We have two rabbits (nurses). A rabbit's leg is completely bald and she picks and licks it a lot. We have been to the vet twice but he doesn't know. They don't think about pododermatitis or a mite. Metacam and antibiotics (doxycycline) do not help.
We do have an artificial Christmas tree and Chatgpt says it could be because of the chemicals. Someone else says it could be due to stress. Does anyone have an idea?
by kastjenaardemuur
10 Comments
Urine scald?
How often is her litter box cleaned? Like the other use said it could be urine scald. Also make sure she has a soft surface to walk on. We use plush carpet / fleece blankets!
Please, I’m begging you, don’t use ChatGPT for medical advice. LLMs make up stuff a lot. Chemicals from an artificial Christmas tree would hurt a bunny’s foot? That’s some imagination. Also, LLMs mix up information and are not reliable sources.
Is there a vet that specialises in rabbits somewhere nearby?
I know there are already questions in this thread that’ll help you with looking for answers. This could be a fungal infection or extra irritated sore hocks, or something completely different. If you can’t contact a vet, there’s many factors you need to consider before you can be sure about what’s happening.
Fingers crossed for your bunny. Once you know what’s wrong, I hope that her healing process will go smoothly ❤️
ETA: I recommend you post this on r/rabbits if you haven’t already. They have fantastic resources about bunnies.
ETA 2: WabbitWiki is a good resource too and I think r/rabbits link it anyway when you ask about something.
I recommend their Discord server. I cannot stress enough how supportive everyone is there and how they helped me with my questions about my bunnies’ health issues. Not diagnosing them, but giving suggestions before I saw the vet. Plus, they have extra resources linked to WabbitWiki.
Jesus Christ that’s bad. Take your rabbit to an exotic specialist.
Something has rubbed their fur completely away and your bun is going to be in so much pain. Consider wrapping the foot in a loose bandage that you change *daily*. This helped with sore hocks for one of ours, but holy shit this is the worst I’ve seen in ages.
A decent vet. Asap.
This could be any number of things but urine scold or constant rough surface could do this. Trim the nails then spray something like anasep or blu coat on the foots and make sure they have a way to rest their feet. Tell us about your setup
Fuck chatGPT. God. What is the enclosure like?
Rabbits evolved to handle desert conditions. Their bodies conserve water. The waste products in their urine are more concentrated than in many other animals and can cause chemical burns to their feet if they spend time in urine soaked areas. This is called urine scald. It can cause painful skin inflammation and open the way to infections. A topical over the counter antibiotic like Neosporin rubbed onto the feet is what has helped my rabbits heal from this condition. Arrange the box so they are not exposed to urine.
I rescued a rabbit with bald feet and it was due to her living on chicken wire. The vet doesn’t have knowledge of rabbits if their first questions weren’t flooring. I’m glad you are taking them in, shows you want to do right thing. Do you have some soft blankets to put in the enclosure? Carpet scraps? Something soft. A box with soft bedding to use as a toilet? I’m happy to help ask any questions you like. Here is my rabbits living quarters.
https://preview.redd.it/rnjip7m6h67g1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a5307d6996fcb592186da3b49a2fada57b658ec
I would say get rid of the tree if she was fine before you got it and this Started after you got the tree I believe.
Also try to give her foot a gentle rinse.