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weeping eye - worried owner

L

lindsay101

New Kit
Hey,

Hoping some one could help me, or at least put my mind at rest!

After a week of owning my rabbits, they had all there jabs. Exactly a week after their jabs, one developed a runny eye. It was fine in the morning, weeping a bit by lunch time and then red, inflamed and squinting by 4pm. His other eye remained fine and his brother is also fine. I got him into a vet at 4:30, who could not see anything in his eye. He flushed it with artificial tears just in case, checked his teeth (they were fine), put some dye in and found his nasal cavity was not blocked. He then prescribed some antibiotic drops. He suggested drops twice daily and expected it to recover in three days. The vet appeared unconcerned, but I may be over sensitive.

His eye looked better when he came home. However a day later it is starting to get red again and he is squinting again. I cant see any thing in his eye. I know i've only given it one day, but expected it to keep improving?. He is eating as normal but is sitting quite still compared to his normal naughty self.

So questions:

Should I get him to an emergency vet? Or wait until Monday?

He lives with his brother, they are getting on fine but spraying urine and stink. The neuter is booked Thursday. Could this go ahead with a gunky eye?

From, a very worried (and sensitive!) owner
 
lindsay101 said:
Hey,

Hoping some one could help me, or at least put my mind at rest!

After a week of owning my rabbits, they had all there jabs. Exactly a week after their jabs, one developed a runny eye. It was fine in the morning, weeping a bit by lunch time and then red, inflamed and squinting by 4pm. His other eye remained fine and his brother is also fine. I got him into a vet at 4:30, who could not see anything in his eye. He flushed it with artificial tears just in case, checked his teeth (they were fine), put some dye in and found his nasal cavity was not blocked. He then prescribed some antibiotic drops. He suggested drops twice daily and expected it to recover in three days. The vet appeared unconcerned, but I may be over sensitive.

His eye looked better when he came home. However a day later it is starting to get red again and he is squinting again. I cant see any thing in his eye. I know i've only given it one day, but expected it to keep improving?. He is eating as normal but is sitting quite still compared to his normal naughty self.

So questions:

Should I get him to an emergency vet? Or wait until Monday?

He lives with his brother, they are getting on fine but spraying urine and stink. The neuter is booked Thursday. Could this go ahead with a gunky eye?

From, a very worried (and sensitive!) owner
Click to expand...

It can take more than one day of treatment to see any improvement. Also, is his companion licking the eye ? This can occur and can consequently cause more irritation/inflammation.

On rare occasions a Rabbit can actually be sensitive to a particular eye drop (Tiacil is often a culprit). So the Vet would need to prescribe an alternative.

You could always give the 'out of hours' Vet a call for advice. Monday is a Bank Holiday, so I expect it would be an Emergency Service then too
 
Jack's-Jane said:
It can take more than one day of treatment to see any improvement. Also, is his companion licking the eye ? This can occur and can consequently cause more irritation/inflammation.

On rare occasions a Rabbit can actually be sensitive to a particular eye drop (Tiacil is often a culprit). So the Vet would need to prescribe an alternative.

You could always give the 'out of hours' Vet a call for advice. Monday is a Bank Holiday, so I expect it would be an Emergency Service then too
Click to expand...


Thank you for your kind advice! I don't mind paying for emergency advice, but wouldn't want to stress them out with a visit unless necessary. If it doesn't improve tonight, I'll call the emergency vet as suggested. His friend is not licking his eye, but has been grooming him if he sits still. I gave them both some readigrass, and the poorly one pushed his brother off. So he can't be feeling too awful. He's taking Isathal not Tiacil.

I'm assuming that providing he is acting as normal, eating and his eye is open. Then I shouldn't panic for a few days. However if anything changes get him straight to the vet?

I've only had the monkey's one week and i'm already smitten! :love:
 
lindsay101 said:
Thank you for your kind advice! I don't mind paying for emergency advice, but wouldn't want to stress them out with a visit unless necessary. If it doesn't improve tonight, I'll call the emergency vet as suggested. His friend is not licking his eye, but has been grooming him if he sits still. I gave them both some readigrass, and the poorly one pushed his brother off. So he can't be feeling too awful. He's taking Isathal not Tiacil.

I'm assuming that providing he is acting as normal, eating and his eye is open. Then I shouldn't panic for a few days. However if anything changes get him straight to the vet?

I've only had the monkey's one week and i'm already smitten! :love:
Click to expand...

You should see an improvement within about 48 hours of starting treatment. So if the eye is no better at all by then or if it is looking worse then the Vet may need to see him again. I am assuming that as the Vet used Fluorescein (the dye) to check the nasolacrimal ducts he also checked that there was no evidence of a corneal abrasion/ulcer ?
 
Jane is right about some eye drops containing ingredients that can cause irritation in some individuals.

You say they are spraying a lot of urine. Is it possible that the brother sprayed urine on the already sore eye?

Some bunnies steal your heart instantly. I had brothers for 13 years, until one passed away last June. They were good friends and when one would need surgery or be ill, the other would give him encouragement.
 
lindsay101 said:
Thank you for your kind advice! I don't mind paying for emergency advice, but wouldn't want to stress them out with a visit unless necessary. If it doesn't improve tonight, I'll call the emergency vet as suggested. His friend is not licking his eye, but has been grooming him if he sits still. I gave them both some readigrass, and the poorly one pushed his brother off. So he can't be feeling too awful. He's taking Isathal not Tiacil.

I'm assuming that providing he is acting as normal, eating and his eye is open. Then I shouldn't panic for a few days. However if anything changes get him straight to the vet?

I've only had the monkey's one week and i'm already smitten! :love:
Click to expand...

You mention that the runny eye began a week after the vaccinations? A rabbit who's just had his jabs will be mounting an immune response to the vaccine, and therefore for a period of about three weeks, the immune system can be challenged. This would be the time, therefore, that you would perhaps see little things coming out that his immune system would normally have taken care of with no problem.

I firstly wouldn't worry too much, but you could give the vet a call after he's been on the drops for a couple of days and:
1) there's no improvement and..
2) there seems to be a bit of irritation in the eye further to what you took him in for.

The vet then can advise you as to whether you need to stop the drops, or perhaps change them :D
 
Jacks jane- yes he checked there was no sore, scratch, damage etc. The dye came out of both nostrils, which he said was positive.

Bunny Momma- His brother could have sprayed urine in his eye. I decided to thoroughly clean the cage, and when they went back in it stunk soon after. Then about two hours later I noticed his eye was worse. However I'm not really sure. I'll just spot clean the cage for a while, to prevent more spraying.

To all - Thank you very much for your kind words, this forum is proving invaluable. I'll try to stop worrying about him and give him another day to see if there is any change.
 
lindsay101 said:
Jacks jane- yes he checked there was no sore, scratch, damage etc. The dye came out of both nostrils, which he said was positive.

Bunny Momma- His brother could have sprayed urine in his eye. I decided to thoroughly clean the cage, and when they went back in it stunk soon after. Then about two hours later I noticed his eye was worse. However I'm not really sure. I'll just spot clean the cage for a while, to prevent more spraying.

To all - Thank you very much for your kind words, this forum is proving invaluable. I'll try to stop worrying about him and give him another day to see if there is any change.
Click to expand...

If the boys are spraying are you certain they have not started fighting ? Spraying indicates that they are hitting puberty and entire Bucks will fight at that stage and there-after if left together. If you are in any doubt about whether or not fights or even 'minor scraps' have occurred you need to separate them and re-bond them once they have both been neutered. I hope the sore eye resolves quickly x
 
Jack's-Jane said:
If the boys are spraying are you certain they have not started fighting ? Spraying indicates that they are hitting puberty and entire Bucks will fight at that stage and there-after if left together. If you are in any doubt about whether or not fights or even 'minor scraps' have occurred you need to separate them and re-bond them once they have both been neutered. I hope the sore eye resolves quickly x
Click to expand...

To be honest i'm not sure if they are spraying. Their urine smells very strong and immediately after cleaning them it smells, so i'm assuming they are spraying?. They are very close and i'm around all day and haven't seen them fighting. To the first time bunny owner they seem best buds. The neuter is booked Thursday.

His eye still looks very sore today, so i'll contact the emergency vet if its not better tonight. That will have given it 2 1/2 days of meds. He managed to push his brother off the veg this morning, so he's not too upset
 
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