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This Made me Think-Re Partially Sighted Bunnies

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper
I heard something today about a condition called Macular Degeneration (in humans). It leads to blindness and the gradual loss of sight can also trigger a condition called 'Charles Bonnet Syndrome' As vision deteriorates hallucinations occur. For example if you loose more sight in the right eye you may 'see' things that are not really there through that eye. The hallucinations can take on the form of people or animals or monsters !!

http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_rnib003641.hcsp

I wonder if such a phenomenom effects Rabbits and if it does it must be terrifying for them :cry:
 
That is a very interesting read.
What an awful condition to have. And i think even worse for animals because they would never have any understanding of it.

x
 
Thats very interesting Jane-lots of info on various eye conditions.
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I have a 10yr old Sooty, who has age related lens degeneration (which I believe is cataracts) on both eyes. She can see distances but is easily spooked by anything approaching her suddenly as her near vision is not so good. I see on other eye condition web sites they advise eating green vegetables like broccoli as being helpful to slow the onset of both cataracts and macular degeneration.

I will ask my vet about the possibility of vitamin supplements (if there are any suitable for rabbits?) helping her eye condition when she goes for her myxi inoculation later this month.

other advice for humans regarding cataracts is of no help to rabbits(-stop smoking, reduce alcohol consumption and wear sunglasses!) though I notice she doesn't like to be out in strong sunshine, and since reading that I will no longer encourage her to come out and play in the sun as it seems she knows best after all!

I believe rabbits with poor sight "scan" and I see that rapid eye movements can help disperse hallucinations in people with macular degeneration and perhaps that is what the rabbits are doing by "scanning"?

It could also explain aggressive or defensive behaviour in rabbits with poor sight depending on the images they have "seen"- If a rabbit hears your voice but has the image of a fox he would be very scared or he may have the image of another rabbit taking his food whereby he would be aggressive.

It certainly is an area for investigation. How do vets check if a rabbit has macular degeneration? It seems humans report visual problems but that wouldnt be so for a rabbit. Would it be prudent for owners of rabbits with behavioural problems to get their rabbits eyes tested ?-Sue:wave:
 
Would it be prudent for owners of rabbits with behavioural problems to get their rabbits eyes tested ?-Sue:wave:

Yes :) I have encountered aggression problems in some partially sighted Rabbits.
One of my Buns, Murphy, has lost part of his sight in his left eye due to EC induced Uveitis. The first symptom I noticed was that he suddenly kept going into total panic mode for no obvious reason :cry: He would charge about his enclosure in absolute terror :cry: I now wonder if he may have experienced the hallucinations :? :cry:
He has adjusted to his disability now, it took a good year for him to do so and he remains a nervous Bun. He just doesn't appear to have the 'panics' anymore.
 
an interesting article. i will ask toms mum a bit more about macular degeneration as she does have the condition(human form) tho in the early stages she has done a lot of research and helps at the human support group for it. x
 
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