Sore hocks from carpet?

[4cm]

For a rabbit whose entire environment is carpet, what would cause her to develop sore hocks?

The carpet is not excessively forgiving nor hard. She also likes to hop around on my bed sheets.

Pics:
Left foot
Right foot

 

[tonyshuman]

Could her litterbox be dirty? I have found that when we are not as vigilant about changing the litterbox as we should be that they are much more likely to get sore hocks. Standing in urine-soaked bedding or on poos can cause them to develop.

Other causes can be rex fur, as they are very prone to sore hocks, even on softer surfaces, or a skeletal defect that causes them to put their weight solely on their heels and not throughout the entire foot. There isn't much you can do about either of these things, but just keep an eye on them and treat them as needed. For my guys, udder cream works the best, although I have heard good things about some livestock non-staining iodine thing, and sometimes about triple antibiotic ointment.

 

[4cm]

There's a plastic grate to keep her off the bedding in her litterbox which gets washed every other day.

Aero's a Netherland Dwarf just a little over 2lbs.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Billy got sore hocks from being on carpet all day. I think the abrasiveness of the carpet in combination with sitting/moving around on it resulted in a rug burn effect.

We've since changed the mats in his cage to grass mats and soft furry padding we found at Petco. It has lessened the sore hocks, but he still has slight irritation on both feet.

I agree with Claire about treating the hocks with ointment etc. We tried this method initially...unfortunately, Billy's cage is large enough that we cannot physically remove him once he's in there. He became paranoid about us catching him and applying Neosporin to his feet daily and essentially became a hermit!

I would recommend changing the surfaces she stands on, but if you have carpetted floors like we do, that is near impossible. The only other thing I can suggest is to make sure the nails are clipped frequently and kept short, as rabbits with longer nails tend to put all their weight on the back of their feet.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

4cm wrote:

Aero's a Netherland Dwarf just a little over 2lbs.

Billy is actually the same...Netherland Dwarf just over 2 pounds. I was surprised because I was told this breed should not get sore hocks as they are so light. Yet Billy's sore hocks look exactly like your pictures.

I've noticed that ours stands funny. He is the opposite of pigeon-toed. I think he rests his weight heavily on one part of his foot, and has the hocks as a result. Our other Netherland has good posture and no problems...he is on the same carpeted surface.

 

[tonyshuman]

Our bunnies that got sore hocks are Nethies too! I think Robin has some really good suggestions, especially the long nails possibility. I also think the plastic grate is a good thing. It may just be that these little guys are so sensitive!

 

[pamnock]

The conformation of the foot bones, genetic predisposition and factors affecting tissue structure can contribute to sore hocks.



Pam

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Well, just to throw it out there- wire floors causing sore hocks is a myth. So if your question is based on that fact, I'm about to throw it away. lol

Sore hocks can be caused by a variety of factors, but most commonly, it is caused by genetics. This is not to say that some rabbits are genetically programmed to develop sore hocks, but genetics does affect the conformation of the body and feet. Some breeds, rex breeds in particular, are known for having very thin, small feet, which are very lightly furred. This, combined with their larger body size put uneven pressure on their feet. This can cause sores to develop in certain areas on the foot.

Not ALL rex rabbits will develop sore hocks based on that, though. And sometimes other breeds will develop it for the same reasons. Generally, rabbits with a proportional foot to body size and well-furred feet will not develop sore hocks, regardless of their flooring. Whereas, a rabbit with uneven weight distribution can develop it even on soft, solid flooring.

There are other things that can also contribute to sore hocks. Dirty litter than is not cleaned regularly can cause sores on the feet, or even urine burn in more severe cases. Sore hocks can also develop in rabbits who are housed in a very wet environment, like if they are kept in a pen outside on wet grass during the spring.

In short, a lot of things can contribute. In this case, it sounds like your rabbit just has a body type that favors development of sore hocks. You can treat it with preparation H on the foot until healed. This dries it quickly and it heals pretty fast. The best way to prevent sore hocks in a rabbit who is already prone to it is to be proactive, not reactive. Check the feet daily. Treat them until they are healed, and then treat them again at any time that early development of sores starts. Eventually, if you keep on the treatment, the rabbit should develop calluses and will not need daily treatment anymore. Varying flooring surfaces can also help. Maybe give him a choice of carpet, lionleum, or a box full of shredded paper or pine shavings to relax in. The rabbit will most likely pick the flooring that is most comfortable to him.

Good luck with the healing, and I hope this helps!