• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Bulging eyes and visible third eyelid ud :'( He's gone

weedug

weedug

Mama Doe
My 4 year old Fluff, has developed bulging eyes, and visible third eyelids in both eyes. They are sometimes worse than others. Stress and putting his head down to eat are a couple of things that make it worse. The eyes don't seem red at all. Sometimes the eyes seem almost normal, like when he is sitting relaxing in his favourite spot. He is eating and drinking fine.

I'll be phoning the vet tomorrow, but in the meantime, what could be causing it? Does it sound like a thymoma? Is there anything else it could be?
 
Last edited:
I think bulging eyes can be the sign of a thymoma or breathing issue. I have no experience in this, but I know many members on here do, so hopefully they can help you with some advice. Personally, I'd want to talk to the vet before worrying about anything.
 
My Barney has snuffles and likely permanent damage to the airways and he shows his third eyelid more than other rabbits. When his breathing gets worse it covers about half his eye when he puts his head down. I think it is something to do with the pressure and stress, but not sure. The vet said it was linked to his breathing issues and not a separate problem. He didn't have bulging eyes though, or at least not drastically.

Not sure if this helps at all. I have also read that it can be related to cardiac issues. Try not to worry though, you can't tell for sure until the vet gives him a good look over.
 
This happened to Marbles when she had an ear infection.

Jack's Jane gave me some good advice on bulging eyes and a really good link to a list of causes, I'm sorry I can't find it but I hope she might be able to help if she notices the thread.
 
Thanks for all the replies. At least there could be other causes. His breathing seems fine, although he has had snuffles in the past.
 
Aww bless your poor bunny. My Emrys developed bulging eyes and visible third eyelid just yesterday. Today the vet said thymoma was likely and we are having him x rayed tomorrow. So I would say it could be a thymoma but best to get checked over by the vet and x rayed to rule out anything internal.
 
Sending lots of vibes x

As Fifibutton said it "could" by thymoma but the link katie88 has provided does suggest some other possibilities.

My buns eyes started to bulge when eating one night (suddenly) and we took him to the vet the following day. He was given meds and had conscious x-ray which did show mass in his chest area which was unfortunately thymoma (or as sure as we could be as no biopsy was done due to the risk involved and he was 9).

Hoping it is something other than thymoma for both you and Fifibutton x
 
We have the vet at 1:30.

When I went to feed him today, he was still lying in his bed. His eyes looked fine, so I thought they were all better. Then he got up to eat, and they started bulging again, and the third eyelid was showing, although not as bad as last night. Don't know if it's because it was morning, and he's always lazy in the morning. Maybe moving around was making it worse?
 
weedug said:
We have the vet at 1:30.

When I went to feed him today, he was still lying in his bed. His eyes looked fine, so I thought they were all better. Then he got up to eat, and they started bulging again, and the third eyelid was showing, although not as bad as last night. Don't know if it's because it was morning, and he's always lazy in the morning. Maybe moving around was making it worse?
Click to expand...

An increase in blood pressure will cause the bulging to get worse. Blood pressure can increase as the Rabbit moves about, if they are picked up etc. Good luck at the Vets xx
 
Jack's-Jane said:
An increase in blood pressure will cause the bulging to get worse. Blood pressure can increase as the Rabbit moves about, if they are picked up etc. Good luck at the Vets xx
Click to expand...

Thanks Jane. What could cause the increases in blood pressure, and how do they check it? Even if this isn't what Fluff has, I'm always curious.
 
weedug said:
Thanks Jane. What could cause the increases in blood pressure, and how do they check it? Even if this isn't what Fluff has, I'm always curious.
Click to expand...

What I mean is that the symptoms of a mass in the chest (bulging eyes) can increase with the 'normal' fluctuation of BP. The eyes often bulge more if the Rabbit has his/her head lowered to eat. A mass compresses large blood vessels returning from the head to the heart causing increased pressure in the veins of the head and bulging of the eyes.

This is an example of the equipment used to monitor BP in Rabbits. It would normally only be used during a GA.

http://www.vmedtechnology.com/Vet-Dop.htm
 
Thanks Jane. I have been watching him from the house for ages today, and his eyes would look ok, he would put his head down and his eyes would bulge and the third eyelid show, and when he put his head back up, things seemed to go back to normal. He is resting now, so I can't see him.

He always reacts badly to going to the vet too :(
 
We're just back, and I didn't realise my vet wasn't quite rabbit savvy :(.

He had never seen anything like it. When I asked, he didn't think it was a thymoma because Fluff hasn't lost weight.

Fluff does have a heart murmur though, and has heart rate was slow at 192. Given how stressed Fluff gets at the vet, he expected it to be much higher.

Vet wants him to stop the metacam he is on, and see what happens. I've to take him back in 2 weeks if he stays well, and he will reassess him and maybe start diuretics then.

Vet pressed gently on the corner of Fluff's eye, and it really protruded and the third eyelid appeared. Don't know what that showed.

So all I know is that it seems Fluff's problem is from his blood pressure, but I don't know what is causing it :(
 
weedug said:
We're just back, and I didn't realise my vet wasn't quite rabbit savvy :(.

He had never seen anything like it. When I asked, he didn't think it was a thymoma because Fluff hasn't lost weight.

Fluff does have a heart murmur though, and has heart rate was slow at 192. Given how stressed Fluff gets at the vet, he expected it to be much higher.

Vet wants him to stop the metacam he is on, and see what happens. I've to take him back in 2 weeks if he stays well, and he will reassess him and maybe start diuretics then.

Vet pressed gently on the corner of Fluff's eye, and it really protruded and the third eyelid appeared. Don't know what that showed.

So all I know is that it seems Fluff's problem is from his blood pressure, but I don't know what is causing it :(
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm, not sure I'd be OK about leaving it for 2 weeks before a review. Why was he on Metacam and why does the Vet want to stop it ?
 
I'm not happy with leaving it for 2 weeks either.

Fluff was on Metacam because he has been slow to eat lately. The vet thought the metacam might be causing the problem, so wanted it stopped. To be honest, I don't think it is doing anything for him anyway, so don't mind trying him off that.

I have been reading a bit about heart problems, and have seen Hawthorn mentioned. Fluff has been getting some of that lately. Is that good for him?

I didn't think a heart murmur would cause these symptoms either :?
 
weedug said:
I'm not happy with leaving it for 2 weeks either.

Fluff was on Metacam because he has been slow to eat lately. The vet thought the metacam might be causing the problem, so wanted it stopped. To be honest, I don't think it is doing anything for him anyway, so don't mind trying him off that.

I have been reading a bit about heart problems, and have seen Hawthorn mentioned. Fluff has been getting some of that lately. Is that good for him?

I didn't think a heart murmur would cause these symptoms either :?
Click to expand...

A heart murmur can occur as a result of a thymoma due to compression on the heart by the mass

http://sites.tufts.edu/progressnotes/2013/08/current-concepts-14/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Please help. Poor rabbit is desperately ill
Replies
9
Views
562
dex179
dex179
J
Advanced EC suspected in elderly rabbit
Replies
2
Views
58
dex179
dex179
B
Mouth Ulcers and Pus
2
Replies
22
Views
1K
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
Back
Top