Ageing Flemish Giant House Rabbit with watering eye issues

Hello All,

I have a Flemish Giant called Stanley and he is 8 1/2 years old. In the last year, the mobility in his back legs hasn't been great. If he lounges for long periods of time he struggles to get up, but once he gets going everything is working fine and he bounds around the house and garden like a young rabbit.

Since his legs have become stiff, we've noticed that he doesn't clean his ears and eyes as well as he used to. He's had eye drops twice this year to help with infected eyes and constant weeping. The tears from the eyes become crusted in the hair around the eye and then causes the fur to clump and have to be picked off, or it falls out.

Also he's currently on a course of ear drops because he has a wax build-up and droopy right ear and a course of eye drops. I'm worried that once the eye drops stop, his eyes will become sore/infected again.

Whilst all of these are helping him, the eye just continues to stream and even if I dry it regularly it keeps moistening the skin and scabs and stopping the fur from growing back.

The vet has checked his teeth and there aren't any problems there, he eats normally and lots of it! He's not overweight and apart from the sore skin around his eyes, he's fit and well.

I've tried wiping the tears away and putting vaseline or nappy rash cream around the eyes, but the fur still came out. The vet has said that flushing the eyes is only a short term solution and because of his age he wouldn't cope with an anaesthetic.

Have any of you experienced this problem with an older rabbit? Is it just one of those things? Or is there anything I can do to help clear it up, or make sure he's in less pain.

Is Stanley on a non steroidal inflammatory to help with his stiff back legs ? Age related osteoarthritis is a common finding in older Rabbits, especially Giants.

What treatment is he having for his eyes at the moment- ie the name of the 'eye drops' ?

angela82 said:

Hello All,

I have a Flemish Giant called Stanley and he is 8 1/2 years old. In the last year, the mobility in his back legs hasn't been great. If he lounges for long periods of time he struggles to get up, but once he gets going everything is working fine and he bounds around the house and garden like a young rabbit.

Since his legs have become stiff, we've noticed that he doesn't clean his ears and eyes as well as he used to. He's had eye drops twice this year to help with infected eyes and constant weeping. The tears from the eyes become crusted in the hair around the eye and then causes the fur to clump and have to be picked off, or it falls out.

Also he's currently on a course of ear drops because he has a wax build-up and droopy right ear and a course of eye drops. I'm worried that once the eye drops stop, his eyes will become sore/infected again.

Whilst all of these are helping him, the eye just continues to stream and even if I dry it regularly it keeps moistening the skin and scabs and stopping the fur from growing back.

The vet has checked his teeth and there aren't any problems there, he eats normally and lots of it! He's not overweight and apart from the sore skin around his eyes, he's fit and well.

I've tried wiping the tears away and putting vaseline or nappy rash cream around the eyes, but the fur still came out. The vet has said that flushing the eyes is only a short term solution and because of his age he wouldn't cope with an anaesthetic.

Have any of you experienced this problem with an older rabbit? Is it just one of those things? Or is there anything I can do to help clear it up, or make sure he's in less pain.

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What a lovely boy Stanley is!

Unfortunately, blocked tear ducts are common in rabbits, and sometimes they can never be resolved, either by drops of by repeated flushing. Sometimes holding a warm compress underneath the eye itself will help to loosen gunk in the tear duct and it will come out. Sometimes the most you can do is keep it clean and dry and stop the skin from getting sore. Putting ointments and creams on is difficult round the eye area as they immediately get into the eye.

Have you thought of asking your vet for some Metacam? It's a pain reliever and will also address any inflammation cause by possible arthritis.

Flushing the tear ducts by the way, can be done completely consciously. I have the kit at home, and on the instructions from my vet, can do this with a (docile!) rabbit. There should be no need for sedation.

Oh bless his little paws!!

Runny eyes are a right nuisance! I tend to agree that if there's no infection, keeping the area clean and dry may be your only hope. A little massage under the eye might help (as suggested above).


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I can't advise on eye problem but if it helps, I also have an aging rabbit (13) who is also suffering with her back end. I decided to take the plunge and medicate daily with a pain killer (Metacam) and I really think it has made a difference. Certainly, it enables to improve on her grooming

I have a prescription from the vet for 6 months supply which I get cheaper online. Actually, it doesn't work out too expensive.

Possibly, if she is in discomfort, regular pain relief might also help your rabbit 'get up and go' a little easier

Good luck finding a solution with your bunnies other problems.

How's he doing now?

Was anything we said of any help? Hope so!