One runny eye

Hi there.

Stew has one runny eye. I noticed it a few weeks ago and it was runny off and on for about 3 weeks. I settled on taking him to the vet last weekend but in the morning his eye was absolutely dry and remained so for the next 9 days. This evening I noticed it was wet around the fur again and I removed some white stringy discharge from the corner of his eye. Throughout the period, going right back to when I first noticed the wet fur a few weeks ago, I treated his eye with cooled boiled water on a swab, just gently bathing and wiping which he has seemed to like.

Obviously, I'm concerned and know that I need to get him to a vet this time. I will do this tomorrow. But I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts about the symptoms I've described. My initial thought was myxomatosis, but following research into the disease I discounted it for a number of reasons: watery, clear discharge from one eye only; no lumps, bumps, breathing difficulties; no loss of appetite; no change in behaviour whatsoever.

I began to wonder if he was sitting under the water bottle, or sitting in a draught so moved things around etc. As I say, the symptoms cleared up completely for a week, but they're back today and the discharge is watery with some white gunk (which I bathed away). He appears to squinting slightly too, but the eye springs wide when he's on alert!

Sorry to go on. As I'm sure you'll understand, I'm extremely concerned and just wanted to give the full facts in case anyone has any thoughts on what might be happening to my beautiful bunny.

Thanks for reading

No advice but justing bumping for more experienced people :wave:

You don't say whether you've seen a vet so I'll assume you haven't. Basically that's what he needs, a vet can give you a better idea of if it's snuffles, a tear duct infection, to do with teeth, etc.

My Mischa had a runny eye last Thursday. It came on in the morning and didn't go so we whisked him off to the vets late that afternoon. His tear duct was infected. He's been on antibiotics and within a couple of days it started clearing up. But it could be anything, it could be indicative of something more serious such as snuffles or a teeth problem. Please don't leave it, that's how our Nutmeg got her respiratory issues, because she had snuffles with her previous owner and it wasn't looked at.

My bunny Starbuck gets this quite a lot, it happens to him because of tear duct issues. It may be the same for Stew, or it could be an infection, or it might be dental problems. Either way get him to the vet for a proper examination.

Does he have a friend? A bunny friend can help to lick the eyes clean, or if not you can apply a small amount of vaseline on the fur around the eye to help soothe and protect it.

Hope it goes ok at the vets.

Update

Stew is on the mend, thanks for your comments. He saw a vet on Tuesday and has a tear duct infection as predicted. He's having to get his tear duct flushed every day for seven days and I have antibiotic eye drops to administer twice daily. Stew is not impressed, but his eye is already so much better.
:wave:
P.S. Thank God for Pet Plan...:shock:

I've just got back from the vets with my Roxy for the same problem. I've been given antibiotics. It happened earlier in the year too in April and had antibiotics then too. It looks like it might be a tear duct problem

Stew has just been for his fourth vet appointment in as many days. He truly hates it, and me! I hoped today might be the last time we needed to go but more gunk came out so we're back again tomorrow.
Hope Roxy gets better soon. Has she had to have repeated eye flushing too? x