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Sticky eye

Bunnymum4

Young Bun
One of my bunnies has a sticky runny eye. As other members will know I am terrified of the vets for horrific reasons. Can anyone recommend anything. No swelling just matted fur under eye for over a year from weepy eye
 
I see you're in Manchester. I've had all my little ones from the Manchester & Salford RSPCA and know they use Ashleigh Vets on Upper Chorlton Road for all their buns
 
Unfortunately a Vet examination is necessary to establish the cause of the gunky eye. There are several possibilities including conjunctivitis, a blocked nasolacrimal duct (often caused by elongated tooth roots), a foreign body under the eyelid, a corneal abrasion. As you have been attempting to bond your Rabbits a corneal abrasion could have been caused during a scuffle with another Rabbit. All of these possibilities would require treatment which can only be obtain on prescription from a Vet. Any damage to the cornea needs prompt treatment as ulceration can occur if left untreated. Corneal ulcers can be very problematic.

So you do need to consult a Vet, in the meantime you can gently bathe the eye using a sterile swab dipped in cool black tea.Tea had very mild antibacterial properties. The sooner the eye is examine by a Vet the better the prognosis.
 
Has the eye been weeping for a year? You really do need to take the bunny to a vet to get it treated.
 
Has the eye been weeping for a year? You really do need to take the bunny to a vet to get it treated.

I missed the mention of the problem being present for a year……

That makes a consultation with a Rabbit Savvy Vet all the more important. A chronic runny eye is often caused by a blocked nasolacrimal duct. This can be due to elongated tooth roots which, if present, indicate dental problems.

I would take a look at the link about Rabbit Savvy Vets that LilyBarney has given :)
 
Since your bunny's eye has been weeping for a year, have they had treatment or been examined in that time? You do need to see a vet if it's still weepy after a year. When my bunny with a chronic weepy eye had mats under his eye, though, I used to gentle tease out the mats with my fingers, and then clean the fur with a damp cloth, so that might help with the mats, at least.

I'm really sorry you're struggling so much with your fear of the vets. After what happened, that's so completely understandable, and I really feel for you. What you and your bunny went through was horrendous, and it's not surprising that it has left you terrified, especially with the memories still so fresh. So, I understand wanting to take care of the weepy eye yourself so you won't have to see the vet, but as the others have said, you really do need a vet. There's stuff you can buy, but it just doesn't work as well as the stuff the vets can give you, and it won't take care of the root cause of the weeping, which you do need to know in order to treat it successfully. I think seeing if you can get an appointment with the vet LilyBarney suggested would be a good idea. If they're used by a rescue, you know your bunnies will be in good hands there. Most vets I know and have known really are very gentle with bunnies and want them to be comfortable. From what you said about the vets who treated your boy, it doesn't seem like they were like that, so you might find that having a vet who shows they care about your bunnies and treats them with respect will help alleviate your fear a little.

Meanwhile, is there someone you can talk to who can help you process what happened with your poor boy, and can help you find a way to cope with your fears? Because even if your bunnies will be completely healthy for the rest of their lives, they will still need to see a vet for vaccinations and health checks. There's just no way around it, as you still have your responsibility to them to take care of their health.
 
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No advice, just sending vibes for you and your bunny. I understand your fear of vets. Please know that your experience is not endemic of all vets. Hugs.
 
Was it not picked up at the annual vaccination?
The skin can get very sore under damp, matted fur. It may also affect the bonding when one bunny isn't 100% fit as the others will sense it.
 
Thank you everyone for the kind words and advice. Iv had 7 years of healthy carefree bunnies all 4 and now things are taking awful sequence of sad events. My bunnies are treated like kings and Queens I'm devastated by all my bad luck. Re benjis eye wouldn't he need sedating to sort this issue and he is a happy boy. Hes tiny and I don't trust the vet to sedate him safely at all.
 
Thank you everyone for the kind words and advice. Iv had 7 years of healthy carefree bunnies all 4 and now things are taking awful sequence of sad events. My bunnies are treated like kings and Queens I'm devastated by all my bad luck. Re benjis eye wouldn't he need sedating to sort this issue and he is a happy boy. Hes tiny and I don't trust the vet to sedate him safely at all.
It depends on what the cause is. He might need to be sedated for a skull x-ray, unless the vet can do it while your bunny is conscious. If his tear duct needs to be flushed, they can usually do that without sedating him. I know you say he's happy, and I believe you, but try to imagine your eye being weepy all the time; wouldn't that bother you? Wouldn't you find it annoying? Wouldn't you want it to stop? It might seem like a minor thing, but if your eye was weeping all the time, you'd try to do something about it, wouldn't you? Your bunny deserves that, too. :)
 
Agree bunny needs to see a vet. Ashleigh do come highly recommended (not sure if you mean that's where you had the horrific experience). Hope you can get him seen soon even though it's difficult for you xxx
 
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