Blocked tear ducts...

Hi, I took Paddy the vets this morning to be neutered but he had also developed a slightly weepy eye, I wanted the vet to take a look. It turns out Paddy had a lil infection and a blocked tear duct and has now had them flushed and had antibiotics to get rid of the infection, so he didnt get neutered today. My question is, what exactly causes blocked tear ducts, is there anything I need to be doing?? He has to go the vets again on friday to have it redone but not as bad as today as they said they were quite blocked. I'm a bit worried that as I only got him on Sunday, Im not sure how long he has had it for. I will obviusly keep bathing his eye also so his fur doesnt get sticky and matted.

Thanks
Charlotte
(the vet did check all his teeth and they were in great condition so it has nothing to do with them)

The only way to be CERTAIN that the blocked duct is not tooth related is for a skull X-ray to be taken to assess the TOOTH ROOTS. Has this been done?

Janex

Hi, no it hasn't but the vet did say that as he is only 10 monthes, it would not be something they would exect to see in a younger bunny. Do you think this is worth mentioning when I go back on Friday? also is there any other symptoms to look out for as at the moment he is eating fine and his poops look normal.
Thanks

charl343 said:

Hi, no it hasn't but the vet did say that as he is only 10 monthes, it would not be something they would exect to see in a younger bunny. Do you think this is worth mentioning when I go back on Friday? also is there any other symptoms to look out for as at the moment he is eating fine and his poops look normal.
Thanks

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Is your Bun a Dwarf Lop/French Lop ?

These breeds can sometimes have a congenital problem causing Dental problems. I would mention 'tooth roots' to your Vet.

What do you feed your Bun? Hay and grass are the most important ingredient in a Buns diet to ensure healthy dentition and GI function.
Pellet feeds as opposed to cereal mixes mean the Bun cannot 'selectively feed' and thereby not ingest sufficient calcium.

Janex

he is meant to be a mini lop but I think he looks more like a dwarf?! I'm not too sure tho. As I only got him on sunday, I cant be too sure on what he was being fed (apart from what I was told) but at the moment he gets a really small handful of excel jnr and dwaf pellets (which he was already being fed) in the morning with some broccoli or a carrot or something and a cabbage leaf and then in the evening he gets another small hand full of pellets with maybe a bit of banana or a small bit of veg. He didnt really seem to interested in normal hay but I gave him a bit of excel herbage? hay today and I spotted him munching it before so I filled his hutch full!!!! Is there anything else I should/shouldn't be doing? Ive also gotten him some biscuitish treats which are only really small and apparently contain vitamins and stuff which I will only be giving him sparingly.


Thats a few pics of him....dwarf or mini?! any ideas!!

charl343 said:

he is meant to be a mini lop but I think he looks more like a dwarf?! I'm not too sure tho. As I only got him on sunday, I cant be too sure on what he was being fed (apart from what I was told) but at the moment he gets a really small handful of excel jnr and dwaf pellets (which he was already being fed) in the morning with some broccoli or a carrot or something and a cabbage leaf and then in the evening he gets another small hand full of pellets with maybe a bit of banana or a small bit of veg. He didnt really seem to interested in normal hay but I gave him a bit of excel herbage? hay today and I spotted him munching it before so I filled his hutch full!!!! Is there anything else I should/shouldn't be doing? Ive also gotten him some biscuitish treats which are only really small and apparently contain vitamins and stuff which I will only be giving him sparingly.

Thats a few pics of him....dwarf or mini?! any ideas!!

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Hay and grass should form the main part of his diet. Pellets are necessary for young, growing Rabbits but are only needed in VERY small amounts, if at all for an adult Bun.
Dark leafy greens are better than the more sugary Veg (carrot) or fruit.
Cabbage/Kale/Brocolli can cause some Buns to get a gassy tum.

I am trying to keep my Bunnies on as near 'natural' diet as possible. This includes a variety of hays, dried grass, fresh grass, a moderate amount of Veg and very few pellets.
I would cut back on the pellets and fruit, avoid 'biscuit treats' and try to encourage your Bun to eat as much hay as possible.

I am not too good on identifying the Lops but at a guess I'd say your Bun is a mini lop!!

Janex

looks like a mini lop to me..that was what our oscar was and got the same flannelf rom the vets as you have..be firm insist you want one done or seek out a bunny friendly vets and g there..word of mouth is good but the other thing i found was to ring up avets and ask if they kept protexin bio lapis or protexin fibreplex..bunny savvy vets did and the others didnt thinkit was necessary!
If only theyd done oscars tooth roots it could have helped so much..but they didnt.
our dwarf lop had a misaligned jaw and she had runny eyes blocked ducts and ear infections too and had to have her inscisors removed.she was a defiant old bun.
small breed rabbits and especially lops of any kind suffer dental pribs more than any other bun. sad but true..but saying that berties teeth are long like ahorse but so far so good theyre fine..
i cut down the pelelts and have slightly increased the veggoes but not tooo much cos of their tums..i use meadow hay from bunny bascis asa good old in the tray munch hay and i use tomothy hay 2nd cut from there to topit or put in the rack..they adore it..
I was told lop bunnies skulls dont finish growing till their about 18 months old so any probs rear their heads by then..oscar was about 12 months old when he had to have his first deantal..then again in dec and then again in march april the following year..
bifs been with me a year almost and shes had 3 within the space of 5 months..shes only a lop cross.
there are folks ive spoken to who have had bunny baies with tooth problems due to high interbreeding of bad stock from unscrupulous breeders back yard breeders supplying pet shops or a bunny farm..sadly it is genetic...
provid a good diet as jane has suggested..i also give mine dried leaves when utsides off limits or i go and hand pick grass in my dressing gown for breakfast..i kid ye not! :lol:

Concerning your bun's weepy eye, have a look at my post headed "Tiacil and Medibed" as there is some good advice from people on there. I notice you said you filled the hutch with hay - I'm wondering if the dust in the hay is causing my bun's eyes to be pink and to water, as he's had two different treatments and they don't seem to have worked. My bun is only 12 weeks and the Vet said it isn't his teeth. What hay do you use? Claire x