Wounds, bite wounds – How to rabbit

Wound Treatment

Injuries sometimes occur when rabbits fight or play, and these wounds need to be treated appropriately.

Bite wounds are particularly common on the nose but can also affect the eyes, ears (especially in lop-eared rabbits), genital area, and other parts of the body. If bite wounds occur repeatedly, it is essential to reevaluate the group dynamics. Severe bite injuries are often seen in unneutered bucks, sometimes with fatal consequences. To prevent this, they should be separated immediately and neutered.

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Inspection and Cleaning

The wound should first be carefully inspected and thoroughly cleaned. Suitable cleaning solutions include saline, colloidal silver, diluted calendula essence, or lukewarm water for rinsing the wound. Larger foreign objects should be gently removed using tweezers or fingernails. However, if an object is deeply embedded (e.g., a piece of wood or a knife), it must only be removed by a veterinarian, as removal could trigger severe, life-threatening bleeding.

Once the wound has been cleaned, its severity can usually be assessed more accurately. Is the wound bleeding heavily? How deep is it?

When Should I Consult a Veterinarian?

When in doubt, always contact your veterinarian. The following types of wounds must be treated by a veterinarian:

Severely bleeding wounds

Fractures

Infected or pus-filled wounds

Wounds on or inside the eye

Deep wounds

When the general condition of the animal is affected

Wounds associated with or potentially linked to other conditions (e.g., flystrike, fungal infections, parasites, etc.)

Wounds that fail to heal

Wounds with large, dangling or detached skin flaps

Inflamed wounds

Wounds that require stitching

Bite Injury to the Testicle This is common in unneutered males and requires urgent veterinary attention.

Treatment

It is crucial to disinfect the wound. Suitable options include wound disinfectant sprays, colloidal silver, calendula essence, alcohol, etc. Disinfection should be repeated daily until the wound has healed.

Depending on the type of wound, ointments may also be beneficial. For example, Bepanthen Wound and Healing Ointment or Betaisodona are suitable, though the choice of ointment depends on the nature of the wound, as different ointments have varying effects. Consult your veterinarian or pharmacist to find a suitable ointment for the specific wound. Simple abrasions should be left to heal in the open air after disinfection, without the use of ointment.

Deeper or more severe wounds often require suturing under anesthesia. However, in some cases, tissue adhesive can be used instead of sutures. This eliminates the need for anesthesia, reduces scarring, and is well-tolerated. The rabbit in the photo on the right shows its nose one day after treatment with tissue adhesive, where it was nearly torn off.

Depending on the severity of the wound, antibiotics and pain relief may be necessary.

Attention!
If the wound is examined by a veterinarian who is not experienced with rabbits, make sure that the antibiotic prescribed is suitable for rabbits!

The following antibiotics (according to the PLACE rule) should never be given orally to rabbits. They may only be administered via injection after careful consideration in individual cases, with very clear information provided to the owner:

Penicillin (e.g., Procain-Penicillin-G…)

Lincomycin

Ampicillin, Amoxicillin (e.g., Duphamox, 10-20mg/kg once daily or Veracin RS 0.1ml/kg once daily)

Clindamycin, Cephalosporins (e.g., Convenia)

Erythromycin