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Cleaning fur around eyes...

M

minilops

Alpha Buck
Humphrey's been having eye drops for a few weeks now and had a duct flush on Monday. Still on Fucithalmic for a few more days, but was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to clean the fur under his eyes. It's gone quite hard right down his cheeks (probably a combination of the eye drops running down and the watery eyes). We've been bathing it once a day with warm, boiled water and cotton wool and been patting dry with a tissue, but it doesn't seem to have helped fluff up his fur - still very flattened and hard. Also tried camomile tea. I gather from the Vet he may have watery eyes sometimes, as apparently the entrance to his tear duct is very small, but has anyone any advice on how to clean his fur? Not sure whether to keep on with the boiled water, as this seems to be just making it more wet each day. Any ideas please? Thanks! Claire x
 
Just been looking on Internet and you can get Eye Wipes for rabbits - has anyone used these and do you think they would help with cleaning around Humph's eyes?
 
I would stick with the cooled boiled water. You need to spend quite a bit of time bathing the eyes to soften the dried discharge. You can VERY GENTLY pick it off as the warm water softens it. So its a bit more than just wiping around his eyes. Then when you have dried his eyes put a smear of Vaseline along the 'track' that the discharge flows. This will act as a barrier and prevent the discharge sticking to the fur and consequently making the skin sore.
Its a good idea to try to clear as much dried discharge as possible as with Summer coming you will find Humphrey is bothered by nasty flies that will be attracted to the dried gunky discharge.

Janex
 
Thanks for your help again, Jane. Humphrey's eyes are not actually discharging, used Fucithalmic since duct flush on Monday. They're just watering (clear) and his cheeks are getting quite wet. Vet nurse said his duct was very narrow at the top, but I thought most bunnies' tear ducts were narrow, anyway. I'm still wondering about allergies as both eyes are watering now and he's been sneezing. (No discharge from nose.) Wondering whether to give the Opticrom a go, but not sure how often I would need to do this. Claire x
 
Have bought some Opticrom drops, but think I need to wait until the Fucithalmic has finished? Not sure if you can use them together..... can't seem to find Jane's post about it. Does anyone remember reading it? Thanks, Claire x
 
I don't know whether this is advisable but I used camomile tea bags (boiled and then cooled) for Ozzy's eyes when they were watery last year. It seemed to help :)

XxX
 
His teeth we think. At the time the Vet had given him the all clear on his teeth but 4 months later and 2 vets later we found it was his teeth so I'm sure they were connected. We also think it may have been the batch of hay we had as it occured just after this.

XxX
 
Also I know draughts can cause quite bad watery eyes, maybe it's that? I know the vet thinks it may be because of his tear ducts but I have known quite a few rabbits be in quite a bad way with their eyes watering because of where they love to sit.
 
D'you know...personally I'm thinking allergies as I've been terrible these last few days with watery eyes myself and Humphrey has it in both eyes as well. Also wondering if the continual eye drops and medication in his eyes are making them extra-sensitive as they always water more a short while after I've put the drops in. If the drops or allergy is making his eyes water more (and top of his duct is a bit narrower) then the tears will spill down his cheeks, won't they? Just need to control what is actually causing his eyes to water (don't think it's infection now after four lots of drops). Could be the tear duct flush has inflammed them more (Jane suggested this to me) or allergies. Just thinking out loud really! Claire x
 
Well if it is safe to, maybe stop the drops for a while and see how he goes? Also maybe change the batch of bedding you are using? When Ozzy's eyes were affecting him I changed the batch of hay, straw and woodshavings I was using and he seemed to improve after a few days.

Can bunnies get hayfever....?
 
Not sure if they can get hayfever, as such, but I've read on the Forum about allergies to dust, etc. We've got tons of that yellow rapeseed all around us at the moment - maybe it could be this? Who knows? I remember Jane telling me about her Brian Bun and his allergic conjunctivitis, as he kept digging in his hay! :lol: Sorry to talk about you, Jane, if you're there somewhere...Anyone else's bun have allergies? Claire x
 
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