Skin around nail is hard and cracked

[papertrails]

Hello! I came here to see if anyone could help me. I recently lost a bunny. Weeks leading up to his death, the skin around his nails started to harden and crack to a point where it sounded like he was walking on heels. I have wood floors and I had him for nearly 8 months and it was only last month did this happen.

He also lost quite a lot of fur in his paws. I tried searching online, it didn’t look like it was bumblefoot since it wasn’t really on the pads of his paws and feet. It grew around his nails.

I couldn’t take him to the vet because the nearest clinic was a 3 hour drive and my city was under lockdown and we didn’t know if my family could even afford the fees. It was a terrible month for me knowing I couldn’t give him the help he needs.

He died because it grew too painful for him to walk. I would carry him to his food, but slowly he just started to be lazy. I knew he was nearing his end and it was really painful for me.

Now, I started to notice my other rabbit is starting to have the same conditions as well. Her paws are still well padded, still a lot of fur, but the skin around her nails looked like the ones of my previous rabbit.

Could it be her litter box? I use a cloth mat and put her hay on top. Change it whenever I see she isn’t eating much on it already and is starting to smell. Could it be that it’s not good for her to be stepping on hay she peed on?

Could it be my wood floors? My previous rabbit never had any problems and was healthy. I did not change anything in their environment, food, or anything.

I really am unable to bring her to the vet now. My family isn’t really good financially and my rabbit isn’t their priority right now so I’m trying my best to find the cause of it.

Please, if anyone can help me please help me out. I don’t want my rabbit to die.

[LBJ10]

Could it be a fungal infection? Like ringworm? Here is an article from MediRabbit. It’s a trusted source for rabbit health info.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Fungal/Paws/Fungal_feet.pdf

 

[DanaNM]

I’m sorry for what happened to your other bun. I agree it could be ring worm. Can you post a pic?

The litter box setup might be OK, but how wet does it get? It might need to be changed more frequently (try to clean it before she starts avoiding it).

I would focus on keeping her environment very clean, soft, and dry. So you can put down fleece blankets and towels for traction, and clean them regularly. If it is ringworm or sore hocks starting, this will help either way.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[papertrails]

I’m really grateful for the response. The page that LBJ10 linked looks really different from the ones with my rabbit. It’s hard, white, and really dry. I don’t think it’s ringworm.

But I will try your suggestion of cleaning the litter box more frequently before everything gets really soaked.

I can’t really find any other post online with the same conditions as my rabbit except for one. They posted a picture that looked really similar to mine, I can’t remember the site where I found it but people suggested it might be mites?

If my rabbit has mites can it transfer to people as well? I’ve been observing her if she itches, but I couldn’t tell itching from her grooming.

[LBJ10]

Mange is less common, but can cause white-ish scales around the toes: http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Mange/Sarcoptes.htm

And yes, it is contagious to other animals and people. Are you able to have a vet take a look? If it’s mange, it needs to be treated with Ivermectin. Do not use anything containing fipronil (Frontline, etc.) on rabbits, it’s toxic to them.

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