Weepy eyes - what does tear duct flushing involve?

Daisy has had slightly weepy eyes on and off for quite a while, can anyone suggest what might be wrong? My vet keeps saying that it's only slight and isn't a problem but I'm sure rabbits shouldn't have any eye discharge :?

She was diagnosed with conjunctivitis ages ago, had fucithalmic drops which cleared it up, then a week or two later her eyes were weepy again. This pattern has repeated itself three or four times now - weepy eyes, fucithalmic drops, all ok for a while, weepy eyes again.

Our vet said she may need her tear ducts flushing, but the next time he saw her said it wasn't necessary :?

Camera charger has disappeared so I can't post a picture at the moment, but basically she has a small wet patch under one eye, plus some white ish discharge from both eyes. It comes and goes.

Any ideas?

Has the Vet checked to see if the ducts are draining ?
This involves putting a green dye into the eyes and seeing if it runs down Bun's nostrils. If it doesn't that indicates that the ducts are blocked. This can be due to a plug of pus stuck in the duct, thickened tissue in the duct (caused by previous infections) or elongated tooth roots. Elongated tooth roots can only be diagnosed from skull radiographs.

Thanks Jane :wave:

Daisy had xrays taken during her abscess operation, which revealed no teeth problems (which I think is why the vet has kept repeating that her eyes aren't a problem).

I'll request an eye duct test asap to see if there is a blockage.

BTW - what does having them flushed involve? Is it done under GA?

:wave: One of my bunnies has had it done conscious - he is very placid. The vet said they could not have done any more if he had been under GA as he was that good.

Worth asking your vet if they can do it like that before putting under GA.

Edit - just a further thought...........are you giving your bunny dust free hay if it is something that is recurring and it is not a problem with teeth. I took hay out of the bed for a while and put it just in the hay basket and not had a problem since. Also if you use sawdust in the letter tray it could be dusty.

Thanks :wave:

Daisy sleeps on vetbed and a dog matress bed, so no hay to irritate her eyes at night. She has megazorb and hay from Dust Free Hay in her trays, plus treat hay (Burn's Green Oat Hay usually). Don't think any of that is dusty :?

Hmmmmm. Don't know what else it could be - unless she's allergic to the cats? :shock: Let's hope not as she's a house bun with 3 cat friends!

Vets tomorrow I think.

giantbunnymummy said:

Thanks Jane :wave:

Daisy had xrays taken during her abscess operation, which revealed no teeth problems (which I think is why the vet has kept repeating that her eyes aren't a problem).

I'll request an eye duct test asap to see if there is a blockage.

BTW - what does having them flushed involve? Is it done under GA?

Click to expand...

My bunny has had it done under GA but more recently had his tear ducts flushed whilst awake. A LA was dropped into his eyes and when this had taken effect a tiny cannula was inserted down his eye duct.....he didn't blink an eyelid (excuse the pun). She then flushed through with liquid which in turn made him sneeze out the gunk causing the blockage. A good option rather than a GA but only suitable for bunnies that are use to being handled and don't get stressed at the vets.

hi

www.hoppybunnyrabbit.com follows our trips to vets etc and has pics of eye problem.

Angel was rescued with a sticky eye. she was sorted by rescue came to live with us about 4 month later angels eye start to discharge (all told in our book not just a rabbit) anyway long story short... she had drops injections and so on. it kept clearing up then re starting then going. But eventually it was sticky all time and her temper was breaking.
We were told its prob through high rooted teeth.
we went back to our rabbit vet (she opened a vets) that was going to make drain to save flushing and meds but when she examined angel to make drain she done eye dye test and then took x-ray (had some previous) she saw that angels tear duct had shut down all together and we MUST NEVER get her tear duct flushed again or it will kill her due to being over flushed in past. (she was having eye flushed every week then every other day for few months then every few weeks)
Her eye problem is due to dental disease her right teeth are very high rooted and presses on her duct but they are so high in her skull that they cant remove them either.
We put her drops in twice day and although some days it is runny others its pretty good.

I would def find out with dye test thing but dont worry too much as long as buns hoppy its more we feel worried than what they do. Angel says her eye doesn't really bother her just feels a bit gritty now and then (she talks to animal communicator I met)
Not trying to scare you with flushing just dont over do it. It is brill when its first gets done hers used to stay unsticky for weeks but then it got to point where it did nowt much for her.
They put numbing stuff into eye then insert little tube into tear duct and squirt sterile water through intill it comes out of buns nose then they keep squirting untill it flows freely with no white guk, if it will ours never got totally flushed through so she had to get it done under ga inbetween wake flushes.
Bun like sneezes it out as it must feel funny then they will put antibiotiv baytril through the tube and thats that all done. my rabbit vet done it with me in the room. Most vets will as you can calm bun and they shouldn't have anything to hide.