Injured rabbit, torn skin. (Graphic pic)

[RoseFell Farms]

That's great news, I'll trim and leave her. Will aspen wood chips be okay for bedding? Right now she is using paper towels but She's fairly big and will probably make a mess quickly...

 

[elevan]

I would put paper towels (or a regular towel) over the chips to try to keep them from getting into the wound if you want to use the chips. It's tough with an animal that is so low to the ground. Or maybe get some puppy training pads instead? You got to keep the wound clean, but to do that you also have to keep the pen clean...of course that was much easier for me with a horse...

 

[RoseFell Farms]

She has napkins right now as bedding, at least until I get some puppy pads. She ate and drank, decided that she did not need the water bowl which I offered so she picked it up and dumped it. She's acting fairly normal, I would have thought that it would have affected her more, I'm glad it doesn't. It's still not staying closed at all nor is it really showing signs of scabbing or healing. I know it's early, I'm just being impatient and a worry wort aren't I? Please say yes!

 

[elevan]

Unfortunately with this type of injury it will gape open. Make sure you contact your vet for a wound spray in the morning. They act as a barrier against infection. The wound is going to heal with a pretty noticeable scar due to the gaping. It's not likely to show signs of scabbing for a while yet. As long as it doesn't look infected, I wouldn't worry (too much anyway)

 

[tortoise]

I'm not convinced about scarring. I've seen a similar size skin tear (no tissue damage underneath) heal with no treatment and no scar. I did ask my vet about it - he said its fine leave it alone. But he's also my rabbit-hating fiance. So I asked my rabbit vet and she agreed.

Can you get her onto a wire bottom? And bedding that is absorbant will stick to the wound. Blood will clot to the bedding, and when is it cleaned or pulled off it will bleed all over again. Much better for it to be left alone.

It's not a bloody wound so you won't see a lot of clotting. Scabbing will take longer also without the blood. The scab will be a yellowish/orangey/red. What you'll see is a scab around the edge of the wound - like a donut - and it the hole will shrink from the outside in.

Be patient, it will take time. Check once a day for pus. No pus = no problem.

 

[DianeS]

To keep that wound area clean, you are going to be cleaning her cage every day - maybe twice a day or even more - until it scabs over. So use whatever bedding you're willing to clean and discard that often. A wire bottomed cage, puppy training pads, etc. Something easy.

When you said the skin was "folded over" I pictured a cut that was two sides of a triangle and the skin was flapping loose. The straight(ish) cut you have definately does not need to be stitched.

 

[RoseFell Farms]

Thanks again everyone!

The cut is now starting to scab and she's back to mostly her normal self.