Rabbit Disease: Sore hocks

The medical term for sore hocks is pododermatitis. Sore hocks as it is commonly called start off as pressure sores that affect the underside of both hind feet of a rabbit. These pressure sores may vary in how they look from bare skin on the point of the hocks to inflamed, ulcerated, bleeding, infected swollen lumps with pus. In severe cases, the infection can extend deep to the underlying bones and tendons, resulting in permanent disability.

Sore hocks can be a painful condition and can cause lameness in rabbits. It is a disease that can developed secondary to trauma from keeping rabbits on wired/soft/slippery/hard surfaces or on dirty/damp bedding. Conformational or physical abnormalities such as in pregnant, overweight, underweight, or giant rabbit breeds as well as repeated "thumping" of the hind legs, hind leg injury or arthritis, soiling of the feet with diarrhea or urine can also predispose rabbits to sock hocks.

Sore hocks can be a very difficult problem to treat in rabbits. Treatment is aimed in providing suitable bedding such as a dry lawn, deep bed of hay, thick towels, foam rubber, bandaging and medicating the lesions. In very severe cases, amputation or even euthanasia may be indicated.