My rabbit has a cut on its arm. Is it infected? What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This depends on how deep it appears to be. If it is just a superficial scratch and it appears that the bleeding already resolved, you may continue to monitor it. If at some point a discharge develops and it appears to be getting infected, have him examined then. You may clean the area with soapy water. However, if it seems deep, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. It is hard to know for sure without being able to see it though I hope this is helpful. Good luck and have a good night!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is my pleasure to answer your question as well as possible. I will do my best to give you the clearest and most current information I can. If you need to follow up with further questions or need a more in-depth discussion, please do not hesitate to request a consultation and we can help you further. Cute bunny, and congratulations on your new family member. Yes, it is pretty common for bunnies to get eye infections but there are a number of different reasons for them. The most common of those include a blocked tear duct that would normal drain extra tears from the eye into the nose, an abrasion or scratch, or an E. Cuniculi infection. A blocked tear duct can be caused by something as simple as a dusty brand of hay to something as complex as a chronic tooth issue. In a bunny as young as yours the chronic condition is less likely. Unfortunately, the only good way to tell if there is a blockage is for a vet to stain the eye and see if the colored stain drains into the nose as it should. If it is blocked, the vet can flush it out. They could also get a very superficial look at the teeth to see if they appear normal. The vet would be likely to give you some medication to help the irritated skin in front of the eye heal faster as well, for now please keep that area as clean and dry as possible.

Hi, and thanks for your question. Even though a picture of the wound itself would help to understand better the underlying cause, this presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). An immediate check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing a picture of the cut it is hard to tell you what exactly you should do. If the cut is shallow and is less than 1 cm in size you could try to clean the area with a diluted chlorexidine or diluted iodine solution rinse and then apply triple antibiotic ointment. Use an e-collar to prevent licking. However, if the cut is deep or larger I recommend taking Rambo to a veterinarian as he may need antibiotics or sutures. Also, if you are concerned it is infected it would be a good idea to take Rambo to the vet regardless of if it is a small or large cut. Even smaller lacerations can develop severe infection so it's best to err on the side of caution.

Poor Sunny D! Pus and redness are common signs of infection, which may require treatment with oral antibiotics. Dilute chlorhexidine is okay to use on the wound, as well as silver sulfadiazene ointment. I would steer away from triple antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin, as rabbits can ingest these during grooming and result in gastrointestinal upset. From the picture, the wound appears to be closing, which is a good sign. I recommend monitoring the wound for another day or so, and having Sunny D seen by a vet if the discharge continues to get worse. Sunny D may also require some pain medication, that can only be prescribed by a vet. In the meantime, you can also get him a small E-collar or "cone" to prevent him from scratching the area. He may need the cone removed for a few hours while you supervise him closely in case he is not comfortable eating in it. I hope this helps and that Sunny D starts feeling better soon!

Hello, and thanks for your question. Ouch, poor Razz! From that photo it looks like Razz has a deep ulcerated wound that is likely infected. Razz should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as she likely needs to be put on antibiotics to treat that wound. I hope this helps and she feels better soon!

I am so sorry for the delay in answering your question. The best thing you can do for a wound at home is to keep it clean. Clean the cage out completely. Make sure there is soft, clean bedding in the cage at all times, which means you need to replace the bedding material daily while the sore is present. Most pharmacies will have Betadine. Get some water and add a few drops of butadiene so that it looks like tea. Then submerge the affected foot into the liquid. Try to keep it wet for a minute or so if he will tolerate it. Then gently pat it dry with a clean towel. You can take a picture and submit it with a question to the forum, and one of us can try to further advise you. Again the best thing you can do at this point is to be sure to keep it clean. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!