Cleaning a rabbits eyes

Hi Guys

My rabbit has been diagnosed as having blocked ducts but I can't get him into the vet for them to be flushed for a few days due to no appointments.

However they seem to be getting worse with the fur begining to disappear and it looks sore.

What can I do to help him before he goes in? Can I clean them with anything to help him?

Thanks
Mary

Hi Mary

I would advise you gently bathe your Rabbits eyes with cooled boiled water. Then dry off the surrounding area and apply a bit of Vaseline to the sore skin. This will act as a barrier against the discharge.

However, if the discharge looks thick and white then your Rabbit really needs to be seen by a Vet tomorrow at the latest as he may need antibiotic eye ointment.

When he goes in for the tear duct flush I would ask the Vet to check your Rabbits teeth. Dental problems, particularly overgrown molar roots, can cause blocked tear ducts.

Good Luck and welcome to RU

Janex

Hi, I have read a few posts on flushing tear ducts. what symptoms do the rabbits have when it needs doing, how do you know? Hope i dont sound too dim
Tracy :?

tracyuk said:

Hi, I have read a few posts on flushing tear ducts. what symptoms do the rabbits have when it needs doing, how do you know? Hope i dont sound too dim
Tracy :?

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A persistent milky white discharge from the eye/eyes. Sometimes the duct gets infected causing conjunctivitis. The skin/fur around the eyes gets gunky and can become sore if not bathed daily and the skin protected with a barrier such as Vaseline.
Flushing the ducts may just give temporary relief if the obstruction is the result of overgrown tooth roots

Janex

Thanks Jane. Would you recommend regular bathing as a preventative? Rorys eyes a only slightly crusty every now and then, would hate him to need treatment
Tracy

tracyuk said:

Thanks Jane. Would you recommend regular bathing as a preventative? Rorys eyes a only slightly crusty every now and then, would hate him to need treatment
Tracy

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Bathing the eyes wont really prevent the duct becoming blocked. A Bunnies eyes should, in their 'healthy' state, be clear, bright and free from discharge/crustiness.

Janex

Thanks for advice.
I think Rorys eyes are fine. He is albino so thinks his eyes might be more sesitive, this may be why they get a little crusty from time to time, I am not worried but will be keeping an eye (pardon the pun!)on him :lol:
Tracy

bristolmarylou said:

Hi Guys

My rabbit has been diagnosed as having blocked ducts but I can't get him into the vet for them to be flushed for a few days due to no appointments.

However they seem to be getting worse with the fur begining to disappear and it looks sore.

What can I do to help him before he goes in? Can I clean them with anything to help him?

Thanks
Mary

Click to expand...

Sorry Mary, didnt mean to take over your thread. hope your bunny is ok and well soon
Tracy

When Harly had myxi he was gettin discharge frm his eyes, my step-mum is a clinical aromatherapist and she suggested that I use a very weak witchhazel solution 2 bathe his eyes, 10 parts water to 1 part witchhazel. To be honest I was worried it may irritate them more, so I prob used more like 1 part witchhazel to 20 parts water. It is good for soothing, she uses it on her elderly dogs eyes all the time. I also found that using cotton wall balls to drop the solution on and wipe the surrounding area, thn using moistened cotton buds to lift any discharge off the easiest way

Just to add, it's not necessarily a milky-white discharge. Wouldn't that indicate an infection, possibly a secondary infection if the plugged tear duct is the primary cause? Anyway, Loki has had tear duct issues and when he's having problems his discharge is thin and clear. He only had milky white discharge when it was at it's worst and it was still mostly just clear stuff. The vet said that the clear stuff is normal tears and they're running out because the duct is plugged. Loki's ducts tend to get plugged if his pellets or hay dusty so I make sure to sift them and shake them out outside.

I clean his eyes with warm saline (not homemade, but the kind for human eyes). I've also tried lukewarm chamomile tea as it's been highly recommended to me for this and is supposed to have anti-inflammatory properties. It didn't seem to help any more than saline. Most of what I do when I'm cleaning the eye is gently press a warm, wet paper towel or clean washcloth against the skin near the eye and very very gently over his closed eyelids. I do this to soften any mats or clumps. Then I softly wipe away what I can. Loki enjoys this as long as I rub his nose while I'm doing it. :wink:

Loki did have a very minor secondary infection last time. The duct was clear but his eyes kept running. No inflammation, and still just tears and no mucous. The vet gave him an eye version of triple antibiotic ointment and it cleared it up right away.