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When bunny has tooth root problems brewing....

MimzMum

Wise Old Thumper
Is it likely that only one eye would show signs of being affected or would it be both eyes?

After seeing his vet only a few weeks ago and getting a good report, Mimzy is now practically swimming in goop coming from his down eye. He's always had a little in both, but the lower is picking up the pace. It's matting his fur at a disturbing level, I have to clean the whole side of his face almost daily. I am careful that he is not getting anything poked into his eyeball and use artificial tears/tri-abx ointments since it is drier than his upward eye according to the ophthalmologist he saw back in May or April. His vet confirmed it last month and also examined it thoroughly, finding no damage to the eye at all.
Still he gets this gluey substance stuck to his facial fur, to the point it makes spiny, hard chunks of it, and it is next to impossible to keep clean and dry. I am worried now that it doesn't have to do with irritants at all, but something in his jaw.
However, I thought that if a bunny has something going on with the teeth that both eyes are affected or at least he would have some discharge for the nasal area as well. Am I mistaken?
I know I have to get him in, but he will not be seeing a really bunny savvy vet when he does, as his doctor only comes in maybe once a month on weekends and she may or may not be scheduled anytime soon.
She did find a mild spur on that side, but we just had his teeth burred in May. So end June seemed a bit soon to do them again. :(
He is also showing favor to his foreleg on that side, but I attribute that to his hips having been bad for so long, primarily on his left where there is a bone spur, so I am guessing my poor little man is due for even less mobility than he has currently. (I suppose he could've had that buckle under him and then fell and his face/eye hit the floor, but I haven't seen anything like that and as far as I can tell the eye seems to be clear and undamaged. He definitely uses it to look around him.)
I cried for some time this morning fearing we may be closer to the end than I want to think about. He eats and eliminates well enough, but not as well as I would like for him and I want to be sure I don't miss that he is too tired to continue and if I have to let him go a bit early, then I will do. It's just going to hurt like hell. :cry:
Can we have some spare vibes for my soul bunny? I'm afraid for him and I love him so. :cry::cry::cry:
 
It can be just one eye effected if it is TRE. However, it may be that he has developed a 'dry eye' in his 'down eye' and that has caused a secondary bacterial infection. This may clear up with a flushing of his nasolacrimal duct and a course of abx eye drops along with drops to keep the eye lubricated. The lubrication drops may be needed longterm once the infection clears up.

I obviously cant be certain, but the above scenario seems more likely to me. Sending special vibes and hugs your way xx
 
Poor Mimzy. I am sending a ton of vibes for him and you too. I know how much you love him and it sounds like he gets the best of care from you. Julie's eye on the side of her tooth root problem is somewhat weepy. It is just clear and not too bad though. Hers is only the one eye. The vet said that the tooth root is pressing on her tear duct making it water. I wonder if Mimzy tooth root is also pressing on his tear duct. Just a thought. I hope that his eye is okay and that he can continue on with the best quality of life as possible.
 
Thank you Jane, that actually has me a little calmer about the situation. If it were a root issue I don't think I could put him through another surgery, but if it is something bacterial we can manage that.
So the discharge may be key then? I've seen him have clear weepy eyes, but this stuff is also sticking to his fur and making hard patches of it bunch together and it takes serious wetting down and wiping away to get it off him. In some cases I've been able to loosen the whole portion of natty fur and it pulls away, but it's not making it all come away from his eye like you'd see if a bunny was continually wet (as when they have drooling problems). In fact, he is not drooling either, which would definitely point me towards a tooth problem.
The lid was a bit red too, but I was afraid that was because I was trying so hard to get it clean. :( Maybe it's from infection instead because I strove to be gentle and not irritate it further.

I'm trying to remember now if this is the eye that we tried to flush a few years before he tilted; due to him having clear, runny discharge along with his nasal problems. One of the two could not be properly cleared and his vet couldn't figure out why. I want to say it was deformed or something, she'd put the rinsing instrument in and the water would just run back out. :?

Thank you also, bunnytoes, for your kind thoughts. He is my very special bun, my first that I've ever cared for and I want to do right by him whatever health concerns arise.
 
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