What is this on his foot?

SherryB · #1 07/31/13, 07:25 AM

I have hopefully included a photo here... first time trying to add a photo here. Anyway, my buck has a bump on his front foot. I just noticed it today although it could have been there before. I don't think so though because I pick him up and love on him for a few minutes every morning. The bump isn't an open wound and he doesn't mind for me to touch it so I don't think it's sore. No blood, etc. It's hard to the touch and reminds me a little of a wart but it's really hard and doesn't really move around.

Anybody know what it is and how I should treat it? If needed, I can take him to the vet although if I can treat it myself I'd rather avoid the vet bill.

d'vash · #2 07/31/13, 08:04 AM

I say it's a wart.

More on bumps, lumps and skin conditions in rabbits: http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-9/skin.html

GraceAlice · #3 07/31/13, 08:04 AM

Maybe sore hocks? This is a problem rabbits get when their claws are not trimmed, they live on wire (not a problem unless the actual rabbit has bad feet), or your individual rabbit has thin fur on his feet.

Try putting olive oil on it. I just read about this today. The lady who wrote it (mod on another site) said that it has healing properties and won't hurt him at all if he licks it off.

I can't exactly tell where on the foot it is with the pic...

SherryB · #4 07/31/13, 03:32 PM

It's on the top of his foot near his toes. So, I don't think it's sore hocks... I will look at Golden Affinity's link too.

SherryB · #5 08/01/13, 07:22 PM

Hoping some other people might give input. It's now grown at least twice as big. The location is on the top of his front paw right where the toenail joins to the foot. What if it bursts open?

**mygoat** · #6 08/01/13, 08:07 PM

If it's growing fast, I would bet an abscess. If it comes to a head (gets a thin white spot) you can lance it, or let it burst. I usually open it up quite well, then spray it out with a spray bottle of vanodine, chlorhexidine, mild iodine etc. They usually heal right up on their own once the gunk comes out. I had a doe with a bad mastitis abscess. The good thing about them is that they're not painful. Rabbit abscess contents are usually thick and/or hard. When I was cleaning out the rabbit mastitis abscess, I cut out a chunk and realized after the fact that I gave her a mastectomy, lol. Tissue was dead - no bleeding - she didn't even flinch the whole time. I'm always amazed at how fast abscesses heal after lancing - within a week it was a little line (this was a BIG abscess), and a week after that she had hair growing back in. She's now back in show shape, lol. I'll have to make sure her litters aren't very big minus a mammary, but she should be able to raise small/medium litters still just fine.

If it DOESN'T get better you *could* take him to a vet. Me, I'd breed him to a few does and keep a son or find another buck if it doesn't get better. Not worth it to me to pay vet bills when it's treatable at home or avoidable altogether by culling and replacing.

d'vash · #7 08/02/13, 09:10 AM

My Goat, an abscess wouldn't be hard, would it?