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ruptured tear duct

LauryStevens

Mama Doe
Hey guys.

After suspecting a dental issue I got one of my bunnies Xrayed to find out exactly what was going on. Turns out her teeth are great, but her tear duct on one side has ruptured. I have a specialist vet who is rabbit savy and he suggested monitoring how she copes in regards to infection. He said that if she's continuously getting infections that won't pass then he'll consider making a self draining opening in her skull so that any fluid will run out the new passage rather than up her eye duct.

I'm after anyone's experiences with ruptured tear ducts and how they managed with their bunnies and their comfort. Any tips or anything?
 
I have not had a Rabbit with a tear duct rupture, but I do have one with a permanently blocked duct. I manage the condition by bathing the eye with a sterile saline solution. At the moment this is all that is needed. She has had a couple of active infections which were treated with antibiotic eye drops. She is no-where near the stage where surgery may be needed.

If your Rabbit has a companion you may find that the companion helps to clean the 'weepy eye'. Personally I would only opt for surgical intervention if the condition became completely unmanageable without it. I am sure your Rabbit savvy Vet will give you good advice :)
 
Yeah he said the same. Only if it's infected permanently does he want to think about possibly operating on her. He said to just bathe it as well. She's part of a trio so she is well cared for by her husbun and wifey. Just a new situation for me so unsure what to expect long term :/
 
Yeah he said the same. Only if it's infected permanently does he want to think about possibly operating on her. He said to just bathe it as well. She's part of a trio so she is well cared for by her husbun and wifey. Just a new situation for me so unsure what to expect long term :/

I think it will be a case of 'wait and see' with regards to whether the problem develops further. If the skin around her eye loses fur and starts to look sore you could ask the Vet if it would be appropriate to apply a tiny amount of pure coconut oil on the sore area. This will act as a barrier and help reduce further irritation from the discharge. It would also be harmless to the other Rabbits if they licked it off.

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Hey guys.

After suspecting a dental issue I got one of my bunnies Xrayed to find out exactly what was going on. Turns out her teeth are great, but her tear duct on one side has ruptured. I have a specialist vet who is rabbit savy and he suggested monitoring how she copes in regards to infection. He said that if she's continuously getting infections that won't pass then he'll consider making a self draining opening in her skull so that any fluid will run out the new passage rather than up her eye duct.

I'm after anyone's experiences with ruptured tear ducts and how they managed with their bunnies and their comfort. Any tips or anything?

Hiya :wave:

Sorry to hear about your bunny's ruptured tear duct. I haven't had this exact problem, but I have had a rabbit with a blocked tear duct, flushed every month but unfortunately it never made much difference. I think the main issue is how infected it gets on a regular basis. My rabbit had permanent white discharge, so I managed to keep it 'under control' by warm compresses with cooled boiled water. My personal opinion is that surgery is a last resort, and I'm sure your vet would advise you further about this.

I wouldn't apply any oils or creams near the eye, just keep it as dry as possible with an absorbent cosmetic cotton pad. Any oil or cream will get straight into the eye and be an irritant. At the very least it clouds the bunny's vision and makes them uneasy (as advised by my vet)

Good luck xx
 
sorry about your bunny's tear duct.

mis-read the thread title as 'ruptured tea dance'. I need to get out more.
 
thankyou for all your support so far. Your views and what the vet says seem to go side by side, he said he'll be "happy" if any infections are on/off and basically self clear with the aid of a saline wash. Only if it continually stays infected would he consider opperating. If you get any other advice or tips, please share. I could do with all the help and suport I can get to try and make Blossom as comfortable and happy as I can.
 
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