-
Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
-
Please Note - Medical Advice
Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.
You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.
We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.
Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.
cloudy eye - U/D: saw specialist
- Thread starter vick
- Start date
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
Is it cloudy all over ?
Janex
Janex
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
It could be EC induced Uveitis
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rwf/articles/ecuniculi.htm
http://www.eyevet.info/uveitis.html
Cataracts are another possibility. Hopefully your Vet will be able to give a diffinitive diagnosis
Janex
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rwf/articles/ecuniculi.htm
http://www.eyevet.info/uveitis.html
Cataracts are another possibility. Hopefully your Vet will be able to give a diffinitive diagnosis
Janex
abbymarysmokey
Wise Old Thumper
Perhaps an ulcer?
vick
Alpha Buck
The news at the vets wasn't good at all. Harvey's 'good' eye now also has signs of cataracts although nowhere near as bad as the other. The vet seems to think it's a hereditary condition. I explained I thought it might be EC as he does have wobbly moments but he said it didn't look like that. I stood there waiting for him to prescribe something or offer us some hope but he said there's nothing that can be done so my poor little man is going to go blind.
I'm taking him to see the specialist we usually see next week (that's the earliest I could get him in) so hopefully he'll be able to do some tests - particularly for EC.
I don't mind travelling to another city to see a good vet but I find it really poor that there are no rabbit vets in Leicester.
I'm taking him to see the specialist we usually see next week (that's the earliest I could get him in) so hopefully he'll be able to do some tests - particularly for EC.
I don't mind travelling to another city to see a good vet but I find it really poor that there are no rabbit vets in Leicester.
abbymarysmokey
Wise Old Thumper
Hey, try not to worry 
Sooz is right, cataracts shouldn't bother your bunny, in fact you probably won't even notice any changes in him. Lots of rabbits start to lose their sight as they get older.
Just remember to keep his bowls and stuff in a familiar place, and don't move furniture around (if he's a house rabbit).
It can't hurt to put him on a course of Panacur, although I think EC cataracts are supposed to look like star bursts rather than proper opaque cataracts.
Amy
Sooz is right, cataracts shouldn't bother your bunny, in fact you probably won't even notice any changes in him. Lots of rabbits start to lose their sight as they get older.Just remember to keep his bowls and stuff in a familiar place, and don't move furniture around (if he's a house rabbit).
It can't hurt to put him on a course of Panacur, although I think EC cataracts are supposed to look like star bursts rather than proper opaque cataracts.
Amy
Hey, try not to worry
Just remember to keep his bowls and stuff in a familiar place, and don't move furniture around (if he's a house rabbit).
It can't hurt to put him on a course of Panacur, although I think EC cataracts are supposed to look like star bursts rather than proper opaque cataracts.
Amy
I have seen them covering the whole pupil in relation to EC but Im not sure how they started as it was an advanced case before treatment was received.
abbymarysmokey
Wise Old Thumper
I've done a bit of internet research about cataracts and the effects of EC on the eyes of rabbits:
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Eye_diseases/Disorder/cataract.pdf (Esther van Praag, Aug 2005)
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/Rabbit-cataract.htm (Dana Krempels 11 Sep 2007)
Note especially....
cataracts can be caused by many different things, from a parasite known as E. cuniculi (uncommon) to glaucoma (fairly common in rabbits).
Treatment for the former is usually a benzamidazole drug (we use fenbendazole, as it is the least toxic of the three commonly used versions), but since your bunny is already 14, I really doubt this would be the first sign of E. cuniculi infection in the absence of other signs. If the veterinary ophthalmologist is familiar with rabbits, then s/he will be able to tell you if the cataract lesions are consistent with E. cuniculi, which produce a cataract different from that generated by things like glaucoma.
http://www.uk-pet-rabbits.4t.com/about.html (A talk given by Molly Varga from Ashleigh Veterinary Practice 26 June 2003)
Note especially....
Eye OCULAR
The foetus is infected at birth. This is not particularly common.
Clinical Signs:
· Inflammation of the eye, leading to blindness
The organisms multiply in the eye eventually rupturing it.
Treatment - Unfortunately the prognosis is poor and often the best treatment is to remove the eye.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Eye_diseases/Disorder/cataract.pdf (Esther van Praag, Aug 2005)
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/Rabbit-cataract.htm (Dana Krempels 11 Sep 2007)
Note especially....
cataracts can be caused by many different things, from a parasite known as E. cuniculi (uncommon) to glaucoma (fairly common in rabbits).
Treatment for the former is usually a benzamidazole drug (we use fenbendazole, as it is the least toxic of the three commonly used versions), but since your bunny is already 14, I really doubt this would be the first sign of E. cuniculi infection in the absence of other signs. If the veterinary ophthalmologist is familiar with rabbits, then s/he will be able to tell you if the cataract lesions are consistent with E. cuniculi, which produce a cataract different from that generated by things like glaucoma.
http://www.uk-pet-rabbits.4t.com/about.html (A talk given by Molly Varga from Ashleigh Veterinary Practice 26 June 2003)
Note especially....
Eye OCULAR
The foetus is infected at birth. This is not particularly common.
Clinical Signs:
· Inflammation of the eye, leading to blindness
The organisms multiply in the eye eventually rupturing it.
Treatment - Unfortunately the prognosis is poor and often the best treatment is to remove the eye.
That's interesting - my perception is that EC cataracts are reasonably common :? Maybe EC is less prevalent in the USA, where Dana is? I've certainly heard of lots of cases over here - and ones where it is pretty much the only symptom. How quickly did the cataract appear? Again my perception would be that an EC cataract would come on much more suddenly than a glaucoma one. I don't mean to question Dana as I know she is a real expert, but I just wonder whether there are UK/US differences here?
Good luck with your bun, hope everything works out ok for you xx
Good luck with your bun, hope everything works out ok for you xx
bunny babe
Wise Old Thumper
Poor Harvey, I am sure he will cope well if this is the worst case scenario - animals do adapt very well. It is still very worrying for you though.
My sister had a rabbit when we were younger and he went blind in one eye after an infection and adapted very well and lived a good few years longer. I also had a dog who had to have her eye removed and she was brilliant after a couple of weeks.
You are very wise to get a second opinion from your expert though.
My sister had a rabbit when we were younger and he went blind in one eye after an infection and adapted very well and lived a good few years longer. I also had a dog who had to have her eye removed and she was brilliant after a couple of weeks.
You are very wise to get a second opinion from your expert though.
Lspacehopper
Wise Old Thumper
Did you know that there is a small animal expert at Chine House in Sileby?
abbymarysmokey
Wise Old Thumper
Are there any pictures of an EC cataract compared to glucoma? I will look myslef in the morning but too tired and tipsy now
I'm afraid I couldn't find any photos. Unfortunately most of the relevant research is in subscription-only science journals. I can't access them on my home PC, but will have a look when I go back to work in Jan.
FHB's book has a picture of an EC cararact, which does look different from an old-age related one (don't know about glaucoma tho'). The EC cataract is like a solid opaque white mass in only one area of the eye. The rest of the eye isn't cloudy at all.
FHB seems to think that EC gets into the eye before birth (before lens is fully formed), and the eye ruptures after birth. It doesn't say how long after birth, but I'm guessing whilst the rabbit is still relatively young. As Dana Krempels says...you wouldn't expect to see an EC cataract in an old rabbit.
Amy
abbymarysmokey
Wise Old Thumper
I dunno, but I doubt it would be that common. The chances of EC going to the brain are not high when you consider the number of rabbits who must be infected. :?
I think it's estimated that between 40 and 80 % of rabbits in the U.S. are infected with EC...much the same as here.
If infected in utero, I guess it could be the only symptom? I dunno
However in older rabbits, neurological signs would only show after the parasite had already affected the kidneys, so there should be other clinical symptoms (perhaps they went unnoticed?)
Yes, from what I've read, you're right. It could happen overnight.
Amy
One of my rabbits had a cloudy eye, a few months ago, he had a fight with one of my other rabbits, we took him to the vets and she said the retina had been scratched and a infection had set in, he was put on a course of antibiotics and eyedrops, and it healed up in about a week or so, it could be that your rabbit has.
I don't know if this will be of any help to you, but if the cloudiness has been caused by an infection or damage to the cornea, perhaps this picture of Floss's cloudy eye will give you a comparison. Hers was as a result of Nodular myxi and it cleared up completely with medication, though it took about 6 weeks. The cloudiness has totally gone but she has been left with two small areas damage.
Here it is about a week before it cleared up:
Here it is about a week before it cleared up:
Last edited:
vick
Alpha Buck
Thanks for all the replies. Harvey's doing fine at the moment, he's eating as normal and is quite perky in himself so I think he's adapting okay. Hopefully my vet will have more of an idea what has caused this on Wednesday.
This is Harvey's bad eye today:
It's completely cloudy in the pupil area. It doesn't look like a starburst. His other eye started off as a tiny white pinprick in the very centre of the pupil and the cloudiness has started to fill the pupil. This came on very quickly. It appeared from nowhere as his eyes were fine the day before. I noticed as we spend a lot of time cuddling on the sofa
This is Harvey's bad eye today:
It's completely cloudy in the pupil area. It doesn't look like a starburst. His other eye started off as a tiny white pinprick in the very centre of the pupil and the cloudiness has started to fill the pupil. This came on very quickly. It appeared from nowhere as his eyes were fine the day before. I noticed as we spend a lot of time cuddling on the sofa
