Swollen eyelid

[Natnat57]

Hi everybun, I have had 3 bunnies around the 6-8 week mark who have each had a swollen eyelid with a scab I have self treated each one with anti bacterial rabbit safe eye cream and kept one back and she is now 5 months and absolutely fine. I’ve found it goes down within a week but I’m not sure what it is. I’ve bred a lot of kits I wondered if it might be conjunctivitis but I’ve only had 3 with it over a 5 month period. My most recent I noticed today (I have photos but can’t seem to attach sorry I’m new here) best way to describe. Upper eyelid slight bald patch, swollen and scabbed. No weeping of the eyes themselves. I wonder if it’s the hay or bedding and just at random or if it’s something else? I’m a responsible breeder and I have a mentor who has been breeding for 10 years so it’s important to me to get to the bottom of this. ( she hasn’t had this before either so isn’t entirely sure herself hence coming here for advice )


* vet is aware *

 

[Natnat57]

Just to add,

My latest one I’ve noticed his litter mate is grooming his eye alot but I haven’t really noticed before but I wonder if it could be over grooming ?

Bunnies are vaccinated against rhd1&2 and myxi

Are from different parents

 

[InspectorMorse]

It could be Treponematosis AKA Rabbit Syphillis/vent disease. Lesions can just appear on the face and not on the genitals. It can be transmitted from Doe to Kits in the uterus.

If Vent disease is confirmed the effected Rabbits cannot be used for breeding. Treatment should resolve symptoms but the disease remains dormant in the Rabbits and can flare up again. Rabbits who have previously shown symptoms can be asymptomatic carriers and can transmit the disease to other Rabbits when mating or to any kits conceived.

A ‘responsible breeder’ would get all symptomatic Rabbits examined by a Vet as soon as symptoms are seen to obtain a definitive diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Breeding from the effected Rabbits and from their parents if you have them should stop immediately to comply with animal welfare standards.

The other possibility is a reaction to the vaccine if the symptoms appeared within 3 weeks of the vaccine being given. Both the Nobivac Myxo RHD and the Nobivac Myxo RHD Plus list mild symptoms of Myxomatosis in the vaccine data sheets.

https://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/?id=-455496&fromsearch=true#iosfirsthighlight

https://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/?id=-476284

Tea Tree Oil can be VERY HARMFUL to Rabbits and should never be used on the eyes

https://www.theveterinarynurse.com/review/article/tea-tree-oil-exposure-in-cats-and-dogs

 

[a reader of books]

Yeah, I agree with IM. The best thing to do would be to get them to a vet as soon as you see it. Personally, I'm really not a fan of treating things yourself rather than getting veterinary advice and, if needed, treatment. Tea tree is not safe for rabbits, even diluted, and like you said, litter mates groom each other, so not only will it affect the bunny you put it on but also their siblings, who could ingest it. Even humans shouldn't ingest tea tree oil or get it in their eyes.

 

[Natnat57]

Thank you for your replies. Firstly I have been in contact with my vet and I’m one of few breeders around my area that actually get their bunnies vaccinated before leaving unlike some, and it’s frustrating that you think I would use a treatment that would be further more harmful. The cream im using is specifically for rabbits and when speaking to my vet said try this cream also.. I highly doubt it’s syphilis I have not used that buck on this doe and so on they’re different does and bucks not been in contact together either and surly I would have a much higher amount then just 3 in gosh I’d say at least 35 kits ? I’m wondering if it is a reaction it seems to be within the 3 weeks after the vaccination I have the ( 3in1 not separate) it would be nice to hear thoughts rather than jump straight to the worse case that I have already seen online, it doesn’t look like syphilis to me by images I have seen. Will have to speak with the vet some more ( also noted my vet is a rabbit savvy vet and a breeder herself of 20 years so I will trust her opinion also but would like to hear from others ) thank you for your time.

 

[Shimmer]

If it's a reaction to the vaccine, the vet would need to know, and possibly report it as a side effect. I wish more people would get their kits vaccinated before rehoming them.
Diagnosing over the internet isn't ever going to be a substitute for professional advice and a veterinary examination, I'm afraid - so you are only ever going to get a best guess.
I hope the kits are recovering.

 

[Natnat57]

Thank you shimmer yes it is important to me to get them done they’re all still my babies even when they leave me to their new homes. I put so much effort in and ensure I have great quality bucks and does some to which are brc rung from reputable breeders with history of bloodlines etc etc, I understand it will be guesses on here I just wanted to hear if anyone had anything I haven’t already heard of that I could possibly put two and two together, it could be a simple think like allergy to hay or bedding or anything but I just wanted to hear if people have had anything similar. The bump itself looks almost like a knock to the eye which in all honestly I thought the very first kit was this, swelling went right down within a matter of days and after a week was completely healed ( that bunny was the one I kept back and she is absolutely fine now, never had it again) then when I had another in same position I knew it wouldn’t be a coincidental knock to the eye so I will keep trying to get to the bottom of it, I would have thought if it was anything more serious it would not only show in the kits but the parents too? All my adults here are vaccinated and health checked and all perfectly healthy to my vets knowledge

 

[a reader of books]

My apologies for assuming you hadn't contacted a vet. The fact that you didn't mention a vet anywhere in your posts and said you had self treated things made me think you hadn't. I'm sorry I don't know what could be the issue with the kits. I think your best way of finding an answer would be a vet examination. I'm surprised that there is tea tree cream for rabbits, though. I don't really understand how they could have made it safe. I didn't mean anything bad by saying tea tree cream is unsafe for rabbits; I didn't mean to imply you would willingly use something harmful, but a lot of people simply don't know it's not safe, so it's best to mention it in case someone is unaware. We get a lot of people asking for advice here, from people who know nothing about rabbits to people who know a lot about them, and we can't always immediately tell how much a person knows or what they're doing just from a few short posts.

 

[InspectorMorse]

You asked for opinions. They were given. You did not mention anything about consulting a Vet in your OP so how is anyone supposed to know that you had done so.

If I were breeding I would want a Vet to examine the effected Rabbits as soon as I noticed the problem. Nothing in your OP indicated that this had occurred.

Can you post a link to the data sheet of the Tea Tree cream your Vet apparently said is safe to use as I have only read information stating that it is not.