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Hair/fibre in eye - have ointment

Silverleaf

Alpha Buck
I just noticed that Nemesis's eye looked a little pink, and on closer examination he has a length of fur or some kind of fibre in his eye. It goes right in under the eyelid on the ear side of the eye and was sticking out a little.

I tried to remove it but he struggled and the hair didn't seem to want to come free, so I decided to bathe the eye, thinking that would be easier for both of us. Of course he doesn't want me to touch it! Now it's wetted down onto his eyeball and it's still there.

He's scratched it a couple of times but it doesn't seem to be bothering him much. He's eating and drinking fine. It's probably only been there a couple of hours.

Should I leave it alone and see if it comes out by itself? Bathe it again? Or is there something else I can do?
 
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I'd probably leave it, all my animals have had fur in their eyes, mostly it just wipes out but if not I would certainly leave it overnight as long as it wasn't bothering them, they are pretty good at working the fur out themselves eventually.

If it is still there in the morning or it looks inflamed/nasty I'd phone a vet for advice (just in case there is some hay or something in there) but I'll bet it's out by morning!
 
If my rabbit's get a wad of fur in their eye, I use plain saline eye drops to help wash it out. I put a few drops in and if that doesn't wash it out, it will usually wash the bit of fur to the corner of the eye or the edge of the eye lid. Then I use a clean finger tip right at the edge of the eye lid, to carefully work it the rest of the way out. Once it's at the edge of the eye lid, it's usually much easier to remove.

If this bit of fur on your rabbits eye is stuck under the eye lid and eye drops don't help to remove it, and it's causing irritation to the eye, you may need a visit to the vet.
 
Okay, thanks Hele. He seems okay in himself, been binkying and he's munching hay right now. I'll have another look in the morning.
 
Thanks Jbun. I don't have any eye drops, unfortunately, and I don't think he'll let me touch his eye with my finger. He's a 9-week-old Nethy and he's tiny so that's not helping!

I'm hoping Hele is right and it'll work its way out. His eyelids are a bit pink but I don't think it's anything more than uncomfortable for him. You know how we worry though... ;)
 
You need to take him to the Vets as it's important to get it out as it could scratch the cornea and only a Vet can see that. Sorry - not explained very well.
 
Thanks Jbun. I don't have any eye drops, unfortunately, and I don't think he'll let me touch his eye with my finger. He's a 9-week-old Nethy and he's tiny so that's not helping!

I'm hoping Hele is right and it'll work its way out. His eyelids are a bit pink but I don't think it's anything more than uncomfortable for him. You know how we worry though... ;)

If washing it with saline doesn't encourage it to come out, I would seek help from the vet nurse at your surgery. It shouldn't take long and I find the nurse can do a burrito better than I can :D
 
Nemesis has his eye half closed, and it looks a bit more inflamed than last night. I've made an appointment to see the vet this afternoon.

Poor Nemesis! I hope I didn't make things worse bathing it.
 
Nemesis has his eye half closed, and it looks a bit more inflamed than last night. I've made an appointment to see the vet this afternoon.

Poor Nemesis! I hope I didn't make things worse bathing it.

I doubt you made it worse! Hope all goes well this afternoon x
 
I doubt you made it worse! Hope all goes well this afternoon x

Thanks! He's not going to be very happy about it, he struggled like mad when he got vacced on Friday. He seems okay in himself - boyfriend says he went mad for new hay this morning as usual and he's been eating and drinking. Perhaps a little quiet, but it's hard to tell as I'm still getting used to their habits.
 
Eye looks better. I can't see the hair now and he has it almost completely open, but it still looks sore. I'm going to keep the vet appointment anyway, to be on the safe side.
 
Thanks! He's not going to be very happy about it, he struggled like mad when he got vacced on Friday. He seems okay in himself - boyfriend says he went mad for new hay this morning as usual and he's been eating and drinking. Perhaps a little quiet, but it's hard to tell as I'm still getting used to their habits.

Bless :love:
 
Okay, the hair's gone but the vet confirmed the eye is inflamed and a bit sore. She checked his teeth (fine), advised me to stop using the hay rack and just put hay on the floor, and gave me Isathal ointment to use twice daily for five days.

He isn't that keen on being restrained! Poor rabbit! But he did nibble a stalk of hay in the consulting room so he can't have been that stressed.

Let's hope his eye feels better soon.
 
Okay, the hair's gone but the vet confirmed the eye is inflamed and a bit sore. She checked his teeth (fine), advised me to stop using the hay rack and just put hay on the floor, and gave me Isathal ointment to use twice daily for five days.

He isn't that keen on being restrained! Poor rabbit! But he did nibble a stalk of hay in the consulting room so he can't have been that stressed.

Let's hope his eye feels better soon.

Let's hope he stays safe now! Can't have too many dashes to the vets :shock:

I hope you manage to get them in his eye. Sometimes I find it's a two man job!
 
Let's hope he stays safe now! Can't have too many dashes to the vets :shock:

I hope you manage to get them in his eye. Sometimes I find it's a two man job!

Actually it was okay. The first drop was a big bubble and he flinched as it touched his eye so it went on the towel I wrapped him in. The second drop was fine but I had to gently dissuade him from rubbing it straight away, it must have felt weird to him.

I totally bribed him with a bit of FibaFirst, he loves that! He complained much more about being picked up than about the ointment.

And I may be imagining things, but that eye already looks better.
 
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