Rabbit superficial wound repair

Question
Hello again Dr. Krempels,

Thanks again for the quick response.  I used the alcohol and witch hazel since I didn't have any betadyne handy.  I'll try to grab some this week, I work at a hospital anyway.  I'll have to get some superglue from the store.  Should I continue the alcohol and/or witch hazel until I can get betadyne?

I have exams on friday so I'll likely not have time to run to the store or take the rabbit to the vet.  Does this sound like something that would turn into something really bad by friday or saturday?

I had planned on getting the second one spayed eventually.  The funny thing is the one that is already spayed was the aggressor (Shelly) both times.  Shelly tends to nip at Shadow's flank from time to time.  This began sometime after the first fight.  We've been using a squirt bottle of water to deter them from doing things they shouldn't like go in each other's cages.  

Thanks for your time,

-C

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Followup To

Question -
I have two female rabbits, one spayed and the other not.  I've had them for about maybe 3 months.  They got into a fight about a month ago and one bit a tiny piece of the others ear off during a scuffle.  It healed fine.  They got into another fight today and one pulled a 3cm x 1cm section of fur off the inside of the other's left hind leg.  I disinfected the site with alcohol and witch hazel and the bleeding is minimal.  I also applied some neosporin to the site as well.  The skin on the site is relatively clear and I can see a few blood vessels underneath.  Should I take the rabbit to the animal hospital?

Answer -
Dear Charles,

If the injury is relatively small, you may be able to carefully fix it yourself.  But DO NOT use alcohol and witch hazel for disinfectant!  They sting like the dickens, and are not as effective as a dilute solution of povidone iodine.

Here's what to do, if the wound is superficial, and just in the skin:

1.  Wash the area thoroughly with dilute Betadine (povidone iodine) solution on a clean cottonball, and pat dry with clean gauze or cotton ball.  Make sure *all* dirt, fur, etc. are out of the wound.

2.  With *extreme* care, clip away the fur from the edges of the wound.  If you cannot do this without cutting the rabbit, then get her to the vet.

3.  Take a clean wooden toothpick and a small tube of super glue *gel*.  With the tip of the toothpick, spread an *extremely* thin layer of gel glue on the *edge of the skin* of one side of the wound.  DO NOT GET GLUE ON THE UNDERLYING TISSUE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

4.  Very carefully, tack the edges of the wound together, and hold for a few seconds to be sure it's sealed.  

5.  Rinse again with dilute betadine, but not too roughly, as you don't want to reopen the wound.

Super glue was first developed as surgical glue.  It's only later that it was marketed in hardware stores!  :)

But if the wound is deep or involves underlying tissue, get bunny to a good rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

You'll need to find one anyway.  Get the girls spayed, and then you will have better luck and bonding them so they no longer fight:

http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-a=00062824-sp00000000&sp-q=bonding

Good luck

Dana


Answer
Hi, Charles

It will be too late to glue the wound shut after a day or so.    Just keep an eye on it.  I would not use any more alcohol or witch hazel, but try to keep it clean and moist so it will granulate in and heal on its own.  If it's only a small cut, this will happen quickly.

Good luck, and do bring home that Betadine.  No bunny home should be without it!  :)

Dana