Rabbit Eyes.

Hello Everyone I have not been on rabbit united for a long time, but I need to talk to someone, I have a House rabbit called harry who is nearly 5 years old, he is a mini lop and he is my world. He is very well looked after if fact he rules the house. I took him to the vets a month ago as I was worried about his eyes, it looked like he had the start of cataract, the vet had a look at him and said she was going to give him a oral paste for wormer rabbits called panacur, which he has to take for a month which he is taking. she said that he could have a operation to remove them but with him being a small animal you have to worry about the Anesthesia, he is Insurance so I am not worried about that she said it would cost about £2,000 which to me money nothing if I could help Harry, at the moment he is ok but sometimes bumps in to things, I don't know what to do, as I have read on rabbit united that rabbits can live a normal life when they do become blind. In his self he is happy eating drinking and just being so cute.

Oh poor bun! No advice I'm afraid, but hope he's okay whatever happens. Good he's still happy in himself, maybe just make sure he can only bump into soft things somehow? cheer up. Xxx

EffyDaydream said:

Oh poor bun! No advice I'm afraid, but hope he's okay whatever happens. Good he's still happy in himself, maybe just make sure he can only bump into soft things somehow? cheer up. Xxx

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Thank you for getting back, I have made sure that I do not move things around so he needs to know where things are x:wave:

I'm sure he can stay a happy bun if he's still looked after well, it's not over yet, so try not to get too upset. Well hopefully that'll keep him from bumping too much.

Im sure there is a few people on here who have blind rabbits, giving you a bump in hope they see this :wave:

Thank you I hope so x:wave:

Wee soul. Bunnies are tough wee blighters and can cope well with loads of things. Hope he gets on well x

Thank you he is such a cutie, I worry about him all the time :wave:

Hiya! I've got a bunny who is about 4-5 years old and who also suddenly developed cataracts in both eyes. One of them seemed to appear overnight...when I took him to the vet, she said that when she shone the light in his other eye she could see one developing in there too, it just wasn't visible to the naked eye yet. Then about 3 weeks later that one went too, again it became visible really suddenly.

I spoke to an exotics expert vet at a conference and he said that its highly unlikely to be ec in a bunny of that age as ec cataracts tend to appear in much younger rabbits around 1-2 years old and usually in one eye only. He also said that there is no evidence that panacur works on ec in the eye, because the ec gets into the lens before birth and is then completely encapsulated so the drugs don't get to it. His view was that the best course of action was just to monitor closely but do nothing else. He said if it is ec (which for the reasons I've already outlined he didn't think it was) it will eventually rupture so it is important to keep an eye on it just in case. Of course the advice may vary depending on the exact examination and signs, but that is what we have done.

Bertram has been blind through his cataracts for several months now. My vet says he can see light and dark and can see movement, but that at best it would be like looking through a heavily frosted window. I just take more care not to move things around too much and to feed him in the same place. He still seems a happy little soul, it's just that he is more careful moving around now.

Hope that helps, and hope your little one is ok x x

Hiya:wave:

My bunny has glaucoma and is now almost blind but copes really well.

I think it really helps if they feel secure and safe and he is very tuned into my voice which seems to give him extra security x I find with my bun that he struggles with darker colours but he is very content and we always ensure the house is calm and quiet so no loud bangs to spook him and he also seems to enjoy having the radio on too

I know it can be difficult seeing them not being able to navigate as well as before but I do think with care they can still have a very good quality of life

Hope this helps

Thank you for emailing me Yes it does help, Harry seem to be very happy he still follows me around the house and sleep in between my feet ,Example like when I am watching the telly or on the computer, he is go company. and like you and all the other people I have spoke to on the website we would do any thing for our bunnys. they are very special to us. xx:wave: I feel better that I have spoke to you all

So sorry to read this, it must be so worrying. I'm glad other members have been able to give you some reassurance that your bun can still enjoy his life.
They have such a good sense of smell and good hearing so hopefully, if his eyesight does deteriorate, he will just learn to rely more on these senses.
Sending hugs x

:wave: Thank you for your message it means a lot, Harry seems to be very happy still drinking eating and just being cute, harry and I are sending you loads of hugs too.

:wave:Hi Everyone
thanks for getting back to me, I still don't know what to do? I am worried that if harry does have the operation to remove his cataracts that he might die or not be right after he has them done. Or do I just keep watching him and keep going back to my vets for checkup, At the moment he is running around the house going in o other rooms but being carful, he bumps in to little things I don't move things around so he knows where things are when I call him I make sure I am the same level as him,I just want him to be happy ! He is eating drinking having his veg and treats, I just don't know what to do. I read that you can buy another bunny which can be a guide bunny, but I don't want harry to like that I don't love him as he is my world. please please help me

maxi said:

:wave:Hi Everyone
thanks for getting back to me, I still don't know what to do? I am worried that if harry does have the operation to remove his cataracts that he might die or not be right after he has them done. Or do I just keep watching him and keep going back to my vets for checkup, At the moment he is running around the house going in o other rooms but being carful, he bumps in to little things I don't move things around so he knows where things are when I call him I make sure I am the same level as him,I just want him to be happy ! He is eating drinking having his veg and treats, I just don't know what to do. I read that you can buy another bunny which can be a guide bunny, but I don't want harry to like that I don't love him as he is my world. please please help me

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I really don't think having the op is worth it in a rabbit of 5 years. I have a bun with cataracts. She has had it since I got her and she is only about 3-4 years old. She can see partially in one eye, but the cataracts will inevitably get worse and she will eventually become blind. She is happy and enjoys life. She has two bunny friends that will hopefully give her confidence when her sight does go. I don't change my room drastically because she does get a little stressed if I do.

Rabbits do very well with being blind. Their whiskers are very handy and they learn where everything is pretty quickly. I wouldn't worry unless he seemed to be suffering. x

I was told that a cataract op on rabbits is not generally recommended as their eyes don't heal well and they don't really end up with better sight, just post op issues! it's not just removing the lens, it's also putting a new fake one in, and as you can imagine there isn't a lot of call for bunny lenses so they aren't designed with bunnies in mind. I had considered it for Bertram too as he is about 4-5 but decided against it.

So long as he is happy, I'd leave him be. I've never experienced this but I understand they cope quite well without their sight which isn't that great in the first place.


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Rabbits cope very well with blindness because there other senses are very good. Rabbits eyesight is mainly designed for spotting rapid movement at a distance. There whiskers are very sensitive - they use those under ground rather than sight, ditto they have excellent hearing.

I imagine your rabbits has a very good mental map of his space and will do just fine without vision. Just try not to move things too much

My 4 yr old bunny Ben developed a cataract on one of his eyes earlier this year. when I first saw it I was initially worried but he's still just the same - does bunny 500's and binkies and his eyesight doesn't appear to be affected at all even though I'm sure it is! I guess he just has everything mapped out in his head well.

So I wouldn't worry too much about him, buns can cope with loss of eyesight surprisingly well.