Sore hocks or something else?

[Huckleberry]

 Today I discovered that some wonderful animal has passed on a case of ringworm  I would guess that being pet owners, you all know what that is but just to be sure, its not a worm, its a fungus that looks like a little ring, like a spaghetti-o. It is easy to cure however getting it out of the house is hard because you have to wash every sheet, towel and article of clothing practically every time you touch them… when you dont have a washer/dryer it gets 20 X worse.

So, I took Huckles to the vet this week for what I had thought was an injured back foot. Found out she had some minor irritation there… I have been giving her pain meds and she is doing fine. I was really wondering how she managed to get sore hocks since she doesnt live in a cage and is on carpet 95% of the time and sleeps with her legs stretched out most of the time. Now I wonder, does she have ringworm? Maybe that is where I got it? I dont know where she would have picked it up but I suppose anything is possible. 

Here is a pic, what do you guys think? Its probably too hard to tell from a photo but do any of you have any advice? I assume that I need to have her treated just to be on the safe side….

[LittlePuffyTail]

Yup, looks like callouses on the hock. They look pretty pink from what I can tell in the picture. If they are pink and hard, no need to worry; they have just calloused from the lack of fur there. It’s a good idea to get in the habit of checking them at least once a week though, as if they become red and/or inflamed they can progress quickly into a painful sore. If you notice redness or they look “puffy” you need to treat them but the pink, hard spot is fine.

I was really wondering how she managed to get sore hocks since she doesnt live in a cage and is on carpet 95% of the time and sleeps with her legs stretched out most of the time.

A lot of pampered rabbits get sore hocks. Bindi and Olivia have both been to the vet for sore hocks and they live in condos with fleece and faux fur padding. It’s often a mystery. Carpet can often wear off the fur on the bottom of the feet though so you will have to be diligent on checking his feet because the fur won’t grow back in that area.

[Huckleberry]

Ok. Kinda good to hear then. I was worried I was doing something wrong, but if it is normal…
It is pretty pink. Earlier in the week it was really red. She doesn’t seem to be in pain anymore but I will keep a very close eye on it.
Thank you!

[Huckleberry]

Ok. So, I do in fact have ringworm (thank you vets office). The doctor has instructed me to wash myself in dandruff shampoo and keep an athlete’s foot cream on the area.
Now, to either keep from spreading it to Huckles or to cure her, can I bathe her in dandruff shampoo? Do you think it would be toxic? Has anyone ever dealt with this with a rabbit? I have with cats before and they were fine with the shampoo….but I am afraid to use it on rabbits if no one else has.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Do not use any shampoos on Huckles. If she gets it, I’d check with your vet on how to treat. Just cause I have no clue either. lol

Lolli gets the sore hocks. Usually due to her nails being too long. And I think rabbits are just susceptible to them because a lot of homes have carpeting. That’s my theory anyways. lol

[Huckleberry]

Thanks. I have been calling vets nationwide to find out what they think. So far, I have 2 “wait and see if anything develops and take her to the vet to have it treated”, 2 vets that will call back and 7 rabbit vets that have left the office… Rabbit vets get great hours.

[Sarita]

I found this that might be helpful:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm

[Huckleberry]

Thanks. That helps a lot!
I reached a couple of vets. One said to expose her to sunlight and this would kill it. I dont think that is really the case since it survives in dirt. Besides, the fleas and ticks are really heavy around here and I do not want to battle that problem as well!!!!
Another vet said that as long as I treated myself properly and maintained a high level of cleanliness when handling her, she should be ok. He said that if any hair loss occurs then I should take her to the vet.
We shall see.
Ugh, I feel so gross!

[Beka27]

You poor thing. I don’t really know much about ringworm, but I hope you can get that resolved.

As far as the sore hocks, even in the best conditions, they can easily get those calloused areas on their back heels. Lots of buns have them, but they are more prevalent in rex rabbits or buns with less fur on their feet. The big preventions are cutting bunny’s nails regularly, and keeping your bunny trim, not overweight…

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sorehocks.shtml

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