Blind bunnies-- do they keep eyes half closed?

Please can I ask if other blind bunnies hold eyes half closed? I am worried about discomfort. Bandit's eyes are no longer wide open, except when we pick him up for treatment and he is scared.

He is 9 years old and completely blind now. He has dense cataracts and for past 4 months corneal ulcers. These are getting a bit smaller, but he now has a right eyelid which is red and has bumpy bits around the edge which look like Meibomian cysts.

The eye specialist thought he was too frail for treatment-- she did all the standard tests and didn't find anything obvious that could be treated without a GA which we want to avoid.

He is on longtem Panacur for E.c. and Metacam, and once a day Fucithalmic drops and twice a day Septrin. The vet thought it was best to continue to treat, since the right eye started out with an infection which flares up now and then.

I also tried a week of alternating homeopathic Euphrasia and Hepar Sulph several times a day-- no apparent improvement.

Those of you who have blind bunnies-- do they have half closed eyes? Or does it sound to you like Bandit is closing his eyes due to discomfort? The right eye is more closed than the left. He is a white Netherland dwarf cross, has always been light sensitive, and the cataracts developed over the past two or so years.

We love him so much-- he is active -- doesn't seem much bothered by his blindness, and loves his mate Rose who is very sweet to him--- but we don't want him to be in chronic pain and don't know what, if anything, more or different to do. Or just carry on???

He gets terribly stressed by vet visits, and runs the risk of infection, as it is not always very clean at the surgery, but we can't travel further due to his travel stress. Wondering whether to see the eye specialist one last time...

I keep searching this site, reading any new posts on eye conditions, dental problems, Ec, etc and have searched Meibomian cysts on the internet looking for answers, and have already asked advice here and got some helpful answers. But we are wondering how long we should go on.

Anyone have similar experiences?

Shebunkin

No advice sorry, but hope someone with a similar experience or knowledge can help you out soon. Good luck x

Shaun my blind bunny keeps both his blind eyes open. He has never reallly suffered any discomfort from his eyes. I dont know though if closing the eyes would indicate pain or not..
Hope your little one gets better.

It sounds as though the eyes are causing him pain.

Has your Vet suggested using artificial tears to try to keep the eye lubricated ? These can be administered every couple of hours during the day and then Lacri-Lube can be applied at night.

http://www.mistrys.co.uk/lacrilube-eye-ointment-lubricant-p-3046.html


Also, Fucithalmic can be used three times a day in severe cases.

IMO pain in his eyes is the most likely reason that your Bun is constantly squinting. I would give the Vet a call today to discuss his treatment.

What dose of Metacam is he on ?

Any other half closed eyes? thank you for replies--UD

Hello again--

We saw the opthalmic vet on 2 July. We were afraid Bandit wouldn't last long at that point, but he is still going strong.
Details of Opthalm exam:
pressure OK: L 12, R 9
Used Fluorescein – which then appeared at both nostrils.
R : large central corneal ulcer--- L : smaller central and 4 pinpoints at periphery
She said they were very superficial ulcers not affecting lens or optic chamber. Cause unknown—she thought it must have been damage to eye or trauma, ‘though they are bilateral. ---However, eye problems definitely started with red right eye, a day after a visit to vet when table not clean—(my query—started with infection?) But she said she thought low immune system meant infection could have come from anywhere and thought his corneal ulcers were not caused by infection, not Ec, not eyelid hairs, not dry eye (tear production was normal in both eyes normal)
His pupils did respond to light but I think she confirmed that he had little or no sight—cause not certain—thought something might be happening inside the eye.
Changes in R lid possibly Meibomian cysts.
As he is stressed by handling and vet intervention and GA to be avoided if possible she concluded palliative treatment to continue: Septrin 1 ml twice a day, Metacam 5 drops once a day—(he is 1.65 kg) We are continuing Panacur for him and his mate since he got hind leg parlysis after tooth rasp 4 March 2010.( Both buns now have fully normal mobility after Panacur and Metacam)
She said eye lubricant would slow healing of ulcers, said Fucithamic once a day to keep any infection at bay. She said to maintain safe environment and avoid dust. Said eyes look comfortable not angry.

Occasionally he gets white goop in R eye, and I give a second Fucithamic treatment in that eye ony. The L eye is not inflamed, and is held slightly more open than Right eye.

Vet gave me a Fluorescein dip paper which I used in both eyes recently-- the L eye ulcer is very much smaller now, the R is also smaller.

I will try to attach some photos if I can manage photo bucket.

The vet surgery said I could email photos to eye vet and speak to her on phone. IF she could do something under a very short GA maybe it would be worth the risk.

(Unfortunately she was one of the ones with visible animal hairs on exam table-- I now take a sheet of clean plastic if I have to take a bun in!)
Advice or experience/ observations of other blind buns very appreciated.
Thank you for this terrific forum. Shebunkin

Sounds like his eyes are painful. Have you tried splitting the metacam dose to 2x daily?
I know you said there's no entropion, but could the meibomian lumps, be caused by eyelashes growing out of the glands, and these are rubbing the cornea, so Bandit has worked out to only partially open his eyes in an attempt to stop it being so sore.

half closed eyes

Thank you Vee Jay Pretty Lupin and all for replies.
Jack's Jane I hope I clarified with the details. I am struggling with the photos and will try to post.

Thank you Mudgy for the suggestion about Metacam— have you done this successfully?
I had read the discussion on Metacam on this forum and understand that rabbits need and tolerate higher doses of metacam than dogs and cats as they clear it from their systems quickly. For that reason I had tried for a short time giving him full dose twice a day , because I was so concerned about discomfort. But when I asked the vet she said that for Metacam to be effective it had to be full dose as related to body weight—ie splitting the full dose into two would make both ineffective. .And giving the full amount twice a day amount would be harmful long term so I stopped. When I was doing the double dose he didn’t appear any different—eyes still partly closed. The eyelashes don’t seem to be involved with the Meibomian cysts—I will look again and also try to get the photos on.
I have looked back at previous photos and the half closed eyes have definitely developed over the time since he had the first eye problem in early May. Also the R eyelid is definitely more bumpy since June photos.

Any other advice very much appreciated. This forum has been a lifeline for support and advice since I joined--Thank you all--Shebunkin

trying to post photos

Left eye is better. First photo shows L eye.

More coming.

R eye

another of R eye

R eye on a 'gloopy' day

when he is running about

Poor lad
Shauns eyes arnt much better than his...actually one is worse. Shuans ulcers seem to stick out a little more.

ETA, he actually looks a bit like shaun :lol:

He getsabout Ok, just a bit tentative sometimes

Bandit runs where he know the terrain, grazes avidly in the grass corral,
chases Rose and sprays her, runs eagerly when food is offered-- in other words seems to still enjoy life!!



Shebunkin

oooh

Aw-- he looks a bit like Bandit?
Vee Jay, does Shawn keep his eyes half closed? Is he on Metacam like Bandit?
Do you think they are in discomfort? Thanks, Shebunkin

Bandit is very lovely
Yes, my vet prescribes Dog metacam at a dose of, 0.2mls per kilo, twice a day. I dont know how that relates to the five drops you give Bandit, as I don't understand the drop measurement.
Has your vet ever used the short acting anaesthetic eye drops whilst examining Bandits eyes? I guess if she did, and he was then able to open his eyes fully, you'd know for sure whether his reluctance to keep them open was due to pain.
In the picture where you've used fluorescein, it really does look like the lump in the lower lid is irritating the ulcer.

shebunkin said:

Aw-- he looks a bit like Bandit?
Vee Jay, does Shawn keep his eyes half closed? Is he on Metacam like Bandit?
Do you think they are in discomfort? Thanks, Shebunkin

Click to expand...

yeh :lol:, they just look a bit similar in body shape, and his fur looks quite fluffy

Shaun dosent really seem to keep the half closed, and no he hasnt been on metacam. The only time I think he was in discomfort was when his eyes were infected (they were all swollen and pussy) he was only an 8 day old kit then though so there wasent much we could do for him except try and get rid of the infection with anntibiotic drops.

Ill get some pics up in a moment. One of his eyes has been completely destroyed by the infection (we suspect he got the infection before/ as he was born , we didnt see any signs of it till he as 8 days old though and by then the eye was a mess) His other eye didnt get infected till a bit after,and only had a small ulcer. Recently though his eye got infected after an operation on it (a debridement) which has made it a whole lot worse and he is completely blind now

his right eye



his left eye (the messed up one)




him being cute




I was wondering, was it the vet that suggested to you you seek out a specilist or did you say to your vet?
I would quite like to go to an eye specilist but I need a referal from vet and I would feel bad asking for one as i think it may look like i dont think they are good enough:?
They are good vets, i really like then. Just it seems they are at a bit of a loss of what to do next...im just getting told come back in 2 weeks, come back in a month etc. He dosent seem to be making much progress with the treatment he is on.

I'm sure they won't be at all offended by you asking for a referral. Have they not at least suggested removing the left eye? I wouldn't be happy to be sent home repeatedly with a rabbit with such a badly damaged eye, and no treatment plan, or pain medication.

Little Shaun

What a darling!
Poor poppet-- that eye does look inflamed--I would have thought as it looks sore that Metacam would help.
But he's still jumping around. Like with Bandit-- who I think IS in some chronic discomfort or even pain. You wonder what to do next.

There is a opthalmic vet who is associated with the surgery we go to so it was easy to ask for a consultation, and I think they do know loads more than the ordinary vet. But its expensive-- the consultation was £70 then meds on top. I'm sure your vet would refer you-- without feeling upset-- since the eye obviously has not settled. or maybe someone on the forum knows an eye specialist near you??

We were wondering about a debridement for Bandit's ulcers--- but thought it could end up being painful, plus the risk under GA as he is 9.

I see that Shaun doesnt squint like Bandit does.

Please keep us posted.
Shebunkin