notice what you said at the bottom. If that's at all possible and he would go to a great home (I'm about to cry) I would.

I'm so sorry, I know how difficult all this must be. :hug:
Mini Rex's are very prone to sore hocks though and like Pipp pointed out, it often happens under even the best circumstances. I recommend making a new thread in the 'Rescue Me' section locatedHere with his information and personality type. That way, if re-homing to someone on RO really is what you want to do, hopefully we all can come together and work out a plan. It's been done before and I'm sure it can be done again.

I'm writing up a post right now. Thank you all for being so helpful. I appreciate the kindness, and didn't expect any of you to be so nice.

I know that Mini Rexs are prone to it, but he's been treated poorly. It's not fair to put that excuse on him when it's clearly my fault.

 

[tonyshuman]

A good cheap protocol is to use injectible penicillin g, sold as bicillin at farm supply stores. You need to dilute it with sterile saline. Search for an article by marcy rosenfeld-moore on abscesses inrabbits. I am on my phone so I can't do it. The pus means tbat the wound had abscessed and burst.

 

[Maureen Las]

When you clean his hocks it is probably better to paint them with betadine than to use hydrogen peroxide; some rabbits have bad reactions and hydrogen peroxide actually causes tissue damage( in humans too)
here is the bicillin article

http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~jwmoore/bicillin/bicillin.htm
This may ( or may not ) be too much for you to take on so it sounds like a great idea to consider rehoming

 

[tonyshuman]

Thanks for getting the article angieluv. It may be best to rehome, but if you do, this article may be useful to the new owner.