Corneal ulcers not healing-- help please

Hello,
Anyone have experience of corneal ulcers very slow to heal? In particular about treatments, eye meds etc? I've read the posts but haven't found full answers.

Bandit is being treated for corneal ulcers. He is 9+ , very fragile, gets very stressed by interventions and vet visits and we don't think GA is an option.

It started with one eye being red 2 May. Treatment with Tiacil started 6 May, both eyes then had white gloopy material. Vet then additionally gave Baytril 8 May onwards. After treatment for 9 days, eyes appeared clear, we stopped meds, and within 4 days eyes both bad again. Vet re-started treatment

Later after my vet consulted another more experienced in rabbits we went on to Fucithalmic and Septrin (10 June). He said to treat for 6 weeks minimum and we are not there yet. But Bandit flinches when we put Fucithalmic in eye and we are trying for 4times/day but can't always manage-- usually 3. Does it hurt? Is it important to do it frequently?

Bandit is on Metacam and Panacur for on-going E cuniculi. We can't rule out tooth problems without xrays which we cannot do without GA. Vet is aware of EC but did not think ulcers were from EC.

If it doesn't clear vet said a colleague experienced in opthalmic stuff could do a debridement of cornea under local anaesthetic. But Bandit is obviously in discomfort-- keeeps his eyes mostly closed-- he is almost entirely blind anyway. Surely a debridement would be agonising?

Despite the pain he must be in fromthe corneal ulcers Bandit is still well enough to run eagerly to us for his food and run around his grazing orral and pester his mate Rose (also on Panacur and metacam.)

We are desperate, as we don't know how long it is fair to keep him going through all this.

Thank you all for this very good forum. Shebunkin

My Brother's dog recently had an operation to treat a corneal ulcer as it wouldn't heal. I know that prior to the op, she was having different medication in the eye every 2 hours :shock:. One was like a temporary 'contact lense' which helped to protect the shield the eye. Eventually, they had to operate to form a graft over the ulcer.

He went to a specialist opthalmic vets somewhere in Bedfordshire. I'll try to find out the name of it and maybe your vet can give them a call.

My Brother's dog went to Davies Veterinary Specialists for her corneal ulcer (www.vetspecialists.co.uk). They're based in Higham Gobion in Bedfordshire. Might be worth your vet giving them a call?

Ill be watching the replys here as my lad is to go in tomorrow for the debridement. He is having it with a local as a general wasent an option with him.
Sounds quiute similer, my boy had red inflamed eyes with white pus, was put on teh tiacil then changes to fucithalmic.
He is on the Fucithalmic twice a day...he hasent ever shown any pain/ discomfert from the drops. He is quit young though, about 6 months.

oh just remebered, my vet did say somthing about the ulcer and that it could cause some pain, maybe thats why your rabbit dislikes drops on it?

corneal ulcers and debridement

Thanks for replies.
Unfortunately Bandit can't travel any distance, or undergo general anaesthetic...
Good luck Vee-jay.
How long has the bunny had the eye problems-- and is it in both eyes like Bandit ? Apart from Tiacil and Fucithalmic did they prescribe antibiotics?
Hope the debridement goes OK-- please keep us posted.
Shebunkin

thanks shebunkin.
We first noticed the inflamation and pus coming out of his eye at 8 days old and we have been treating him ever since. One eye is just white and he is completely blind in that one. The other just has a white patch, he can see a bit out of this eye and we are hoping the debridement helps him a bit more.
Dont think the vet ever gave him antibiotics over than that which is in the tiacil drops for his eye.
He did get some later on when he had his EC episodes.

Our 9 year old Summer had on going ulcer problems for many months. She tried a range of eye treatments and had an op to score away the surface of the eye. None of which worked. Eventually she had her eye removed, all has healed well and she has never been happier

A specialist did mention yeast infections and to take a culture, but Summers eye was so bad again at this point we went straight fro removal as she was in so much pain.

ok, just to say my little one is back home now from his debridement.
He seems good, jumping about. The eye seemed a little sore when I put in the Fucithalmic drops but other than that he is fine.
Cost £33 for the actual debridement but together with the other stuff and some visco tears (to lubricate the eye) was £66.
So at the moment he is on fucithalmic drops twice a day and the visco tears 3+ everyday. he has a check up appointment next week.

corneal debridement-- how is bunny doing now?

Hope the bunny is feeling better now after debridement. The Eye vet told us Friday our Bandit was too old and frail to undergo that procedure. She cut down the drops to one Fucithalmic per day and continue Septrin twice a day to prevent infection getting a grip in the eyes. She said she didn't think he was in a lot of pain-- he's on Metacam once a day. Nothing else can be done it seems. Bandit is happy not to have so many eyedrops. But there was a bit of white gloop today.
So hard toknow what to do for the best. Good luck with your little one Vee Jay. Shebunkin

aww, its a shame to hear about your bandit
but he sounds like he is happy, im sure he dosent mind that much
Shaun is doing ok so far, he got a check up on wednesday.