# Pregnant doe ripped out a nail - I am an IDIOT!! ><



## trcarlton (Jun 8, 2012)

Ok, so this is kind of a question and kind of a vent...against myself! I have a doe that should kindle on the 20th. I have NOT been able to feel any soft marbles, kicks, or any other indication to confirm that she really is pregnant. The breeding was successful, but so far these are stealth kits. So I've read from multiple folks here that a surefire way to confirm pregnancy is to put the doe back with the buck, under CLOSE supervision, and see how she reacts. I WILL NEVER DO THIS AGAIN!!!!!!! Horrible experience. The doe immediately started growling and bit the buck, who ignored her to try and mount her, so I had a hand on each, trying to pull the doe back out and away from him while pinning him to the hutch floor. I finally got her back into her own hutch, went back to close and lock the buck's door, and saw blood on his resting mat...uh oh. I thought maybe that was from where she bit him on his side, but no, nothing there. Halfway freaked out, I rushed back to my doe, and her hutch looks like a bloodbath. There are splatters of blood everywhere, she's still cussing (probably at me), and licking vigorously at her left front foot, which is steadily dripping blood. I pick her up to look at the damage, and one of her nails is GONE >< I bring her in the house, consider quickstop (styptic powder), but I can't get through the fur to get at the toe, and by now the bleeding has stopped, just hasn't dried yet. So...use the powder and piss her off further, or put her back in her hutch with padding on the floor (flat wood, etc) to give her poor foot a break? I opted for the padding in the hutch. I'm so frustrated with myself that I let my stupid newbie impatience override common sense. Next time I will just freaking wait for her kindling date. Has anyone else had an experience with a rabbit that ripped it's nail out? Is there any at home preventive measures I should take to help prevent infection, or any symptoms I should watch for? Thanks!


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## terri9630 (Jun 8, 2012)

Anything you put on it she will lick off.  Just leave her to clean it and keep an eye on it just incase of infection.


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## DianeS (Jun 8, 2012)

I've never had a rabbit that ripped a toenail out, but it's happened to my dogs and cats before. LOTS of blood, but it doesn't cause any actual damage. The nail will grow back. In the meantime, keep the footing in her hutch clean. If it were me, I'd either leave it at plain wire that you've scrubbed clean, or use something like cardboard that you change out every day. That's what was prescribed for my pets in the past, and it's always worked without further intervention. 

Feel the pads of the foot every couple days for a while, to be sure it doesn't feel hot - resting the foot on the back of your hand is a good way to check the temp. If there is infection it is likely to be noticably warmer on the part of the foot missing the nail than on the rest of the foot. If it feels warmer, then you can annoy the rabbit by poking and prodding for a better look. 

For a newbie mistake, that one was pretty tiny. Don't beat yourself up about it.


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## manybirds (Jun 8, 2012)

There's not much you can do for the nail other than keep her cage clean and spray it with bluecoat or veterex or some healing spray. i never put doe's back in with the buck, it dosn't really work. some prego doe's will accept the buck and end up prego in both lobes of the euterus and there for have 2 batches at 2 different stages of developement, the premature litter will gererally be born prematureally at the time the first litter is born. it also causes stress some not prego does won't accept the buck making you think she is prego when she really isn't. palpating is how i do it, once u know how to do it its easy. i just squeeze the stomach until i can almost feel my fingers on the other side and run my fingers up and down feeling for lumps. feel a not prego doe before you do it on a prego doe so u know what to look for. i've never hurt a doe or kit doing this and its effective. hope your doe's ok


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## trcarlton (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks so much for the info, terri9630, DianeS and manybirds - putting the doe back in with the buck is definitely not a technique I will try again. I keep checking on her, and she seems to be doing ok, slight blood stain left on her fur, and she's grumbling a lot (NOT that I blame her, poor girl), but seems fine otherwise. I keep giving her little bits of chemical-free dandelion leaves by way of apology lol She's eating and grooming herself, just muttering a lot. I will keep checking on her foot to make sure there's no abnormal heat. In the meantime I've got a larger clean piece of plywood in there so she can rest her feet as much as possible. I don't think keeping it clean will be too much issue; she was litterbox trained before moving out to the raised outdoor hutch, and she has continued to keep her hutch tidy on her own  Thanks again everyone; I will keep you all updated!


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## Bunnylady (Jun 9, 2012)

What I really hate, is when I take a rabbit out to trim its claws, it struggles, snags a claw in my shirt, and breaks it off. That gets blood all over me, of course, but for Heaven's sakes! I'm trimming the claws to try to _prevent_ discomfort from claw problems, and_ this_ happens!

My rabbits have broken claws when all alone in their own cages. Sometimes there will be blood everywhere to clue me in to the situation, sometimes not. There have been many times that I was trimming claws, and found one broken off with no prior sign that there was anything wrong. I have been prepping a rabbit for show, and suddenly became aware that there was a broken claw issue (if the rabbit's claw is so short that you can't tell what color it is, that's a DQ)


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## secuono (Jun 9, 2012)

Putting a doe back in the buck's cage is NOT a sure fire way to check for pregnancy, if anything, it is very dangerous for the doe.
Because if she is pregnant and accepts another mating, she can become pregnant in the other uterine horn. 
That, in itself, can either kill the 1st litter, 2nd litter, both litters or even the doe herself! 

Don't worry about the toe, just try and keep all rabbit nails short and let any bleeding nails heal on their own. Unless you start to see limping, infection or the rabbit licking it too often, then no worries, it will heal in time.

For people who can't trim nails, get a sock, sweater sleeve or other bag to put the rabbit in. Kind of like a tattoo bag, place rabbit in, pull one foot out and trim.
You can also try "tracing" them on their backs and get them used to having their feet handled in this position. 

I either flop them on their backs in a trance or hold them like a football under my arm, head under arm for back feet. Head tucked down between my legs and arm over eyes for front feet.


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## trcarlton (Jun 9, 2012)

I've been keeping their nails trimmed; I'm pretty sure it was ripped off when I had to slide her with one arm across the hutch floor toward me, while pinning the buck with my other arm. To trim their nails, I put them on their backs in my lap. Ugh, live and learn lol She has been moving normally, and hasn't been growling and grumbling today, so Im just keeping close watch on her foot.


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