Plantar decubitus ulcers in rats and rabbits

A high incidence of plantar decubitus ulcers, 35% in males and 22 or 45% in females, respectively, occurred in rats of two carcinogenicity studies independent of the bedding used, hard or soft wood chips. Among rabbits kept in chrome-plated wire cages, about 2-year-old female breeders suffered from the plantar ulcers, but not their male partners of the same age group. The causes of the foot disease appear to be manifold, however, in our cases the lesions could be prevented in both species by housing on a cage floor made from flattened stainless wire.