Rabbits have a unique hindlimb anatomy with long tibia and fibula bones attached to a strong femur at one end and the tarsus (also known as the hock) at the other end. The tarsus then attaches to the bones in the rabbit’s foot. However, this and their distinctive gait put them at risk of pododermatitis – or “sore hocks”: a much more serious condition than it sounds. 

Rabbit hocks – what are they and how do they work? 

The hock in rabbits is designed to propel the rabbit when they move with their ‘hopping’ gait. The hock is equivalent to the human ankle but works differently in rabbits. The hock is often in contact with the ground when they are stationary or moving slowly, so it can be used to propel them forwards should they need to move away from something quickly and also gives them long feet to balance on when they are feeding and interacting with others. 

Pododermatitis – what’s that? 

Pododermatitis is the technical name for hock sores. Hock sores occur when the area of skin overlying the hock becomes damaged. These sores are similar to pressure sores in humans and can occur anywhere along the base of the foot, although commonly occur over the hock. 

What causes hock sores? 

Hock sores occur when too much pressure is applied over the hock area causing the skin to become damaged. They can also occur when the skin overlying the hock is on rough or solid surfaces that damage the skin barrier when they are in contact with it for too long. 

What can be done to prevent hock sores? 

Prevention is always better than cure and thankfully there are a number of things you can do to prevent hock sores in rabbits. 

1) The surface your rabbit is on is very important  

For outdoor rabbits this ideally should be grass or turf. This soft surface allows their claws to get a good grip and keep their foot flat and straight when they are on the ground. This ensures their weight is evenly distributed across the foot and reduces the risk of extra pressure being applied over the hock area. The soft surface of grass is also ideal cushioning for the skin as its soft and compliant. For indoor rabbits, carpet can be quite abrasive so is not an ideal surface for them to walk on, instead try and use veterinary bedding/fleece or similar textured material that they can grip but is soft and cushioned under their feet. For both indoor and outdoor rabbits avoiding housing them on surfaces that are hard, rough, or course, as these can all lead to pressure sores and abrasions to the hock area. 

2) Monitor your rabbit’s weight  

Overweight rabbits are much more prone to hock sores. This is because the extra weight they are carrying transfers as extra pressure on their hocks and results in increased risk of pressure sores in this area. Feeding your rabbit an appropriate diet and ensuring they get adequate exercise is an important part of preventing hock sores and ensuring they maintain a healthy weight.  

3) Trim your rabbit’s nails  

Overgrown nails can change the position of a rabbit’s foot when it’s on the ground, forcing more weight to go backwards over the hock and increase the risk of hock sores. For this reason, it is important to ensure you regularly trim your rabbits’ claws so their foot is kept in a healthy position with their weight evenly distributed.  

4) Ensure your rabbits accommodation is kept clean  

Build up of waste material, particularly urine and faeces in the rabbit’s accommodation leads to a moist damp environment which can cause irritation and sores over your rabbit’s hocks. It is important to ensure your rabbits’ environment is kept clean and dry and they have access to a large amount of good quality bedding to cushion the surfaces they are walking on. 

How do I recognise hock sores? 

Hock sores start off small and can then progress to large debilitating sores quite quickly if unnoticed, so it is important to examine your rabbits hocks every day. The underside of your rabbits foot should normally be covered in fur. There is often a very small bald patch, but this is not normally more than a few mm in size and should stay exactly the same size and shape. It is important to know what is normal for your rabbit, how much fur coverage and the thickness of the fur that is normal for them. This then makes it easier to spot changes to this or shortening of the fur which can be the first sign of sores.  

Signs of hock sores include: 

Early signs 

– loss of fur on the base of the foot 
– thinning fur/broken fur over the base of the foot 

Later signs 

– colour change to the skin on the base of the food, often pink or red colour 
– swelling over the base of the foot 

– wounds or ulcerations on the base of the foot 
– any discomfort from your rabbit when touching the base of the foot 

What should you do if you notice any potential signs of hock sores? 

If you notice any signs of hock sores in your pet rabbit it is important to get them examined by your veterinary surgeon as soon as possible. Ideally, we want to pick up hock sores early on and change the rabbit’s environment to prevent them getting worse, so do not delay in getting your rabbit seen if you have any concerns that the base of their foot does not look normal. 

How are hock sores treated? 

Treatment for hock sores in rabbits depends on the severity of the hock sore. A scoring system may be used by your vet to assess how severe the hock sore is and also monitor progress during treatment. For very mild hock sores where there are small changes to the fur only changing the environment may be enough to prevent the hock sore getting worse. This includes ensuring the environment and flooring your rabbit are on are appropriate. It will also be important to do a full health check on your rabbit to check they are an appropriate weight and do not have any other underlying health conditions which are causing them to move around less and put more weight through their hocks.  

For more severe hock sores where the skin layer has been damaged, and in the worst cases abscess or infection has formed, more intense treatment will be required in addition to changing the environment and checking for underlying health issues as described above. Depending on the severity of the lesions this treatment may include pain medication, daily wound care, and antibiotics. Every case is different so your rabbit will have a tailored treatment plan to follow.   

You can read more about hock sores in rabbits here: 

Sore Hocks – Rabbit Welfare  
Sore Hocks in Rabbits: Causes and Treatmetn – Oxbow Animal Health  

Summary: 

  • Hock sores are a common problem in pet rabbits  
  • Preventing hock sores is much better than treating them 
  • Preventing hock sores includes making sure the substrate your rabbit stands on is appropriate, managing their weight, clipping their nails and ensuring good standards of hygiene  
  • Hock sores are painful for rabbits and rabbits feet should be checked daily so any interventions can be made early in the disease process to prevent further suffering 
  • If you suspect your rabbit may be showing signs of having hock sores it is important to get them examined by your veterinary surgeon as soon as possible