Oh Dear – I didn’t mean to freak you out if it was my pictures you saw.
When I noticed Coco’s, they were a bit red, so I called the vet ( and took the advice here). As Coco isn’t overweight and her nails are usually trimmed( although her back nails may have been a smidge too long when I first checked), It seems to be just the way Buns heels wear down.
Coco is also on carpet and very Soft, dry litter. She is Free Roam 24/7. As my vet pointed out, even carpet can be a bit abrasive – but as long as the spots remain nice and calloused and not hot pink and looking irritated, there is nothing to worry about.
I took the precaution of buying a bottle of “New Skin”, which I have used on Coco for the past week ( One application every 3 days) and her callouses look Great. The new skin seems to have sealed the skin and given it time to heal on its own. Of the two – One is completely back to normal and the other is about 90% there. The thing to remember about New Skin though is that it really is a good preventative if you notice the redness BEFORE you get a full blown sore hock.
Had her skin been broken/open, I would have taken her to the vet right away, as I would assume she would need to be seen not only for the sore hock, but possibly for any other infection which could get in through the open sore.
I knew she felt better after 2 days when she was the Lead Bunny in the early morning Bunny500.
Of course she eyes me a bit suspiciously now, but nothing the promise of a papaya tablet doesn’t seem to fix.