gammy eyes - bathing question

Hi All

I have a white, pink-eyed, small giant breed, intact buck, house rabbit (open access cage in the kitchen for food and toileting).

I found him about 3 years ago (someone had chucked him out) so don't know his actual age.

I'm pretty sure he's knocking on a bit/ has booked a trip to watership down - last year he successfully had cancer removed from his hock. He doesn't pay as much attention to his appearance as he used to, and he's drinking more than usual.

Ever since we've had him he's had dodgy eyes on and off. The Vet thinks he has had previous surgery to tighten his lids but they still hang somewhat.

He's just been to the vets for gammy eyes (3 weeks ago), where they sedated him, flushed the tear ducts, filed his back teeth and de knotted his tummy. We have been using Fucithamic viscous eye drops as after care.

This is the first time he's needed his teeth filed.

I've upped his coarse greens, and got him a coarser hay to help with the teeth, and cut back his pellets to encourage the hay munching, but he's incredibly lazy and prefers to hang out in my bedroom sleeping - has no interest in going out in the garden.

His eyes are not pussy, but the fur is repeatedly damp either side of his nose and then dries, matted in hard clumps, and looks a bit sore. He does not have a runny nose.

I've been trying to clean the fur with cooled, boiled water (he's not happy) but I wondered if there is something better I could do to soften the clumps and kill any bacteria. (I think it's whiffy, but I do have a very strong sense of smell).

If he were a baby I would mix up a very weak solution of baby shampoo and bath around eyes and smear on some e45 or even soft white parafin - but he's a rabbit and I know they react differently from humans.

Any ideas gratefully received, we do love him dearly but there's only so many trips to the vets he can handle - he's pretty cross with me as it is.

Many thanks

Pepper Cambridge's mum

Ah poor old bunny. If you can get the area cleaned up, perhaps some warm water soaked cotton wool pads would soften the crust, you do need to be careful as rabbit skin is very delicate, I am sure it would be ok to protect the area and prevent further build up by applying some Vaseline, I have used it on bottoms at the vets instruction so I am confident it is safe. I know there is a cream to break down scabs ( I had it for my elderly horse) so I'd call the vets and ask if there is something like that for eye crust (!) Our elderly rabbit had a bit of the same problem and I found his fur came off as I cleaned him up so he looked a bit of a sight but it did grow back. Sudacrem is also excellent at protecting the skin but check its ok near the eyes. Good luck.

Cold black tea is really soothing for poorly bunny eyes.

thanks

Thanks for all your help guys, he's looking happier today - but we certainly aren't out of the "burrow" yet.

Mxx