# Does my rabbit have sore hocks?



## pain3475 (Jul 18, 2013)

Hey guys...my previous rabbit died due to unknown causes but has never had this problem that my new one has. i bought another one the following day. This one is a dwarf rabbit too and shes only about 4 months old. Now i noticed for a while that shes had this small bald spot on the heel of her right foot. its not bleeding, its not really red, it doesn't seem to be swollen and it doesn't bother her when i touch it. I'm wondering what should i do...IF anything needs to be done at all. As you can see I DO NOT HAVE A WIRE CAGE... its solid and she runs around my room (which has carpet). The spot isn't as bad as it looks on camera. Its barely visible unless you look really close. I have only had her for about 2.5 weeks and Any help is greatly appreciated . Thank You


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## tonyshuman (Jul 18, 2013)

That's not a bad sore hock in my opinion. Many times, sore hocks happen due to bone structure (the way the bunny sits on its feet) and will happen on any surface. Long toenails can be a problem, so you might want to clip those to make sure that's not part of it. You could put a plastic or wire grate in the litterbox if she sits in there for long periods of time--sitting on dirty litter can irritate the skin. You may just have to put ointment on the hocks occasionally. What she has looks more like a callous anyway, so I wouldn't worry too much about it, but your instincts will be better than anything I can say because you're there and can see what's going on.
Here's some info on sore hocks
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Mechanical/Pod/Podo.htm


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## Bunnylova4eva (Jul 19, 2013)

Right now, it's important to concentrate on keeping it from getting any worse. I've found that getting some fleece to put down in the bottom on the cage really helps pad their feet. In addition, it's a good idea to provide lots of time in a bigger area so they aren't just sitting in one position. Not moving around a lot can cause this. Also, yes, keeping nails trimmed is a good idea. Another thing that can irritate those little fuzzy feet is a soiled cage or dirty litter box.


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## ladysown (Jul 19, 2013)

you might want to put a piece of carpet on the bottom on the cage to keep her from slipping around when hopping.

that looks like a structural problem with that bun.


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## kirbyultra (Jul 20, 2013)

In a small cage like that, just laying down even an old bath towel down for the bunny would be helpful to the beginnings of sore hocks. Anything to ease the pressure of the bunny feet.


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## RabbitGirl101 (Jul 20, 2013)

Those are very minor sore hocks. You can either put bunny balm, or neosporin(original) on the hock and that should help it heal. This is an article I found explaining how sore hocks are caused. 
"Improper flooring - Rabbits need soft, preferably malleable flooring that will mimic the natural texture of the earth as much as possible. Wire flooring that doesn't have sufficient support underneath is not appropriate, as it can cause the foot to bow unnaturally. (Wire flooring with proper support is all right as long as you have a clean litterbox and soft bedding on top of it.) Wood, tile, or linoleum flooring can also be problematic, as it doesn't allow the foot to bend the way it does when it's pushing off against earth or grass. Cages with slick plastic bottoms are especially bad for a bunny's feet and joints. Lack of traction can cause painful problems in the pelvic and pectoral joints, leading to arthritis, and even "splayleg."
An indoor rabbit needs soft cotton mats with rubber backing to provide enough traction for healthy locomotion.
Obesity - A rabbit with too much weight on her body will often not be able to stand correctly, and may put unnatural pressure on points of her feet that are not meant to support much weight. This can cause sores.
Arthritis or other skeletal problems - Pain from arthritis in the pelvis or spine--or skeletal pain for any other reason--can cause a rabbit to posture in an unnatural way, resulting in pressure on delicate points of the feet.
Insufficient fur padding on the feet - Any cause of fur loss on the soles of the feet (e.g., mange, friction from improper flooring, contact allergies etc.) will deprive the rabbit of the natural padding she needs to protect her feet. Rabbits have little or no fat padding on the bottoms of their feet; they rely almost exclusively on a thick pad of wool to protect them from impact and friction. (NOTE: Some rabbit breeds, particularly Rex rabbits, have very fine fur that doesn't hold up well to friction. These breeds seem particularly prone to sore hock problems.)"
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sorehocks.html


Also keep in mind in the "wild" rabbits nails would sink into the ground allowing the foot to rest evenly on the ground. If you have a solid floor this will make the rabbit walk on the back of the foot(hock area) which can lead to sore hocks. So you might want to put a natrual type of bedding in the cage. Or something like a towel, or resting pad (Pictured below) All of these things are inexpensive and will give your rabbit more traction than it has now. You can purchase a resting pad from bunnyrabbit.com for $3 or there is multiple other ways. The main thing right now is to get some traction into that cage.







Also wire cages do NOT always cause sore hocks in rabbits, if certain requirements are met. This is a good link to read- http://shinysatins.weebly.com/wire-floors.html 

Remember a wire cage is just as bad as a solid wood, tile, or linoleum floor. All types flooring have certain requirements to make it safe for your buns feet.

I have wire cages (14 gauge wire), and plastic grid type cages(they are slippery, and allow the foot to rest evenly, they are like a wire cage except its plastic and the holes are less than .5" x .5") My grandmothers house rabbit however got sore hocks so it also depends on your rabbit as well. Hope I've helped


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## RabbitGirl101 (Jul 20, 2013)

RabbitGirl101 said:


> Those are very minor sore hocks. You can either put bunny balm, or neosporin(original) on the hock and that should help it heal. This is an article I found explaining how sore hocks are caused.
> "Improper flooring - Rabbits need soft, preferably malleable flooring that will mimic the natural texture of the earth as much as possible. Wire flooring that doesn't have sufficient support underneath is not appropriate, as it can cause the foot to bow unnaturally. (Wire flooring with proper support is all right as long as you have a clean litterbox and soft bedding on top of it.) Wood, tile, or linoleum flooring can also be problematic, as it doesn't allow the foot to bend the way it does when it's pushing off against earth or grass. Cages with slick plastic bottoms are especially bad for a bunny's feet and joints. Lack of traction can cause painful problems in the pelvic and pectoral joints, leading to arthritis, and even "splayleg."
> An indoor rabbit needs soft cotton mats with rubber backing to provide enough traction for healthy locomotion.
> Obesity - A rabbit with too much weight on her body will often not be able to stand correctly, and may put unnatural pressure on points of her feet that are not meant to support much weight. This can cause sores.
> ...



OOP's!! I meant the plastic grid cages AREN'T slippery my goodness I typed this too fast, lol!


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## majorv (Jul 20, 2013)

I agree with tonyshuman and ladysown that this is more of a structural problem and looks more like a callous than a true sore hock. Regardless, you still need appropriate flooring/padding so it doesn't get worse. It's possible that she has a bone spur or other bone abnormality.


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