my rabbit has a swollen toe

Question
hi, I noticed that my rabbit has a swollen toe (at the back of the toe). I noticed it when she constantly licking her toe and when I checked it, it looks swollen and red in color. I tried to touch it but she won't let me and I think there's hardened skin on the side. But she runs normally, doesn't mind the swollen toe. What should i do?

Answer
Hi Katrina,

Without being able to see the toe, it's hard for me to know exactly what's going on.  If she injured it, she could now have an abcess.  Does the toe feel warm/hot to the touch?  That's often a sign of abcess/infection and she would need an antibiotic from the vet to treat that.  This time of year, bot flies are incredible common and often lay their eggs in the soft tissues of a rabbit's toes, neck area, or testicles if it's a male.  You would see a small hole in the toe if this was the case, and would see the larva moving around inside the toe (gross I know!)  The larva can be removed by pouring mineral oil over the hole, essentially smothering and drowning it.  When it pops it's head out of the hole trying to get air you can grab it with tweezers and then clean the area well with soapy water.  If the toenail that goes along with that toe is sort of sticking up in the air higher than the other toenails, that often means that she has broken that toe which can happen if it gets caught on the wire of her cage.  If a toe gets broken, it will often swell and get red and bumpy too.  Your best option is to have your vet take a look, but you can also wait a few days and see if it improves without intervention as long as it doesn't seem to be causing her a huge amount of pain.  If it causes her so much pain that she quits eating and drinking though, you'll want to have her seen right away. Once in a while a bunny will get an injury just like us, and after a few days it begins to heal on it's own.  Best wishes!