The ideal substrate is dry grass, as explained above. Symptoms. To diagnose sore hocks in rabbits, check your rabbit’s hocks for signs of the condition, such as fur loss, red or cracked skin, and sores. My rabbits both had a bad case of sore hocks later this summer. Large rabbits such as Flemish Giants and angoras, rabbits with shortened guard hairs on their feet like Rexes, and obese, emaciated, or pregnant rabbits are more vulnerable to sore hocks. After looking it up online and looking at his feet, I've come to the conclusion that it's definitely sore hocks. The best way to deal with sore hocks is through prevention. In this video we show you want sore hocks look like and how to treat them. Despite the name it does not involve the ankle joint, but instead the skin of the hind foot, or in some cases the front paws. Starting as a skin problem, this condition progresses over time to affect deeper tissues and can be extremely debilitating. I suggest that the problem of sore hocks is a management problem, more than a genetic problem. Ulcerative pododermatitis, or bumblefoot, is a bacterial infection of the skin; specifically, the skin of the back feet and hocks -- the part of the back leg that rests on the ground when a rabbit sits. Normally, the prevention for sore hocks is to provide a rabbit with a clean, soft and overall hygienic lifestyle. The Homesteading Hippy It important to evaluate your rabbits before breeding. Keep rabbit’s nails trimmed on a regular basis. Out in the wild, rabbits have soft surfaces such as sand, soil, or grass to sink their feet into. and why is it happening? To treat sore hocks in rabbits, take it to the vet right away if you notice that its feet are red, inflamed, or oozing fluid. My little biscotti has some sore hocks. Remember that prevention is the best treatment, so everyone living with a rabbit should evaluate the living environment. Clip nails: Clipping your rabbits nails is extremely important when they have sore hocks! May 19, 2010. The most common reasons that cause this problem are as under: Unhygienic living standards: Living standards for any rabbit hold the most importance. This restlessness makes the feet abrasive and sore on the bottom. Sore hocks are not limited to just large breeds, but can occur in any rabbit breed. The development of sore on the hocks of rabbits known as sore hocks. Prevention; Sequelae; Introduction. There is one little sore on the pad of each hind leg. Read further to find out about available treatments and prevention. This is an ailment that causes pain, discomfort, and infection in the legs and feet, earning it its name. It is usually only seen on the back feet but can sometimes affect the front feet also in … I feel like he should be taken in because some of it is black on the bottom of his feet! What is pododermatitis? A rabbit with sore hocks should be examined and treated by a veterinarian. 1. Sore hocks do occur when the rabbit is living in non-ideal environments or in the place where their feet don’t get rest. PetMD Editorial. Your vet will clean its feet and recommend an anti-bacterial cleaning solution you can use at home. Diagnosis. Sore hocks are common in rabbits who are living in an environment that isn’t suitable for their delicate hocks, and since they don’t have paw pads, there is no protection for their feet. In addition, one should adapt the living conditions as good as possible. Provide a flat board and dry bedding material you also apply zinc or iodine ointments to prevent any further infections. Jun 24, 2019 - How to Prevent Sore Hocks in Rabbits. But, with a disabled rabbit, this can sometimes be challenging. You can also observe whether your rabbit is reluctant to move around, which may mean it's experiencing discomfort or pain from sore hocks. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to decrease the risk! At the moment, its very dry, and mostly pink, with a few red spots. Sore Hocks in Rabbits. This condition is often caused by environmental factors such as build up of urine and dropping buildup and wire floored cages. He is a house rabbit who mainly free roams on carpeted flooring, his cage flooring is very soft and padded and his litter is changed daily to prevent him standing in moist hay. Tonight I plan to wash his hind legs with soap and water before applying Neosporin. Keep your hutches clean. Learn how to treat it and prevent sore hocks again! Sore Hocks are calluses or sore on rabbits feet and is more common in large breeds. Sore hocks in rabbits, is also known as bumblefoot or ulcerative pododermatitis. Pododermatitis in rabbits: an under-recognised problem Author : Elisabetta Mancinelli Categories : Exotics, Vets Date : February 23, 2015 Pododermatitis, often called “sore hocks”, is a chronic, granulomatous, ulcerative dermatitis, which most commonly affects the plantar aspect of the caudal metatarsal and tarsal areas of rabbits. Pododermatitis, more commonly known as sore hocks, in rabbits is a common problem. Pododermatitis, also referred to as sore hocks, is a common illness in rabbits. How to look for it, How to prevent it, The causes, How to treat it and much more! The surface of the hock that regularly receives pressure from the body is where rabbit owners are most likely to see the effects. Prevention. Ben Franklin said “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, wise advice for most areas of life, sore hocks included. At home, if they don’t have similar soft surfaces, they will suffer from this condition. Usually, rabbits develop Sore Hock from an environment that is unhygienic or uncomfortable. what can i do to prevent this? Sore Hocks. As domestic rabbits are usually kept on hard surfaces, their toenails cannot dig in to the ground, resulting in more pressure on the heels of their feet. Cause: poor hygiene, moist conditions, abrasive floor surfaces, obesity, inactivity and thin skin in the metatarsal region all predispose to the condition. Starting as a skin problem, this condition progresses over time to affect deeper tissues and can be extremely debilitating. This video is all about sore hocks in rabbits. Sore hocks are often found in rabbits housed in wire cages or hutches as well as house rabbits housed on hard floors or carpeting. These two points should be in mind, especially in wire cages. We recently got a rescued Rex rabbit. Prolonged contact with wire or abrasive or moist surfaces leads first to hair loss, followed by inflammation of the skin, bacterial skin infection, extension of the infection into deeper tissues, and often abscess formation. Pododermatitis in rabbits – sore hocks. Posted on 6th August 2018 by Vetstream. How do rabbits get sore hocks? How SmartBedz Can Prevent Sore Hocks Prevention is always the best course of action and one of the best ways to stop your rabbit getting Sore Hocks is good hygiene practice. Always remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Sore hocks in rabbits. Causes of Sore Hocks. Sores hocks on rabbit’s feet can cause death especially to those heavy-weight rabbits. Place the rabbit with sores on solid and smooth flooring or on the ground until the condition treated. Ulcerative pododermatitis (sore hocks) is a common condition of domestic rabbits . To start with your rabbit’s hutch should have a soft, non abrasive surface to walk on. He is not over weight and his environment is clean and he has never been exposed to wire caging! The feet may become so infected that you will have no other choice but to put your rabbit down. Sore Hocks Average Cost . The common rabbit advice is to cull the rabbit and don’t use them for breeding. There are plenty of things you can do to minimize your rabbit’s risk of developing sore hocks, all of them much easier than dealing with a grumpy bunny who is in pain, and changing bandages. Treatment . If wire flooring is used in the cage, make sure it is smooth, nonabrasive, and sufficiently wide to prevent abrasions. Even when they are living in the wild, they maintain their living place with leaves and soft things. Sore hocks are something which any rabbit can get any time. Hi my rabbit has a little bit of fur rubbing away on one of his heels, I am worried about it worsening and turning into sore hocks. Anything that will affect a rabbit’s digitigrade locomotion making it move on its hock for instance or whatever disrupts the fur cushioning may be a triggering factor for ulcerative pododermatitis including poor conformation and posture. Prevention. After soaking its feet in the solution, apply an anti-bacterial cream and wrap the feet with bandages. He or she may also refuse to breed because of the pain and irritation. Replace bedding every other day. Layers of fleece or soft cotton can provide a good flooring. If you do not treat your rabbit’s sore hocks, your rabbit may stop eating as it is too painful to stand. make sure you clip them at least 1 a month or when ever needed. Sore hocks generally appear on the hind legs. Pododermatitis is a condition where the hind feet near the elbow area or hock of the rabbit begin to show signs of infection. Helping Sore Hocks. Sore hocks are a relatively common problem, especially in house rabbits. Wire-bottom cages are preferred by rabbit owners since they make clean-up much easier. If sore hocks are allowed to worsen and pressure sores develop, they are very difficult to treat and recurrence is common. Create good quality flooring and make sure it is clear and free of abrasive material. The rabbit books suggest that if a rabbitry has sore hocks, the fault is the rabbit — thin skin on the feet, lack of wool cover, or a genetic propensity toward inflammation in the foot zone. Pododermatitis in rabbits – sore hocks Disruption of the normal stance or locomotion in rabbits may lead to pressure sores on the base of the feet, known as pododermatitis. Sore Hock in rabbits: This is a condition that, in rabbits, is fairly common. Disruption of the normal stance or locomotion in rabbits may lead to pressure sores on the base of the feet, known as pododermatitis. Your rabbits hocks don’t look bad enough that he should go to the vet but I would personally take action to start healing them now before they get worse. Hello I have been using Aloe Vera Gel on Molly's sore hocks for around 2 months now, and although it soothes her skin and her skin isn't any worse for it, I'm not seeing any major improvement, ie I want to see fur re-growth and softer skin. • Sore hocks are common in rabbits housed on abrasive surfaces (wire, carpeting or Astroturf) or those that sit in soiled litter boxes or on soiled bedding. In rabbits with long nails the weight falls on the back of the foot resulting in sore hocks. Sore hocks can be very painful for your rabbit, and distressing for you to look at and treat. It usually caused by wire floored cages. Sore hocks is generally seen in rabbits being cared for by the inexperienced or those who just don’t care about their rabbit’s environment. The most common cause of sore hocks is wire-bottom cages. 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