How to Treat an Injured Rabbit's Paw
Identify sore hocks., Make a rabbit fur compress., Cut a self-adhesive bandage., Place the fur mat on the injured paw., Wrap up the injured paw., Carefully cut a flex point out of the wrap., Check the front of the foot every few hours.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify sore hocks.
Pododermatitis, also called sore hocks, is a common ailment among rabbits.
This painful condition can be easily prevented with proper exercise and comfortable housing.
Once the condition has set in, though, you'll need to take quick action to treat the injury.
Leaving it untreated will lead to infections and further pain.Early signs of sore hocks include loss of hair on the bottom of the affected paw(s).
As the condition worsens, the exposed skin will turn red and become inflamed.
Ulcers and scabs may develop if left untreated, followed by a skin abscess.
In severe cases, this may lead to inflammation of the tendons and deep tissues in your rabbit's paw.
If the condition gets to the point of your rabbit displaying an abnormal stance and walking pattern, it may have inflicted severe and permanent damage.
Do not attempt to wrap up sore hocks if there are any open sores, as this may make the injury worse.
If caught early, you should be able to treat sore hocks at home.
However, if you notice any advanced signs of sore hocks, you should take your rabbit to see your veterinarian as soon as possible. -
Step 2: Make a rabbit fur compress.
In order to treat sore hocks, you'll need to replace the missing fur with some of the rabbit's own fur (or, ideally, from another rabbit).
This will help pad the injury until the skin heals and the fur begins to regrow.To make a fur compress, you will need to:
Brush some spare fur off of your rabbit.
Ideally, you should brush it off of a healthy rabbit to avoid further trauma to the injured animal, but if you only have one rabbit it will do.
Roll the fur between the palms of your hands until you form a mat of fur approximately two inches long, two inches wide, and one inch deep.
The mat of fur you form should be soft and spongy, but with some firmness.
Do not attempt to use cotton, gauze, or any other type of man-made padding.
These materials can form hard mats while applied to the paw, which may further irritate the injury.
Keep in mind that although rabbit fur provides excellent padding, it is not sterile.
Therefore, there is a risk of introducing an infection to an open sore.
To reduce this risk, avoid using rabbit fur on an open wound.
The fur may stick to blood or other secretions and this can make it hard to remove the fur.
That is why this method is best for skin that is merely red and inflamed, rather than broken. , Once you've made a fur mat, you'll need to secure it in place.
The easiest way to do this is by cutting a self-adhesive bandage to the correct size and shape so that you can then apply it to the affected paw.Something specifically made for pets, such as VetWrap, is ideal.
In a pinch, though, self-adhesive bandages for humans can work.
Cut a long strip of self-adhesive bandage.
It should be approximately nine inches long and two inches wide.
Next, cut straight lines down the strip lengthwise from both ends, leaving approximately one inch of strip uncut in the middle.
It should look somewhat like an H or an X. , Have someone carefully hold your rabbit on its back, with its underside facing up.
Then gently press the pad you made out of rabbit fur against the bare spot on the rabbit's sole.
Remember that you should only use fur, not cotton or any other man-made material.Try to gently tuck some of the rabbit's remaining paw fur over the bare spot to secure the fur mat in place., Keep your materials close at hand.
You will need the fur mat that you made and the pre-cut self-adhesive bandage to secure it in place.
Have a friend continue to hold the rabbit securely so that you can focus on treating its paw.Position the uncut middle section of your self-adhesive bandage over the rabbit's heel and ankle.
Make sure the fur mat is still in place before wrapping.
Wrap the four strips of the self-adhesive bandage above and below the rabbit's ankle to secure the fur mat in place.
Do not wrap too tightly, as this can worsen the condition.
The wrap should be loose enough that you could easily slide a popsicle stick between the rabbit's leg and the bandage, but tight enough to stay on and in place. (Do not actually stick anything inside the bandage; just eyeball it to make sure it's not too tight.) , Once the wrap is on, you'll need to cut out a small flex point.
This is because rabbits naturally bend and flex their ankles in order to sit, stand, and move.
Without a flex point, your rabbit could develop new sores on the front of its ankle underneath the wrap.Pull up on the bandaging in the front (above the rabbit's ankle).
Pinch and hold the bandage away from the skin so you don't cut through to the leg.
Use blunt-tipped scissors to avoid stabbing or cutting the rabbit's paw.
Your rabbit may be jumpy at this point, so have your friend continue to hold the rabbit tightly, and exercise great care as you cut out the flex point.
The flex point should ideally be cut in the shape of a diamond or a circle to best facilitate movement. , Once you've finished wrapping up the paw, you'll want to check on the rest of the foot every few hours.
Look for swelling and/or redness in the toes and front part of the foot (which should remain unwrapped).
If you notice any redness or swelling, it means you've wrapped the foot too tightly.
However, if the bandage has spun around or gotten bunched up around the ankle or knee, it means you've wrapped it too loosely.If there are any problems with the wrap (too loose or too tight), have someone hold your rabbit with its belly up again.
Unwrap the bandaging and carefully rewrap it accordingly.
Even if bandaged correctly, you'll need to rewrap the injury with fresh bandages and new fur mats every day.
If the bandaging gets wet or soiled in any way, unwrap it and change the dressings immediately to prevent infection.
Follow up with your veterinarian for a full evaluation to ensure that there's nothing else wrong and to see if antibiotics are needed. -
Step 3: Cut a self-adhesive bandage.
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Step 4: Place the fur mat on the injured paw.
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Step 5: Wrap up the injured paw.
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Step 6: Carefully cut a flex point out of the wrap.
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Step 7: Check the front of the foot every few hours.
Detailed Guide
Pododermatitis, also called sore hocks, is a common ailment among rabbits.
This painful condition can be easily prevented with proper exercise and comfortable housing.
Once the condition has set in, though, you'll need to take quick action to treat the injury.
Leaving it untreated will lead to infections and further pain.Early signs of sore hocks include loss of hair on the bottom of the affected paw(s).
As the condition worsens, the exposed skin will turn red and become inflamed.
Ulcers and scabs may develop if left untreated, followed by a skin abscess.
In severe cases, this may lead to inflammation of the tendons and deep tissues in your rabbit's paw.
If the condition gets to the point of your rabbit displaying an abnormal stance and walking pattern, it may have inflicted severe and permanent damage.
Do not attempt to wrap up sore hocks if there are any open sores, as this may make the injury worse.
If caught early, you should be able to treat sore hocks at home.
However, if you notice any advanced signs of sore hocks, you should take your rabbit to see your veterinarian as soon as possible.
In order to treat sore hocks, you'll need to replace the missing fur with some of the rabbit's own fur (or, ideally, from another rabbit).
This will help pad the injury until the skin heals and the fur begins to regrow.To make a fur compress, you will need to:
Brush some spare fur off of your rabbit.
Ideally, you should brush it off of a healthy rabbit to avoid further trauma to the injured animal, but if you only have one rabbit it will do.
Roll the fur between the palms of your hands until you form a mat of fur approximately two inches long, two inches wide, and one inch deep.
The mat of fur you form should be soft and spongy, but with some firmness.
Do not attempt to use cotton, gauze, or any other type of man-made padding.
These materials can form hard mats while applied to the paw, which may further irritate the injury.
Keep in mind that although rabbit fur provides excellent padding, it is not sterile.
Therefore, there is a risk of introducing an infection to an open sore.
To reduce this risk, avoid using rabbit fur on an open wound.
The fur may stick to blood or other secretions and this can make it hard to remove the fur.
That is why this method is best for skin that is merely red and inflamed, rather than broken. , Once you've made a fur mat, you'll need to secure it in place.
The easiest way to do this is by cutting a self-adhesive bandage to the correct size and shape so that you can then apply it to the affected paw.Something specifically made for pets, such as VetWrap, is ideal.
In a pinch, though, self-adhesive bandages for humans can work.
Cut a long strip of self-adhesive bandage.
It should be approximately nine inches long and two inches wide.
Next, cut straight lines down the strip lengthwise from both ends, leaving approximately one inch of strip uncut in the middle.
It should look somewhat like an H or an X. , Have someone carefully hold your rabbit on its back, with its underside facing up.
Then gently press the pad you made out of rabbit fur against the bare spot on the rabbit's sole.
Remember that you should only use fur, not cotton or any other man-made material.Try to gently tuck some of the rabbit's remaining paw fur over the bare spot to secure the fur mat in place., Keep your materials close at hand.
You will need the fur mat that you made and the pre-cut self-adhesive bandage to secure it in place.
Have a friend continue to hold the rabbit securely so that you can focus on treating its paw.Position the uncut middle section of your self-adhesive bandage over the rabbit's heel and ankle.
Make sure the fur mat is still in place before wrapping.
Wrap the four strips of the self-adhesive bandage above and below the rabbit's ankle to secure the fur mat in place.
Do not wrap too tightly, as this can worsen the condition.
The wrap should be loose enough that you could easily slide a popsicle stick between the rabbit's leg and the bandage, but tight enough to stay on and in place. (Do not actually stick anything inside the bandage; just eyeball it to make sure it's not too tight.) , Once the wrap is on, you'll need to cut out a small flex point.
This is because rabbits naturally bend and flex their ankles in order to sit, stand, and move.
Without a flex point, your rabbit could develop new sores on the front of its ankle underneath the wrap.Pull up on the bandaging in the front (above the rabbit's ankle).
Pinch and hold the bandage away from the skin so you don't cut through to the leg.
Use blunt-tipped scissors to avoid stabbing or cutting the rabbit's paw.
Your rabbit may be jumpy at this point, so have your friend continue to hold the rabbit tightly, and exercise great care as you cut out the flex point.
The flex point should ideally be cut in the shape of a diamond or a circle to best facilitate movement. , Once you've finished wrapping up the paw, you'll want to check on the rest of the foot every few hours.
Look for swelling and/or redness in the toes and front part of the foot (which should remain unwrapped).
If you notice any redness or swelling, it means you've wrapped the foot too tightly.
However, if the bandage has spun around or gotten bunched up around the ankle or knee, it means you've wrapped it too loosely.If there are any problems with the wrap (too loose or too tight), have someone hold your rabbit with its belly up again.
Unwrap the bandaging and carefully rewrap it accordingly.
Even if bandaged correctly, you'll need to rewrap the injury with fresh bandages and new fur mats every day.
If the bandaging gets wet or soiled in any way, unwrap it and change the dressings immediately to prevent infection.
Follow up with your veterinarian for a full evaluation to ensure that there's nothing else wrong and to see if antibiotics are needed.
About the Author
Hannah Gutierrez
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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