Sore hocks – do they need a vet visit?

[Rex]

 I have a  4 year old mini rex that has bare heels.  He has had a callouse on his heels since we got him, but they seem to be bigger and redder now.  He has a condo with fleece floor on top of a rug for extra cushion and felt covered cardbord on the second level.  He spends most of his time under our table, though.  We have that cheap rental carpet so I’m thinking running around on that all day wears down on those heels – but we can’t change the carpet.  I also think his nails are a little long which probably conrtibuted to the sores.  I just figured out last month how to actually do the nails without being afraid of killing him so we are working on getting the quick to recede a bit with frequent trims so we can get them shorter.

What can I do for these in the meantime?

I have no basis for comparison… are they really bad?  Vet time?  (I have no problem taking him to the vet, but I have a very unstable/unpredictable income so I want to make sure he needs it)

 

 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’d be tempted to see the vet -those look pretty red.
Some others who have more experience will have more suggestions-but I’ve used preperation H which worked really well. Putting a nice fluffy pet bed where they tend to lie is good. Also those foam puzzle peice flooring can be put in the condo (under the flooring) to add more cushion.

[Rex]

I think my plan of action is to try the cream and if it isn’t getting better see the vet. My vet doesn’t have any non-emergency appointments until next week anyway so I have a few days to see if they respond to home treatment(They didn’t turn that red overnight and I don’t see any obvious signs of discomfort or infection).

He has a comfy pet bed in his condo which he uses, but I could get another one for under the table where he lays a lot. I bet he’d love that!

I’ve heard of Bag Balm, Preparation H… any other cream recommendations? I also heard about making booties out of medical tape and shed fur to help cushion the sores. Has anyone here tried this?

[LoveChaCha]

I personally would not use Preparation H. Your bunny may ingest that while cleaning his foot.

[Sarita]

I don’t know how he would like wearing the booties and I’d be afraid if you got the tape too tight you would cut off circulation.

Preparation H – I definitely would not use this stuff…I would see if the vet can prescribe you Silvadene when you get in to see him/her.

[RabbitPam]

I would try the Bag Balm first. If there is not improvement, those are pretty big and you should see a vet. I found the Bag Balm noticeably improved my feet very, very quickly and is made for animals, so gentle.

[Samus]

what also works great is—- tea! my rabbit has been fighting hocksores for awhile, even though he has plenty of soft places and there is no wire for him to stand on, he picks at it.

so what i do is every so often make a very shallow amount of water in the bathtub, (where only the bottom of their feet is getting wet) and put in some teabags.

now hes heeled and all, i wouldnt do it if its still so raw, but once hes started to close up try it, it may speed up recovery for your fluffybutts

[LittlePuffyTail]

I agree. Those look pretty red but as long as there are no cracks/bleeding or open sores you should be able to treat it at home. Once you get cracks or open wounds he will need to see the vet because it could become infected and he may need antibiotics.  I have experience dealing with sore hocks in two of my rabbits. I think running on carpet may be the culprit. Perhaps you could buy a nice, big fleece throw and toss it over an area of carpet where he frequents the most. I did this when Olivia had really bad sores on her feet. Also you might want to try placing a thick layer of hay over his fleece in his cage. It will make a big mess but will help get the pressure off the sores. Are his nails clipped as short as possible? If not, get that done asap. Make sure to change his litter box frequently and keep his area very clean and dry. Dampness will make the sores much worse.

I’ve also had success with tea bags. It wont fix the problem but it may help harden the callous area. Make a compress with a tea bag and warm water and apply 1 or 2x a day for about 5 minutes and then dry the area. I’ve also had success using the veterinary ointment called Derma Gel. Maybe your veterinarian has some or could order some in. You might be able to get it online. It coats and protects the area. Bag balm is another option if you can’t get any Derma Gel.

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