Sore hocks is usually from living conditions, being kept on the "wrong" flooring, but it's a "symptom" of poor fur (Felting) over the hocks.I'd like to say that only the huge, heavy rabbits get it, but little Mini Rex get it too. And they aren't putting a lot of weight on their hocks. Standard Rex can get it, Netherland Dwarfs can get it too... and Nethies were used to breed Standard Rex DOWN to Mini Rex.
I've seen sore hocks kill a rabbit that was kept in all the right "conditions". I've seen 18 lbs rabbits kept on wire with no problems.
If a rabbit (any breed) has a good thick layer of fur over the feet, (hocks, elbows, toes, etc.) their feet are protected.How many of us have seen/heard of infections starting in the feet and spreading to the point of causing severe illness or death. (Had an open sore on the hock, developed an abcess on the joint, abcess spread, now it's dealing with a full blown pasturella infection. They step in their own urine and feces. Their feet are pretty vulnerable.)
If a rabbit gets a nicked ear, it will heal. Even if it heals with a tear or a scar, the ear isn't under constant use the way feet are. Would I discount it asa breeder, certainly not. And I would not hesitate to suggest that someone buy a rabbit with a scar or healed injury to an ear. But the feet are different.
From the info that was offered, I can't say why the rabbit has sore hocks. And it's smart of the breeder not to sell it. But I wouldn't recommend that buck as a herd buck to start a line. Even if the feet heal. Once a rabbit has had sore hocks, youhave toconstantly be on the look-out for it. It will re-occur easily.
JMHO, The whole idea of breeding is to improve the breed, any breed. Over 10 years ago, when I started breeding the Blue Flemish, most of my rabbits had sore hock issues by time they were 2 years old. Didn't matter what type of floor they were kept on, solid, slatted, wire, rubber, straw, hay..... Today, it's very rare that I see sore hocks in my Flemish, from rabbits that I bred. I'm still working on the Mini Rex.
Flemish were never meant to reach maturity. 300 years ago, the breed wasused for meat. (I'm not being cruel, just stating the obvious). They were supposed to be raised to 12 weeks maximum, with only a few kept to maturity to breed. Now we want to keep them as pets. We want them to live a long healthy life. This is where breeding a better rabbit is so important. Not just to meet the Confirmation Standards of showing. Not just to have the biggest rabbit or the smallest rabbit. But to have a rabbit with as few health issues as possible. (There are enough diseases/injuries out there to compromise a rabbits health. If there is something I can do as a breeder to improve the rabbit so they are not suseptable to those diseases/injuries, it's good for the rabbit as well as the bunny owner.) And I've personally seen a lot of improvement in sore hocks with the right breeding.
:rant: Sorry, JMHO... I'll get off my soapbox now. :embarrassed:
