How to Treat Sore Hocks in Rabbits
Take your rabbit to your vet right away., Allow your vet to clean your rabbit’s feet., Begin home care with a rabbit foot soak., Continue home care with bandages., Give your rabbit antibiotics., Administer pain medication to your rabbit.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Take your rabbit to your vet right away.
A rabbit with sore hocks can be in so much pain that it can’t find any way to rest comfortably in its cage.In addition, the bottom of its feet could be red, inflamed, and oozing discharge (indicating infection).If your rabbit just can't get comfortable in its cage, and its feet are looking abnormal, take it to your vet as soon as possible for treatment.Try to find an exotic animal vet in your area that has experience treating rabbits.Use the website http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/ to find a rabbit vet in your area. -
Step 2: Allow your vet to clean your rabbit’s feet.
After diagnosing your rabbit with sore hocks, your vet will gently clean the affected areas of its feet using a wound cleanser.If your rabbit is in a lot of pain, it may resist the cleaning procedure.
However, the feet must be clean before any other medication can be applied to them.
Your vet may use an antibacterial soap to clean your rabbit’s feet.
After the cleaning, they may apply an antibiotic cream to the affected areas.After cleaning and applying the antibiotic cream, your vet may bandage your rabbit’s affected feet.
However, rabbits do not like their feet being bandaged.Don’t be surprised if your rabbit tries to chew off the bandage., After the initial foot cleaning by your vet, you will need to continue cleaning and treating your rabbit’s feet at home.
Your vet will recommend various products (Betadine, Nolvasan, Epsom salt) in which you will soak your rabbit’s feet two to three times a day.Betadine and Nolvasan are antibacterial solutions that are available at your local pharmacy.
Use a small bowl to soak your rabbit’s feet.
Holding your rabbit, gently lower the affected foot into the bowl.
Your vet will instruct you on how much cleaning solution to use and how long you should soak your rabbit’s feet.
After soaking your rabbit’s feet, gently dry them off with a clean towel, apply antibiotic cream (if needed), and bandage them. , Bandaging materials (sterile gauze pads, elastic bandaging material) are available at your local pharmacy.
To bandage, place one gauze pad on the bottom of the affected foot, then wrap the foot and lower leg with the elastic bandage, leaving the toes unwrapped.
Do not wrap so tightly to reduce blood flow to the foot.Bandaging a rabbit’s foot can be tricky, so ask your vet to show you the proper bandaging method.
Your rabbit may resist having you soak and bandage its feet, especially if it's in a lot of pain.
You could try feeding it treats while you hold it and treat its feet.
If this doesn't work, talk to your vet about strategies to keep your rabbit still enough to treat its feet. , If your rabbit’s feet have become infected, your vet will prescribe antibiotics.
They can be applied directly to the affected feet (cream or ointment) or given by mouth.
Oral antibiotics are recommended for severe cases of sore hocks when the feet have become extremely infected.Certain antibiotics can cause serious gastrointestinal (GI) problems in rabbits by reducing the amount of ‘good’ bacteria in the GI system.
If your rabbit needs an antibiotic, your vet will be very careful about selecting the right one.In addition to an antibiotic, your vet may recommend giving your rabbit probiotics, which contain healthy digestive bacteria.Oral antibiotics are liquid and usually given using a syringe inserted into the side of a rabbit's mouth.When applying an antibiotic or cream, do not touch the tip of the container to the infected skin.
Follow the prescription instructions carefully when giving your rabbit an antibiotic. , To reduce your rabbit’s pain, your vet will prescribe a pain medication.
This pain medication may be an anti-inflammatory drug, such as carprofen or naproxen.As with the antibiotic, follow your vet’s prescription instructions when giving your rabbit the pain medication.
The pain medication may be in pill form.
To give your rabbit a pill, you can hide the pill in of your rabbit's favorite treats, or crush the pill and mix it in with either your rabbit's favorite food or some fruit juice.
Use the bottom of a butter knife to crush the pill. -
Step 3: Begin home care with a rabbit foot soak.
-
Step 4: Continue home care with bandages.
-
Step 5: Give your rabbit antibiotics.
-
Step 6: Administer pain medication to your rabbit.
Detailed Guide
A rabbit with sore hocks can be in so much pain that it can’t find any way to rest comfortably in its cage.In addition, the bottom of its feet could be red, inflamed, and oozing discharge (indicating infection).If your rabbit just can't get comfortable in its cage, and its feet are looking abnormal, take it to your vet as soon as possible for treatment.Try to find an exotic animal vet in your area that has experience treating rabbits.Use the website http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/ to find a rabbit vet in your area.
After diagnosing your rabbit with sore hocks, your vet will gently clean the affected areas of its feet using a wound cleanser.If your rabbit is in a lot of pain, it may resist the cleaning procedure.
However, the feet must be clean before any other medication can be applied to them.
Your vet may use an antibacterial soap to clean your rabbit’s feet.
After the cleaning, they may apply an antibiotic cream to the affected areas.After cleaning and applying the antibiotic cream, your vet may bandage your rabbit’s affected feet.
However, rabbits do not like their feet being bandaged.Don’t be surprised if your rabbit tries to chew off the bandage., After the initial foot cleaning by your vet, you will need to continue cleaning and treating your rabbit’s feet at home.
Your vet will recommend various products (Betadine, Nolvasan, Epsom salt) in which you will soak your rabbit’s feet two to three times a day.Betadine and Nolvasan are antibacterial solutions that are available at your local pharmacy.
Use a small bowl to soak your rabbit’s feet.
Holding your rabbit, gently lower the affected foot into the bowl.
Your vet will instruct you on how much cleaning solution to use and how long you should soak your rabbit’s feet.
After soaking your rabbit’s feet, gently dry them off with a clean towel, apply antibiotic cream (if needed), and bandage them. , Bandaging materials (sterile gauze pads, elastic bandaging material) are available at your local pharmacy.
To bandage, place one gauze pad on the bottom of the affected foot, then wrap the foot and lower leg with the elastic bandage, leaving the toes unwrapped.
Do not wrap so tightly to reduce blood flow to the foot.Bandaging a rabbit’s foot can be tricky, so ask your vet to show you the proper bandaging method.
Your rabbit may resist having you soak and bandage its feet, especially if it's in a lot of pain.
You could try feeding it treats while you hold it and treat its feet.
If this doesn't work, talk to your vet about strategies to keep your rabbit still enough to treat its feet. , If your rabbit’s feet have become infected, your vet will prescribe antibiotics.
They can be applied directly to the affected feet (cream or ointment) or given by mouth.
Oral antibiotics are recommended for severe cases of sore hocks when the feet have become extremely infected.Certain antibiotics can cause serious gastrointestinal (GI) problems in rabbits by reducing the amount of ‘good’ bacteria in the GI system.
If your rabbit needs an antibiotic, your vet will be very careful about selecting the right one.In addition to an antibiotic, your vet may recommend giving your rabbit probiotics, which contain healthy digestive bacteria.Oral antibiotics are liquid and usually given using a syringe inserted into the side of a rabbit's mouth.When applying an antibiotic or cream, do not touch the tip of the container to the infected skin.
Follow the prescription instructions carefully when giving your rabbit an antibiotic. , To reduce your rabbit’s pain, your vet will prescribe a pain medication.
This pain medication may be an anti-inflammatory drug, such as carprofen or naproxen.As with the antibiotic, follow your vet’s prescription instructions when giving your rabbit the pain medication.
The pain medication may be in pill form.
To give your rabbit a pill, you can hide the pill in of your rabbit's favorite treats, or crush the pill and mix it in with either your rabbit's favorite food or some fruit juice.
Use the bottom of a butter knife to crush the pill.
About the Author
Joan Bell
Enthusiastic about teaching home improvement techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: