My rabbit has a sore and hair is falling off. Does it need a vet?

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!

A photo may better help us evaluate Lucy. Rabbits have very thin skin and it is easy for them to get what is called a "degloving" injury where the skin tears and pulls away exposing the underlying tissue. If this is the case, and the skin itself is ripped open, then Lucy needs and exam at a veterinarian for wound care.

This is most likely Scabies (a mite infestation), this can become much more severe than that, i recommend taking him to the vet ASAP, he will need an injection of ivermectin (3 times one week apart), this should resolve the problem within 2-4 weeks.

It sounds like Wagner has an abscess, the best thing to do is to take him to the vet to have this cleaned out, antibiotics and daily cleaning are usually necessary. There is a chance that this could be some sort of infected tumour, but the abscess is usually more common.

Oh gosh! I am so sorry to hear this! Rabbits should not be given any over the counter pain medication- it can be fatal to them. Do you have hair or beard clippers? #40 blade is best but a 10 will do the job. Put her in a dim room but enough light for you to see what you are doing. Clip/shave all the hair around the wounds. Use warm water to compress and clean the wounds. If you have the opportunity to have her evaluated by a veterinarian that would be ideal. Sometimes equine veterinarians will help with the rabbits too . Getting the fur off can really help decrease the chance of infection as well as allows you to see what is going on and if it is improving or getting worse. Keep her indoors so flies can’t get to the wound. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It could be infection or inflammation. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, water bottle and hides. Replace the bedding and clean daily to keep the cage as dry as possible. If Sosow is licking or chewing at his leg, you will need to place a small e-collar (cone) on him and have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits to diagnose and treat infection or inflammation.

If the wound will not heal or grows larger, then she should be physically examined by your veterinarian. A fungal culture would be needed to diagnose ringworm infection. If you see her licking or chewing, use an e-collar. Keep her nails trimmed to prevent trauma from excessive scratching. You can clean the area with a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution daily. Dry thoroughly afterwards.