How to Treat Pododermatitis (Sore Hocks) in Rabbits

1 Treating Rabbit Pododermatitis

One: Causes of rabbit pododermatitis. 1. Uneven flooring or improper cage materials with sharp edges or wires scrape the soles of the rabbit’s feet. 2. Failure to clean up droppings keeps the cage floor wet, causing inflammation of the foot pads.

Two: Symptoms. Early pododermatitis causes hair loss and red, swollen skin on the soles, which progresses to sores, ulcers, and oozing blood or lymph. Scabs form and spread, with increasing discharge.

When a rabbit develops sore hocks, it constantly shifts weight between its legs; to an observer it may look like the rabbit is dancing. Don’t ignore this—check the soles immediately if you see it. Severe cases cause loss of appetite, weight loss, and can be fatal.

Three: Treatment. Pododermatitis takes a long time to heal and tends to recur; treatment is simple but requires patience. Main methods:

1. First remove all hard skin and remaining hair around the sore, disinfect with iodine, then apply an adhesive bandage. For mild cases this heals in about 20 days; severe cases take longer and need repeated applications.

2. In early stages, apply lime water (mix lime and water 1:2). Reapply once 3–4 days after the first application. This works only for early symptoms, not mid-to-late stages.

3. Pine-resin ointment (Yusongjing) is very effective and side-effect-free for rabbit skin inflammation; it kills bacteria and improves circulation, aiding granulation and epithelial tissue. Clean the wound, remove dead tissue, rinse, then apply a layer of the ointment. Usually two applications cure it. In summer, reapply every 5 days; in winter, every 7 days.

4. Similar to method 1, but without removing the scab and hair first: apply iodine directly to the sore, let it dry, then apply erythromycin ointment and wrap with adhesive tape. Cover all infected areas but not too tightly, to avoid hindering healing.

A gentle reminder: pododermatitis takes a long time to heal and the rabbit endures prolonged pain, so prevention is best. It is easy to prevent—just keep the cage dry and clean with a flat, comfortable floor. That’s all for this share; we hope your rabbit stays healthy!