Rabbit Toe

Question
Hi!
Two days ago, I noticed that my 3 mo/old Holland lop doe had a problem
with
her toe. The nail was gone, and the skin from around the toe! There was bone
exposed!! Some dried blood was clotted on it, but it wasn't bleeding. My vet
was closed, so I went to a different one yesterday. They prescribed an oral
antibiotic (enrofloxacin) and I have an appointment in one week for a
combination spay/toe amputation. My mom, however, objects to my
spending 400 dollars (of my own money - I'm going to have to work to pay
her back) on a free rabbit. She feels that the toe isn't hurting her or affecting
her ability to walk, eat, or play, so it doesn't need amputation. What is your
opinion on this?
Also, how do you think such an injury could have happened? I think she
caught it in the cage, but that seems implausible because that cage has
housed rabbits before with no problems. Also, I found no blood anywhere! I
mean, a nail clipped too close to the quick bleeds immensely, and I can't
imagine how much an injured toe would! I guess if she spent hours until it
stopped bleeding sitting in her litter box, which would absorb the blood, or
maybe licked it all up, it would hide the injury? But that is also very
implausible. Do you have any ideas to what could have happened?
Thank you!
Kaela

Answer
Hi Kaela,

There are really two issues in your question so I will address each separately.

First the nail.  We have had exactly the same thing happen here.  One of our rabbits (he is one of two that survived the hurricanes and was evecuated) is a special needs that has curved femurs.  Due to the shape of his legs, he gets his feet stuck on things all the time....many times the wire sides of his cage.  In fact, just happened a few minutes ago.  Most likely your little girl just broke the nail somehow.  It can happen if she is on a wire floor...or it can get caught in something like carpet or an A/C floor vent if she runs around the house.  This can happen easily if the nails aren't trimmed regularly...but it's not uncommon for it to happen even with trimmed nails.  With a rabbit, there technically isn't a nail...what appears to be a nail is actually an extension of the toe.  So in reality, she has a broken toe.  In this case, unless there is a huge abscess with necrotic tissue....which doesn't seem to be the case, I don't think I would amputate.  That is not an easy surgery for either the doctor or the rabbit.  I don't have a problem with the Baytril.  Just watch her poops since antibiotics can upset the GI in hind gut fermenters like rabbits.  Normally I suggest offering a probiotic, Bene Bac is one that comes to mind....to help stabilize the good bacteria in the digestive system.  Baytril is also very nasty tasting and should be flavored to take the edge off.  We also usually do a topical on the injury just as a back up.  A good topical is Silver Sulfadiazine...aka SSD.  It is a cream/salve used with humans that suffer severe burns.  It is soothing and helps prevent an infection.  If your vet offers holistic medicine, we have had success with using a topical known as Golden Yellow.  Keep a watch on the toe for any possible infection.  I am not a vet so this is a non-professional opinion based on your comments....but unless the injury becomes massively infected, I don't think I would amputate.  I suggest talking to your vet and find out exactly why he/she feels amputation is necessary.  There may be a very good reason for the suggestion of amputation...but I would have to be convinced.

Next is the spay.  We wholeheartedly endorse getting all rabbits spayed/neutered.  Studies have shown that unspayed does are very prone to endometriosis and uterine cancer.  They can also experience a very stressful event known as a pseudo-pregnancy.  Basically the hormones go crazy and she will think she is pregnant.  She will even build a nest.  She will be very high strung and may become aggressive.  She will do everything except deliver kits.  We allow the event to run it's course when we have unspayed females...and to help with stress, we provide them with nesting material and a nest box.  A spay will prevent all of these undesirable events.  However, a spay is a very intense and invasive surgery.  General thinking is that a spay should not be done before she is 6 months old unless there is a serious medical reason for doing so.  Males can be done as soon as the testicles descend...usually about 3 months.  Our experience with spays lead us to insist on laser surgery.  While there is debate in the vet community, we have probably seen more spays than most vets see rabbits in their careers.  Laser results in a cleaner incision that heals faster and has less chance of a secondary infection.  We do not allow external sutures.  There are internal self dissolving sutures but the final close is by surgical glue.  Laser also limits blood loss during the procedure.  We have never had any problem with laser protocols.  Some vets do not have this capability...but we wouldn't have it any other way.  We also insist on aggressive pain meds.  Generally our girls get narcotics for up to 5 days post op.  By using these protocols, most of our girls are eating again within hours....and eating is something that you really want to see happen as soon after the surgery as possible.  Do not remove food the night before.  Many of the front desk people will tell you that...either out of habit or lack of education.  We do remove pellets about 2 hours before the surgery but they will have access to hay and water at all times.  We have had some rabbits eating hay as they started getting the anesthesia.

But to directly answer your question, in my non-professional opinion, I would not amputate the toe unless there was a severe infection that could spread.  And I would postpone the spay until she is 6 months old.

Randy