Sore Hocks – I’d like to learn more.

[Andi]

I was grooming Baby, my Jersey Wooley when i found a small mat developing on the long fur of his foot.
What was odd was that some of the long hair looked like a bad comb over (though very thick). When i moved around the fur i was shocked to see pink little legs and knees! Both sides bare under this long fur.
I’m not sure how I would have missed this before, but his feet don’t usually need brushing, and his nails don’t realy grow so I rarely need to clip them.
Baby is maybe 3lbs, he’s a small bunny & lives in a pen of carpet (top) and pine shavings (bottom) his outside play area is carpet & lino and his outside time in on the grass.
I’ve had him and his brother 4 years, he is very active and a healthy little bunny.

My Rex came to me with those pink bald spots on his hocks from living on a hard wood cage bottom outsdie for 3.5 years, I also thought the short coat of the rex would make them more pre-disposed to this condition. But Baby’s little legs are bare, he has long full hair & he’s not on hard/damp surfaces, he’s not overweight or has any issues moving around. The exposed skin is sort of covered by this long fur from either side of the leg (comb-over), the skin is not inflamed or open, if anything a little dry looking. They don’t bother him at all.

So I am wondering if anyone has some good tips/links/information on this condition.
I have considered moisturizing the hairless parts since they look dry, but my concern is that this may make them to soft, and then vulnerable to developing real sores. (Ok, so maybe I’m paranoid).

If I can i will take pictures, as I’ve not see anything like this before, just the little round spots like my Rex had.

 

[Deleted User]

How odd.
How big are those pink areas?

[GrumpyBun]

I don’t know if this might help but you said part of his area had pine shavings as a covering – am I right in thinking it’s hard floor underneath? I used to use pine shavings for my buns until I heard they might not be very good for them and both of them hated the feel of them: they would make scrapes so they were actually spending all day lounging on the hard surface. (Refusing to believe they were comfy I used to fill these patches with more shavings which infuriated them). I switched to using hay, although they now just have towels as bedding, and I noticed afterwards the fur on their feet grew thicker. Do you think it might be worth trying a different covering?

[Andi]

Petzy – i would say an inch long, and half a centimete wide?
It’s a sad sight to see on such a fuzzy bunny

I have to have absorbant bedding on the floor b/c Baby will not use a litter box and pee’s absolutly every where. When he is lounging he spends it on the carpeted condo. The bottom part is for eating adn going to the bathroom, i have 2 litter boxes with the hay and such to encourgae useing the boxes… it’s almost a joke with him LOL

[Andi]

Ok, here are some pictures….

 

Baby’s feet Naturally…

 

Flip the fuzzy Fur over …

 

Same but right side…

 

One leg with teh fur the way is sits,a dn me pulling the fur ‘flap’ away (Bunny saying “What you doing down there?”)

 

cutest wittle face ever …. hehehe

 

[lwayne]

As long as they are only pink, I think its ok. If they turn red and/or bleed then Baby needs to see a vet.

My rex Arduina has sore hocks and the vet gave me silver sulfadioxine (sp?) to put on her feet 2x a day. I did this for a while (a least a month), but I found turning her over and touching her sore spots made her even more nervous.. she would then constantly lick her feet (medicine nontoxic). I think that made it worse. I went away for a week and my S.O. took care of her and did not put on the medicine and when I got back they actually looked better (pink instead of red and scabby).

The vet advised me to have a variety of surfaces in Arduina’s habitat including soft and squishy things (carpet squares, cardboard, fluffy kitty bed, towels, blankets, sea grass mat, etc). You should definitely try that. Also, make sure to keep Baby’s weight in check. Your vet will be able to help you determine his ideal weight.

[jerseygirl]

His little comb overs probably give him the protection he needs. I’m seeing a bit of this with Jersey (not wooly). I think it’s ok if the heel is pink and calloused. I put zinc on the spots if they worsen or have scabs. I’ve seen a line up the foot too. I sort of wondered whether it was mites or maybe because she gets pee on her hocks sometimes.

Also I wonder if it’s just that part of the foot that contacts all surfaces whatever they may be. That perhaps friction rubs the fur thin there? Sort of like the bald spot on the back of a babies head where they rub their heads when on their backs.

Maybe send those pics of to your vet for their thoughts?

[lashkay]

I’ve heard that chamomile tea bags – steeped and then allowed to cool to lukewarm and applied to the sore – are soothing and healing on sore hocks and the wet tea leaves are actually good for bunny. You could use medical tape to tape the damp tea bag to the sore foot and then put a baby sock on the foot to keep it there for a while. I know it sounds weird but tea won’t hurt bunnies, it’s good for them. You can also use the baby sock on the foot over the non-toxic medication to let it do its work and keep the bun from getting to it. Baby socks work great.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

We have two rexes and sore hocks are really common with them, since their fur is so short. I took Remy in once to check his out, but the vet basically told me that, as lwayne said, it’s okay if they’re just pink. If they get callouses, even better. The vet said that the callous was nature’s way of protecting that area, and if you treat it with medicine and keep it moist, then it can actually get worse.

I’m not a vet, but yours don’t look too bad to me. If I were you, I’d keep an eye on them to see if they change, and look out for that callous!

: )

[Beka27]

I wonder if standing on the “comb-over” is irritating them more? I would be tempted to trim back the footsie fur and see if having the area open helps…

[Sarita]

That’s how my rex Emmy’s feet looked – long callouses. He’s so cute! Love that face.

[Deleted User]

The hairs, even on a long-haired rabbit’s feet, is exposed to much friction in this area and may stop growing. This part on a rabbit foot is very bony, so this is why you are seeing the long shape, right where the bone is in there. The lack of cushioning coupled with the pressure exerted on this part of the foot all contribute to the fur rubbing off. I would not be concerned as long as they are pink and not open sores. The only thing I would do is check it to make sure it is dry and healthy skin, and trim the nails short.

[Andi]

So we went to the Vet, just a check up since Baby & Bubba had not been in quite some time.
The hocks are fine, and I was told “normal wear and tear for an older bunny”.
I also had Baby checked out to see if there is any reason for his spraying/peeing… nothing. No hidden testicles or anything. Could be he was just to old to understand how to, or maybe it’s neurological LOL :p

[Author]

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