Rabbit foot

Advice pls. Not sure if it's sore hock or a callus I've read about online.. It seems to have scabbed over. It's not effecting the rabbit in anyway, But is there any cream or treatment I cud get to help clear it up pls. Thanks

Hello!  If something has scabbed over with a real 'scab' (that is, clotted dried blood gone hard) then it sounds as though there has been - and may still be - a wound, which may be healing nicely or may be infected. Whatever you are looking at however, it is very common for owners to say that abnormalities are not bothering the rabbit - and with good reason.  Rabbits have evolved not to show outward signs of pain whenever they can avoid it.  This makes good sense:  imagine being a fox looking for a victim to stalk or chase.  You'd be much likely to pick the weaker looking rabbit - ie the one that is limping (showing leg pain) or hunched up (abdominal pain).  It is therefore a survival advantage to rabbits not to show obvious outer signs of pain or illness as their normal behavioural repertoire. For years vets didn't understand this, but now that we do, tests have revealed that rabbits still suffer pain - it is simply harder for us to recognise it.  Therefore, skin pain in rabbits is commonly overlooked. For this reason we would strongly advise showing this lesion to a vet to be assessed. Besides the pain, it is important to check for infection and for the underlying cause eg bumblefoot, in which rabbits put excessive pressure on the wrong part of the foot, leading to infection. This can come about as a result of arthritis. A phone call to your vet to book in or for triage therefore sounds to be a good idea.

Following on from my lecture about pain in rabbits, every rabbit owner should therefore be aware that if every a rabbit does look as though it is in pain, it probably can no longer mask it and there is good chance that it would be an emergency.

Ah!  The picture has just come through.   Sores to the soles of the feet often occur because of issues between the foot and the flooring or, if undetected arthritis is present, the leg and the flooring.    They are often chronic (ongoing) and therefore are worth treating early.  A good thickness of bedding can help to prevent problems of this nature but many factors can be involved, for example urine changing the acidity of the wound, arthritis issues changing the way a rabbit bears weight etc and, as discussed, rabbits showing such signs are likely to be in pain.  Please do see your vet.