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Thinking of adopting a rabbit with long term health problem - blocked tear duct

Trufflesmum

Young Bun
I'm thinking about adopting a rabbit a male rabbit for husbun to Nala. I saw this lovely rabbit on the RSPCA website who was then taken off. I rang them up and they told me he has a blocked tear duct and felt they couldn't rehome at the moment. I spoke to their vet. He (Cloud) has had a course of antibiotics and daily flushing the tear duct out with a catheter, which apparently he tolerated without GA and without fidgeting (which makes me like him even more). Apparently he has a lovely temperament. Unfortunately this has had no effect and they are now just cleaning it daily. He has had an x-ray and has some decalcification of his teeth which they attribute to a previous poor diet. He was a stray, looks like an angora, and was found with a show ring on. He has a good quality of life at the moment and tolerates his eye cleaning well, but the vet said he will be pre-disposed to abscesses and if this was the case he would probably need to be euthanised. If he isn't re-homed the vet said they would not keep him indefinitely and would probably be euthanized if needing ongoing treatment (no pressure then!). He has been castrated about a month ago.
My own girl Nala is an indoor rabbit and has had some health problems - stasis earlier this year and then the snuffles which has twice delayed her being neutered. We can't see that she is symptomatic (no discharge or sneezing), so fingers crossed, she is booked again in the week after next.
Am I being daft thinking about taking him on? Obviously I wouldn't start to bond until she has been neutered and hormones have died down, but I wondered if she has had pasteurella is that more likely to exacerbate his condition? Have any of you had rabbits with blocked tear ducts and if so what is it like managing the problem? Can this problem be managed for years or is the prognosis as poor as the vet made out. Thanks for your thoughts and advice.
 
I'm thinking about adopting a rabbit a male rabbit for husbun to Nala. I saw this lovely rabbit on the RSPCA website who was then taken off. I rang them up and they told me he has a blocked tear duct and felt they couldn't rehome at the moment. I spoke to their vet. He (Cloud) has had a course of antibiotics and daily flushing the tear duct out with a catheter, which apparently he tolerated without GA and without fidgeting (which makes me like him even more). Apparently he has a lovely temperament. Unfortunately this has had no effect and they are now just cleaning it daily. He has had an x-ray and has some decalcification of his teeth which they attribute to a previous poor diet. He was a stray, looks like an angora, and was found with a show ring on. He has a good quality of life at the moment and tolerates his eye cleaning well, but the vet said he will be pre-disposed to abscesses and if this was the case he would probably need to be euthanised. If he isn't re-homed the vet said they would not keep him indefinitely and would probably be euthanized if needing ongoing treatment (no pressure then!). He has been castrated about a month ago.
My own girl Nala is an indoor rabbit and has had some health problems - stasis earlier this year and then the snuffles which has twice delayed her being neutered. We can't see that she is symptomatic (no discharge or sneezing), so fingers crossed, she is booked again in the week after next.
Am I being daft thinking about taking him on? Obviously I wouldn't start to bond until she has been neutered and hormones have died down, but I wondered if she has had pasteurella is that more likely to exacerbate his condition? Have any of you had rabbits with blocked tear ducts and if so what is it like managing the problem? Can this problem be managed for years or is the prognosis as poor as the vet made out. Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

Blocked tear ducts can be related to Dental problems- elongated tooth roots. I am assuming that as radiographs were taken elongated tooth roots have been ruled out ?
 
Hi there. I think the vet he has elongated tooth roots, but if I recall correctly they were to do with his molars and they were reluctant to take them out.
 
Hi there. I think the vet he has elongated tooth roots, but if I recall correctly they were to do with his molars and they were reluctant to take them out.

It sounds as though he has quite significant Dental problems then. If you did adopt him you'd need to be prepared for the need for ongoing Dental treatment.Managing his gunky eyes may not be so much of an issue, but dental disease is progressive so that aspect is far more likely to prove to be a challenge. These links may be useful to take a look at :

https://www.vetstream.com/treat/lapis/freeform/dental-malocclusion-overgrowth

http://cinqueportsvets.co.uk/information_sheets/blocked-tear-ducts/

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/Rabbit_dentistry.pdf

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/AcquiredMolarAbnRabbits.htm
 
Thank you for all the info. I'll have a good read through.

That's OK. I think as long as you know what you could be taking on then offering the little fella a home would be lovely. With regards to the Pasteurella issue- in theory a Rabbit with Pasteurella can pass it on to other Rabbits. Also, some Rabbits can be asymptomatic carriers of the bacteria. I have had several Rabbits with symptoms relating to Pasteurella and their partners never developed any problems at all. Much depends on the immune system of an individual Rabbit. Asymptomatic carriers of Pasteurella can go on to develop symptoms at times of stress. This is because stress has a negative impact on the immune system.

Nothing about Rabbits is straightforward is it :?
 
I'm thinking about adopting a rabbit a male rabbit for husbun to Nala. I saw this lovely rabbit on the RSPCA website who was then taken off. I rang them up and they told me he has a blocked tear duct and felt they couldn't rehome at the moment. I spoke to their vet. He (Cloud) has had a course of antibiotics and daily flushing the tear duct out with a catheter, which apparently he tolerated without GA and without fidgeting (which makes me like him even more). Apparently he has a lovely temperament. Unfortunately this has had no effect and they are now just cleaning it daily. He has had an x-ray and has some decalcification of his teeth which they attribute to a previous poor diet. He was a stray, looks like an angora, and was found with a show ring on. He has a good quality of life at the moment and tolerates his eye cleaning well, but the vet said he will be pre-disposed to abscesses and if this was the case he would probably need to be euthanised. If he isn't re-homed the vet said they would not keep him indefinitely and would probably be euthanized if needing ongoing treatment (no pressure then!). He has been castrated about a month ago.
My own girl Nala is an indoor rabbit and has had some health problems - stasis earlier this year and then the snuffles which has twice delayed her being neutered. We can't see that she is symptomatic (no discharge or sneezing), so fingers crossed, she is booked again in the week after next.
Am I being daft thinking about taking him on? Obviously I wouldn't start to bond until she has been neutered and hormones have died down, but I wondered if she has had pasteurella is that more likely to exacerbate his condition? Have any of you had rabbits with blocked tear ducts and if so what is it like managing the problem? Can this problem be managed for years or is the prognosis as poor as the vet made out. Thanks for your thoughts and advice.


Hi there :)

How kind of you to think of rehoming this bun :love:

Elongated tooth roots and blocked tear ducts are such common problems in rabbits. There's nothing to be done about the elongated roots and you shouldn't be thinking about removing molars!

Blocked tear ducts can be kept under control. Often daily bathing in warm water that's been previously boiled, and also making a compress just below the eye where the tear duct exits, will help keep it well clean and healthy :)

Pasturella is carried by very many rabbits. I have successfully brought this under control (I hesitate to say eradicated it) with one of my rabbits this year. Also, it's often not passed on to other rabbits unless they have a very weakened immune system.

Giving something like echinacea to boost the immune system can make all the difference!

https://www.baldwins.co.uk/baldwins-echinacea-angustifolia-herbal-fluid-extract
 
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