# Wound cleaning help-ASAP please



## Amy27 (Apr 10, 2009)

Hey guys the Little Bunny has a wound on her chest kind of close to her chin, mouth area so I don't want to flush it with Betadine becuase I don't want to get it close to her mouth or freak her out. It appears to be a really small skin scrap. Would it work if I put the Betadine on a cotton ball and then put it on the wound? Do I still need to dilute the Betadine? Then I was going to put triple antibotic ointment on it. The antibotic ointment I got has Bacitracin zinc, Neomycin sulfate and Polymyxin in it, is that ok? 

I will come post more details once I get it cleaned. Thanks for your help.


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## Leaf (Apr 10, 2009)

Others can give more detailed advice than I can, but kudos to you for going with betadine rather than peroxide! I wish I saw more people go that route.


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## Amy27 (Apr 10, 2009)

Thanks Jessica. I have learned that from being here on the boards or I probably wouldn't have known better. 

I went ahead and cleaned it with diluted betadine and just used a cottonball and then put that antibiotic ointment on it. But if someone could let me know if that sounds ok. 

Now my issue is trying to figure out how this happened. It is basically a spot on her where the hair is missing, has been completely pulled out. The hair around that is short, like it was cut clean. In the middle of it all is a small scab. I am not sure how long ago this happened becuase it is in her chin fold, not a place I would normally see. 

I tried to look around for a ball of the hair but couldn't find anything. Do you think this could be a bite? I can't imagine Chase biting her through 2 gates but I don't know what else could have happened. If Chase bit her would the hair around it look like it was cut? The whole hairless area is about the size of a nickel. I tried to get a picture but I didn't get a good one. 

I guess the good thing is she is on antibiotics for the bordetella. I would imagine that antibiotic would take care of any infections right? 

Thanks guys


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## pamnock (Apr 10, 2009)

*Amy27 wrote: *


> I guess the good thing is she is on antibiotics for the bordetella. I would imagine that antibiotic would take care of any infections right?



Some bacteria are only sensitive to certain antibiotics. 

For example, my daughter got an infection after a recent surgery. She was being treated with antibiotics, but the infection was not clearing up. It turned out that the infection was being caused by 2 different bacterias and one of them wasn't responding to the antibiotic she was prescribed.

Pam


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## Amy27 (Apr 10, 2009)

Ok I decided to try and post the pictures to see what you guys think. 












Also, how many times a day for how many days should I clean the wound?


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## Amy27 (Apr 10, 2009)

Thanks Pam. Hopefully with the oral antibiotic and the topical on I am putting on, one of them will keep an infection away. 

I found the Little Bunnies hair. It was upstairs so it definatly wasn't from Chase as they are never up there together. It had to have happened Wed. as she wasn't up there today or yesterday. It was in the middle of the floor not near anything. So that only leaves 2 options. She either scratch at it which wouldn't really make sense because the hair is shorter around it like it was cut or one of the cats did it. Which has never happened in the 4 years I have had the rabbits and the cats. I hate when I don't know the answer to something.


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## aurora369 (Apr 10, 2009)

Betadine is safe if it is ingested. I was advised by my vet to use betadine to clean Zeke's genital injury after the stitches gone and his collar was off. He said it was better than an antibiotic ointment as the ointment is not the greatest for the bunny's to ingest.

I would put straight betadine on a cotton ball and dab on the wound. I would probably do this twice a day until the wound is healed.

Betadine has a good ability to penetrate the skin and keep the wound clean all the way through.

--Dawn


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## pamnock (Apr 10, 2009)

Saline eyewash is an excellent wound cleanser that doesn't impede healing. I'd rinse, put on a tiny amount of antibiotic ointment.



Pam


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## tonyshuman (Apr 12, 2009)

Yep, Betadine and that antibiotic ointment are good. I'd wash it twice a day.


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## Amy27 (Apr 13, 2009)

Thank you guys for your help. 

aurora do you know how bad the antibiotic ointment is if they eat it? I have caught the Little Bunny trying to lick it after I put it on. I feel like I can get more of that on then the Betadine just because of where it is at and I can feel with my finger with the antibiotic ointment to make sure I am in the right spot since I can't seem to get her in a position to see it really well to use the Betadine. I need more hands lol. I am trying to distract her after I put it on and hope she forgets about it. 

I also wanted to post this just as a warning. I have been watching the Little Bunny to see if she is getting in to anything to try and figure out how she hurt herself. She is housed in a NIC cage and it is latched with a hook type thing about an inch long. I can't think of the name of the hooks but it is the kind people will use to hook keys to their pants. Well I caught her trying to stick her head between the two doors where the hook is and because the hook is about an inch long she can move the doors apart about an inch and she tried to stick her head in there. It was her way of saying I am ready to come out and play but very scary. I have been zip tying it every night until I can find something to latch it with that doesn't have any give to it. If her head got stuck I am sure she would struggle until she broke her neck. So be careful if you lock your NIC cages with something that allows them to move the two panels you are locking together. If this doesn't make sense and someone wants to see pictures let me know and I will take them.


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## aurora369 (Apr 13, 2009)

I don't know. I don't think it's that bad for them. I just know my vet suggested using betadine over the antibiotic cream once Zeke's e-collar came off.

For the door, could you try using two or three clips? One clip in the middle, and one on the top of each panel to hold it to the cage.

--Dawn


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## Amy27 (Apr 13, 2009)

Thanks for responding so fast aurora. Maybe I will switch back and forth between the antibiotic ointment and Betadine. One in the morning and one in the afternoon so she isn't getting as much if she does lick it. It seems to be healing well and looks good so far. 

I acutally have 4 clips on the door but since they are the same size she can pull it apart enough to get her little head in there. Makes me wonder if she did get her neck stuck and maybe got the wound from a zip tye on there trying to get her head out. I have seen her do it several times in the last couple days. I think I am going to have to find a clip that is about 1/4 an inch long so she can't do that. Until then I will zip tye it at night. I have a ton of zip ties left over from when I made it a few months ago.


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## Maureen Las (Apr 14, 2009)

Hi Amy 

What's happening !!


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## Amy27 (Apr 19, 2009)

I know, I just can't get a break. But it could be a lot worse. There are a lot of things to be thankful for right now, like still having Chase here with me. 

It is scary how fast and easy a bunny can get sick. I would have never, ever, ever, imaged you could have to spend this much money on a rabbit.


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## Maureen Las (Apr 19, 2009)

is little bunny OK? :expressionless


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## Amy27 (Apr 20, 2009)

Yes, she is doing well with the wound and the bordetella. She is actually doing better then I thought she would. She is a mean little thing but has been handling everything really well and being very good when it is time for her meds. Thanks for asking.


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## Maureen Las (Apr 20, 2009)

*Amy27 wrote: *


> Yes, she is doing well with the wound and the bordetella. She is actually doing better then I thought she would. She is a mean little thing but has been handling everything really well and being very good when it is time for her meds. Thanks for asking.



"she ismean little thing " LOL 

Don't you hate it when they are like that and you are wearing yourself out trying to help them! :grumpy:


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## myheart (Apr 20, 2009)

*Amy27 wrote: *


> ...I think I am going to have to find a clip that is about 1/4 an inch long so she can't do that. Until then I will zip tye it at night. I have a ton of zip ties left over from when I made it a few months ago.



Amy, I know you can pick up other size latch-hooks at any hardware store. I know I saw them a Ace Hardware and at Fleet Farm. The smaller you go, the less they cost. The size you are thinking of would probably be only .75 to $1.00 a piece. I use thehooks that came with the exercise pens for Andy's cage and there is no give at all (not sure of the size though...).

myheart


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## Amy27 (Apr 20, 2009)

OMGosh Janet, I have an exercise pen that has two latches to hold the door on that I don't even use. I never even thought of looking around my house. Thanks for the great idea, now I don't even have to go out and buy more. 

Angieluv, I glad you found that funny. She is so little that you think she is this nice bunny until she grunts at you like she is going to take your arm off. She had some health problems right after I got her and got her spayed so I think she is kind of use to getting meds. She is actually nicer when I give her the meds then she is when I try and pet her.


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