Rabbit tugging at scab?

[LittleEskimo]

Well, I was on holiday, I had the rabbit cleaned and my brother (25) was going to look after her. He fed and watered her but he didn't let her out. He didn't clean her out either...I was away nearly 2 weeks. On Tuesday he text me saying something was wrong with the rabbit and that she had some kind of wound on her back. I came back the next day (yesterday) and saw what he meant. I wasn't sure what it was and was very worried. I brought her into my room for the night and she was eating and sleeping well. This morning I took her to the vets as an emergency as the vet reassured me that it was most probably a nasty graze from something in her hutch. He eased away some of the huge scab and said she was doing well with it scabbing over and staying clean but because of the huge scab it wouldn't be able to heal quickly and properly. He gave her some antibiotics and told me to clean it with warm salty water and to ease the scab away slowly until it will come away and that will let the fresh skin/flesh underneath to heal smoothly and properly. I soon figured out how she would have grazed herself. My brother, instead of cleaning her out put more and more fresh bedding over the dirty stuff. This meant the gap between the floor of the hutch and the top of the hole she goes through to get to her bedroom was getting smaller and she must have hit her shoulder getting through it and gave herself a serious graze...I am keeping her in my room but I've noticed she keeps licking it and tugging at it and biting the scab...Should I let her do this? She seems to be doing a good job of keeping it clean and she knows how much pain she can take from tugging at it compared to me doing it...but I'm worried she might agitate it too much and cause herself damage...What would be best for me to do?

Here is the picture of the wound

http://imgur.com/9wiyk

 

[hillrise]

That's nasty looking...

I would say if it's possible, try to get her to stop (maybe one of those collars from the vet)? The concern is that if she rips the scab off, it will reopen the wound and expose it to infection, making it take longer to heal and increasing her chances of a scar. It's not surprising she's doing that, though: big scabs ITCH!

 

[LittleEskimo]

Yeah that's my concern :/ I don't want her to do it in a way that would do more harm then good compared to if I were to do it and be careful
I don't know what to do, I don't think my vet would give me one of those collar thingies and I don't want to bandage it up because that might stop air flow :/ what to do. Whenever I have seen her do it I make her stop so ill keep doing that but when I am asleep its difficult to stop her...hmmm

 

[JimD]

OWIE !

I think the only way you'll keep her from fussing at it will be to use a collar.

A lot of pet stores sell the traditional rigid plastic e-collar or "lampshade" collars.

They alsomake a similar version made out of softer material. (Kong, Comfy Collar, Trimline, Comfy Cone.)

There's also a version that inflates. It's kind of like a doughnut. (Kong, Pro Collar)

You can fashion one out of cotton tube socks, too.
Takea couple of pairs of white cotton tube socks and cut off the elastic top part.
Stuffone sock with a couple of the other socks.
AFTER MAKING SURE IT FITS, cut off the excess and sew the end closed.
It should fit snug, but you should be able to slip a finger under it.
Attachsome velcro to fasten the ends together.
I like the idea of velcro.....it will come apart if the collar gets caught on anything.



NOTE: Wearing a collar of any sort entitles the bun to a free toy of their choice.

 

[gmas rabbit]

I like the sock collar, I would be afraid that one of the heavy plastic collars would get caught on her cage or prevent her from eating. What about a little polysporin on the scab so that it isn't so dry and itchy. I have heard that in Australia even the doctors use unpasturized honey in treating wounds. Just as long as she doesn't become a sweet junky.

 

[CCWelch]

If it is itchy maybe you can put some neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment on it, it might make her stop. Just make sure it does NOT have the pain reliever in it as that is poisonous to rabbits.

 

[LittleEskimo]

Yes I have always thought that with the plastic cones you have to feed and water them by hand as it can be too difficult for them to do it themselves...but that sock one could be a good idea ill have to see if I can make one
I noticed yesterday that she had taken a bit of scab off and it looked so sore and red :/ I tried to clean it but she wouldn't stop freaking out as if it was really hurting her

 

[gmas rabbit]

If you clean it with peroxide and then put a thin coat of bag balm or polysporin it will soften it so that you can remove that heavy itchy scab.

 

[LittleEskimo]

I cant get any of that where I live unless I find a way to order it :/

 

[gmas rabbit]

Any kind of surgical wash diluted with water to clean. Any kind of antiseptic gel that doesn't contain pain killer should work.

 

[LittleEskimo]

Ok ill try having a look around for some thanks

 

[JimD]

Peroxide should only be used on the initial cleaning.
If used after that, it can actually inhibit the healing process.

Use a basic sterile saline solution to cleanse it.
Same stuff that you use for contact lenses.
Almost all drug stores/ pharmacies will carry it

(NOTE: Tap water is not sterile and can contain enough bacteria to risk infection)

Do not use cotton balls to clean it....use sterile gauze pads.

Then apply an anti-bac salve.... like Neosporin, polysporin, tri-bac, bacitracin....
.......the same stuff you'd put on your own boo-boo to help protect it from infection and help it heal.
Do not use anything that has added pain relief ingredients in it.

 

[LittleEskimo]

I have been cleaning it with saline solution and she has been keeping it nicely clean herself as she is a very clean and tidy rabbit

Im gonna have to try and find some of that stuff somewhere...somehow lol

 

[CCWelch]

I would imagine any store that carries medicine like aspirin and band-aids would have some kind of salve to put on wounds to help them heal faster. Just make sure it does not have pain reliever in it.

 

[LittleEskimo]

What about Sudocrem?

 

[JimD]

Not sure I'd recommend using Sudocrem.
I believe it contains a mild anaesthetic (pain relief).

 

[LittleEskimo]

well its all better now she seemed to do an ok job looking after it and its healing up smoothly thankyou for everyones advice

 

[WhatTheRAWR]

Glad to hear she's all healed up If that ever happens again, I'd go online and order some bunny "lick strips". To bunnies they taste disgusting but they're harmless and it'll stop her licking at it.

Hope this helps in the future )

 

[MiniLopHop]

What a relief your bunny is healing well and feeling better.



Did you kick your brother in the shins for not taking proper care of her? Come on, it's two weeks and someone elses' baby, man up! :X

 

[LittleEskimo]

Yeah all the fur is growing back and she's fine and dandy i've started using a litter tray for her so that its quicker and easier for me to give her a quick clean out and so that the whole grazing herself on the top of the hutch doesn't happen again. Next time I go away i'm leaving her with someone I can trust :/ stupid brother