Corns on rabbits' paws - Treatment and prevention

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 22 January 2021
Update Date: 4 November 2024
Anonim
Sore Hocks (Pododermatitis)
Video: Sore Hocks (Pododermatitis)

Content

If you have a rabbit at home or if you are thinking of adopting one, this article by PeritoAnimal will be of interest to you. As responsible owners of these long-eared furry, you should get as much information as possible about their needs, problems, illnesses, among other things. Next, let's talk about one of the most common diseases in rabbits, especially those who spend a lot of time in their cages and in unsuitable conditions.

If you've ever seen that your rabbit's legs are peeling and have some sores, pay attention to what might be happening, what you can do to treat it, and how you can prevent it. We will explain everything about the corns on the paws of rabbits, treatment and prevention of these.


What are corns on rabbits' paws?

Calluses on the feet of rabbits are ulcers that occur on the soles of their four legs, but mainly on the hind legs. It is a bacterial infection called pododermatitis that occurs in corns that open and bleed. The specimens that suffer most from this infection are the adults of the heavy breeds and the rex breed, as they normally have very little hair on the soles of their feet. This disease is almost impossible to stop in advanced cases.

Rabbits that suffer from this infection suffer a lot from ulcers, as they are open wounds that bleed and that never close on their own. In addition, they lose weight little by little but steadily and weaken so much that they even lose fertility due to a physiological disorder since the body cannot cover all the effort of maintaining all the vital functions. The bacteria that cause it are very contagious among rabbits, so if we have more than one it will be essential to separate them and maintain safe hygiene.


What causes corns on rabbits' paws?

The cause of this disease is mainly the inadequate care of these animals.Due to the trauma caused by inadequate cage soil, the soles of rabbits' feet end up causing wounds that become contaminated with bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, giving rise to pododermatitis. Occasionally it can reach the bone and cause osteomyelitis and septicemia, which is quite painful for rabbits that suffer from it and therefore weaken more and stop moving. Occur in animals that spend too much time in their cage.

How to prevent this disease

Next, we'll explain a series of things to take into account in order to prevent the disease of the calluses on the paws in our rabbits:


  • To prevent calluses on rabbits' paws and all that that entails, we must make sure, above all, that the animal has the space suitable for its size and in which you can move calmly.
  • We must avoid any soil that hurts your feet of the rabbit such as metal and cement bars.
  • The hygiene of the house and the animal is essential to maintain good health for our rabbit. He must prevent moisture and dirt accumulation on the floor of the cage. So it is advisable to disinfect the cage twice a month with an iodinated solution or some similar product.
  • We have to try that our friend do not be overweight or obese, as this greatly increases the risk of getting this disease.
  • In general, in any rabbit's cage, it is recommended have a footrest, but especially in cages that inhabit heavy and rex breeds, as they are more likely to suffer from this disease. This footrest should be of a material that cannot be broken or they can eat it like polycarbonate.
  • The ideal is that, in addition, they have a base or straw bed move three times a week as it is a much softer and more pliable material that adapts perfectly to the rabbits' needs.
  • Whenever you take your rabbit out of the cage to run, play with it or give it a bath, you should check the areas of the body where problems and illnesses are easy to develop, so be sure to see the plants of the paws to notice any wound in time, detect the callus disease on the paws and be able to heal and save our partner in time.
  • We must let get out of the cage and exercise your paws playing, jumping and exploring the environment for an average of two hours a day. Thus, we were able to avoid pododermatitis.
  • We have to respect the periodic appointments at the veterinarian and follow the vaccination schedule of our rabbit.

How to Treat Calluses on Paws in a Rabbit?

To treat this disease effectively and save our partner, you must detect the problem in its early stages and not when it is too advanced. Also, we must follow these Steps to Treat Calluses on Paws:

  1. The first thing to do will be separate the affected rabbit from the rest that we have, since they could easily infect themselves with bacteria.
  2. Disinfect the cage and its environment.
  3. We should move our rabbit to a cage or an area with a softer ground for your paws, which we must clean frequently.
  4. It's very important to make sure you always have one. easy and convenient access to water and food, because that way we will be facilitating your recovery.
  5. The safest thing is that in the beginning the veterinarian will administer some antibiotic in injections or oral to perform a shock treatment against the disease.
  6. Also, for sure you will prescribe us anti-inflammatory to de-inflame the animal's paws and relieve its pain and, in turn, improve its general condition.
  7. We must clean the wounds with antiseptics also prescribed by the veterinarian.
  8. We must treat the wounds with antibiotic and healing ointments that are prescribed by our veterinarian.
  9. We must keep both the animal and its environment as clean as possible.
  10. In the face of the slightest sign of worsening, we must return to the veterinarian.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.