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weird breathing/bulging eye...

binkybunnyox

binkybunnyox

Warren Scout
pepper has had funny breathing for a little while, it sounds kinda wheezy.
She was initially been treated for a upper respiratory infection with baytril, with little improvement in her breathing. Her breathing got worse & sometimes it sounded as if I had a little piggie in the house instead of a rabbit ! The snorting? was usually at night when she got her pellets, she started sneezing a lot. After speaking to the vet we decided to do a nose swab. When we took her out the box in the vets she was doing her funny breathing (she had never had it on previous visits as it happens occasionally) she then had a major sneezing fit & lots of white discharge came out her nose ! The vet swabbed this & sent it for c+s . While we were there I noticed that her left eye was bulging and weepy, so asked the vet to check that too. The vet thinks she has a tumor in/behind her eye :(

He wants to give her a ga so he can take a fine needle aspirate from her eye to send for cytology to check that this is a tumor before removing the eye. Is it possible that it could be something else rather than a tumor ? Does anyone have any experience with rabbits that only have one eye ? I'm quite reluctant to even do the biopsy as I'm scared that they could damage her eye :( I'm really worried about her as she does have other issues but she doesn't seem bothered by it, she's still eating, drinking, pooing & terrorizing the household lol.

Any advice would really be appreciated
 
Sorry to hear about your bun's problems. You could wait for the results from the C&S and try a round of the appropriate antibiotics if anything comes back from the sensitivity test. I would hope that your vet had already started some antibiotics in the meantime, even if these need to be changed in a few days. It sounds like there could be an infection of some sort, otherwise you wouldn't do a C&S.

I have no experience of this directly, but I might be discussing head and chest x-rays as well as a fine needle aspiration while under a GA. There is obviously something going on and leaving it probably wouldn't be a good option. Losing an eye wouldn't unduly concern me if it was necessary to deal with an underlying issue (and the other eye was OK), although I would explore other less drastic options first - depending on further discussions with my vet and any progress in the condition.

Pain relief / an anti-inflammatory (eg metacam) might also help. It can't be pleasant having a bulging eye.

I have experience with jaw abscesses. In my experience, any deep seated area of infection needs removing physically / surgically as far as is possible and as early as possible, then treating with antibiotics and pain relief - often over an extended period of time. Infections in the head area have nowhere to go and cause all sorts of problems once they get a hold.
 
binkybunnyox said:
pepper has had funny breathing for a little while, it sounds kinda wheezy.
She was initially been treated for a upper respiratory infection with baytril, with little improvement in her breathing. Her breathing got worse & sometimes it sounded as if I had a little piggie in the house instead of a rabbit ! The snorting? was usually at night when she got her pellets, she started sneezing a lot. After speaking to the vet we decided to do a nose swab. When we took her out the box in the vets she was doing her funny breathing (she had never had it on previous visits as it happens occasionally) she then had a major sneezing fit & lots of white discharge came out her nose ! The vet swabbed this & sent it for c+s . While we were there I noticed that her left eye was bulging and weepy, so asked the vet to check that too. The vet thinks she has a tumor in/behind her eye :(

He wants to give her a ga so he can take a fine needle aspirate from her eye to send for cytology to check that this is a tumor before removing the eye. Is it possible that it could be something else rather than a tumor ? Does anyone have any experience with rabbits that only have one eye ? I'm quite reluctant to even do the biopsy as I'm scared that they could damage her eye :( I'm really worried about her as she does have other issues but she doesn't seem bothered by it, she's still eating, drinking, pooing & terrorizing the household lol.

Any advice would really be appreciated
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear this, it's obviously very worrying.

Is your vet going to take X-rays of your rabbit's skull and chest? This would help identify what was going on - it could be something local to the eye, but it could also be a tumour in the chest. In this latter case the blood vessels are compressed and the blood cannot flow normally back to the heart. Pressure increases in the veins and leads to an accumulation of blood in the venous sinus behind the eye, resulting in bulging. The bulging eye condition could also be due to glaucoma.

Once your vet (so long as you are confident they are very rabbit savvy) has determined the cause, if the eye has to be enucleated (removed) then that's not really a worry for the rabbit. I have looked after one-eyed rabbits and they manage perfectly.

I'm so glad she is still behaving normally and not letting it bother her. Try not to get too worried until you've a diagnosis. It seems she is taking it all in her stride :)
 
binkybunnyox said:
pepper has had funny breathing for a little while, it sounds kinda wheezy.
She was initially been treated for a upper respiratory infection with baytril, with little improvement in her breathing. Her breathing got worse & sometimes it sounded as if I had a little piggie in the house instead of a rabbit ! The snorting? was usually at night when she got her pellets, she started sneezing a lot. After speaking to the vet we decided to do a nose swab. When we took her out the box in the vets she was doing her funny breathing (she had never had it on previous visits as it happens occasionally) she then had a major sneezing fit & lots of white discharge came out her nose ! The vet swabbed this & sent it for c+s . While we were there I noticed that her left eye was bulging and weepy, so asked the vet to check that too. The vet thinks she has a tumor in/behind her eye :(

He wants to give her a ga so he can take a fine needle aspirate from her eye to send for cytology to check that this is a tumor before removing the eye. Is it possible that it could be something else rather than a tumor ? Does anyone have any experience with rabbits that only have one eye ? I'm quite reluctant to even do the biopsy as I'm scared that they could damage her eye :( I'm really worried about her as she does have other issues but she doesn't seem bothered by it, she's still eating, drinking, pooing & terrorizing the household lol.

Any advice would really be appreciated
Click to expand...

It sounds as though the 'bulging eye' problem may be more likely to be located in the skull rather than to a mass in the chest which tends to cause both eyes to bulge simultaneously not just one eye. However, if your Vet is suggesting a GA then skull and chest Xrays would be advisable. It may also be a good idea for the Vet to take a deep nasal swab, not just the mucus discharge. The latter can give a misleading result as far as C+S results are concerned.

Eye removal is an option and Rabbits can adapt to cope with having lost an eye. But sometimes aggressive antibiotic treatment and possibly some additional medication can resolve the infection and eye removal is then not necessary. The antibiotic of choice should ideally be based n the findings of the C+S testing.

You mention that your Rabbit has other problems, so your Vet will hopefully be taking the full picture into account when deciding how best to proceed with treatment for this acute problem. There is seldom one size fits all for dealing with Rabbit health problems as in all cases the 'bigger picture' needs to be taken into account and each Rabbit's needs will be unique to themselves. What is 'right' for one Rabbit may not be appropriate for another Rabbit even if they both present with the same problem.
 
Thanks for all the replies :)

I had previously asked about skull xrays so will just get them to take some skull & chest xrays while she is under ga.

Pepper already gets metacam for her leg, aswell as tramadol & gabapentin so I would hope that her eye wasn't causing her any pain .

Is glaucoma treatable in rabbits ? Or is it possible that its a severe infection that is causing her eye to bulge ? I'm assuming that if it comes back as a tumor that enaculation is the only option ?

My partner really does not want to remove her eye. She has already had a lateral wall resection on her right ear & she has pus in her left ear so I assume there is possibly an abscess there too ? Could her ear problems possibly be the cause of her weird breathing & bulging eye ?

I just don't know what to do for the best for her, she has already been through so much. Her spark & determination throughout everything we've done amazes me not once has she complained or made a fuss of anything.
My mum keeps telling me to have her pts & that I am been cruel to her :( everyone says its just a bunny so its great to come here and speak to people that truly understand & care. Thanks guys :thumb:
 
Given the further details that you have added I think a retrobulbar abscess (abscess behind the eye) is the most likely cause. So all linked in to her ear problems really. But obviously diagnostics are the only way to confirm that.

Is she on antibiotics at the moment and if so which one(s) ?

A more conservative approach that your Vet may consider, if you feel that after all her other surgery eye removal is not really an option, is to treat her with an injectable penicillin and oral metronidazole. Whilst this may not bring about a total 'cure' it might get the infection under control.
 
Last edited:
binkybunnyox said:
Thanks for all the replies :)

I had previously asked about skull xrays so will just get them to take some skull & chest xrays while she is under ga.

Pepper already gets metacam for her leg, aswell as tramadol & gabapentin so I would hope that her eye wasn't causing her any pain .

Is glaucoma treatable in rabbits ? Or is it possible that its a severe infection that is causing her eye to bulge ? I'm assuming that if it comes back as a tumor that enaculation is the only option ?

My partner really does not want to remove her eye. She has already had a lateral wall resection on her right ear & she has pus in her left ear so I assume there is possibly an abscess there too ? Could her ear problems possibly be the cause of her weird breathing & bulging eye ?

I just don't know what to do for the best for her, she has already been through so much. Her spark & determination throughout everything we've done amazes me not once has she complained or made a fuss of anything.
My mum keeps telling me to have her pts & that I am been cruel to her :( everyone says its just a bunny so its great to come here and speak to people that truly understand & care. Thanks guys :thumb:
Click to expand...

It's a shame that others are advising PTS when you obviously love her so much and want to give her the very best chance of a good future. If she is determined to get the best out of her life, I feel you are right to help her, as far as you are able :)

From what you have said, I would think it likely that the ear and eye are related, and if there is an abscess behind the eye, your vet will advise
the best course of action. Obviously draining would be best, but failing this, considering a long term antibiotic such as injectable penicillin could be an option. It's very safe and usually quite effective.
 
Jack's-jane she isn't on any abx at the moment the vet just said to wait on results of c+s & to think about how far I want to take this. I really wish our previous vet hadn't left :(

She was on injectable penicillin (ultrapen la) for her ear abscess, after a few months peppers coat seemed to be really dull and horrible looking, she was constantly moulting, poor soul. is there anything I can add to her diet to help this ?
Also how do they drain a retrobulbar abscess ? Do they need to make another hole to flush ?
 
binkybunnyox said:
Jack's-jane she isn't on any abx at the moment the vet just said to wait on results of c+s & to think about how far I want to take this. I really wish our previous vet hadn't left :(

She was on injectable penicillin (ultrapen la) for her ear abscess, after a few months peppers coat seemed to be really dull and horrible looking, she was constantly moulting, poor soul. is there anything I can add to her diet to help this ?
Also how do they drain a retrobulbar abscess ? Do they need to make another hole to flush ?
Click to expand...

The dull coat is probably due to the fact that she is very 'run down' due to her fighting ongoing infections over a protracted period of time. You could speak with the Vet about giving her some Ecinachea to try to boost her immune system. I use this one

http://www.baldwins.co.uk/herbs/ext...ea-goldenseal-alcohol-free-fluid-extract-30ml

or this one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gaia-Herb...t=UK_Health_HealthCare_RL&hash=item2348a5946c


Also, grooming your Rabbit daily will help remove all the dry dead particles and lose fur. Grooming will also help promote blood circulation which can aid skin health.

There are details about treatment options for a retrobulbar abscess here:

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/RetrobulbarAbscessRabbit.htm

Unfortunately as you will read on the link an abscess behind the eye is not usually curable without surgery. As your Rabbit has a history of ear infections then I do think that it is important that if more surgical intervention is to go ahead that the Vet is highly experienced in treating Rabbits with complex problems like this. Aswell as a skull Xray I would probably want the Rabbit to have a CT scan too before putting him through more extensive surgery.

You mention that the Vet who treated her for her ear abscess has left. Do you now not feel too confident about the current Vet ? If this is the case could you request that your Rabbit is referred to an Exotics Specialist ? Although I do understand that if your Rabbit is not insured this may not be feasible for you. Very few of us have a bottomless pit of money. I know I don't.

How is your Rabbit doing within herself now ?
 
Last edited:
binkybunnyox said:
She was on injectable penicillin (ultrapen la) for her ear abscess, after a few months peppers coat seemed to be really dull and horrible looking, she was constantly moulting, poor soul. is there anything I can add to her diet to help this ?
Also how do they drain a retrobulbar abscess ? Do they need to make another hole to flush ?
Click to expand...

When I had my rabbit with one eye, she had to have the eye removed in order to drain the abscess. It worked very well for her, and she was on penicillin injections for a few months and had no recurrence. The procedure was straight forward, but obviously quite serious.

For a dull coat, I often give a few sunflower seeds as they contain beneficial oils and this makes their coat glossy. You can also get vitamins which contain oil and are usually very tasty. I give these when rescue rabbits come to stay and their coats are not too good (because in their case they haven't been looked after)

You do need to have a rabbit savvy vet on your side, to help you make a decision and also to go through with the operation if that's what you want.
 
Will look into getting some ecinachea for her. Will try the sunflower seeds too but she is a stubborn lady so she probably won't eat them because I want her too :lol:

I guess it just takes time getting used to a different vet ? Our previous vet had rabbits & it was quite obvious that she genuinely cared, she also used to look after pepper when we went summer holidays .

Pepper is fine just now. she's currently flopped out in her cage having a nap :love:

Mightymax- what did post op care involve for your bunny, if you don't mind me asking ?
 
binkybunnyox said:
Thanks for all the replies :)

I had previously asked about skull xrays so will just get them to take some skull & chest xrays while she is under ga.

Pepper already gets metacam for her leg, aswell as tramadol & gabapentin so I would hope that her eye wasn't causing her any pain .

Is glaucoma treatable in rabbits ? Or is it possible that its a severe infection that is causing her eye to bulge ? I'm assuming that if it comes back as a tumor that enaculation is the only option ?

My partner really does not want to remove her eye. She has already had a lateral wall resection on her right ear & she has pus in her left ear so I assume there is possibly an abscess there too ? Could her ear problems possibly be the cause of her weird breathing & bulging eye ?

I just don't know what to do for the best for her, she has already been through so much. Her spark & determination throughout everything we've done amazes me not once has she complained or made a fuss of anything.
My mum keeps telling me to have her pts & that I am been cruel to her :( everyone says its just a bunny so its great to come here and speak to people that truly understand & care. Thanks guys :thumb:
Click to expand...

Some people cannot comprehend that bunnies and other pets are just as important as their cats and dogs and deserve the same level of care.
 
binkybunnyox said:
Will look into getting some ecinachea for her. Will try the sunflower seeds too but she is a stubborn lady so she probably won't eat them because I want her too :lol:

I guess it just takes time getting used to a different vet ? Our previous vet had rabbits & it was quite obvious that she genuinely cared, she also used to look after pepper when we went summer holidays .

Pepper is fine just now. she's currently flopped out in her cage having a nap :love:

Mightymax- what did post op care involve for your bunny, if you don't mind me asking ?
Click to expand...

I limited her access to the house, so that she wouldn't have trouble if she couldn't judge distances initially. She had stitches that had to be removed and to be honest, there was no problem after her eye was removed.

It wasn't tenable for her to live with the situation with her eye, and the only alternative was to PTS. However, I was prepared to go ahead and the vet was fine.
She was a beautiful black up-eared rabbit who was given in to the R.S.P.C.A. so she came to me. Fiesty little madam she was :lol:
 
update...

Well after swabs, scans and xrays with nothing found, it turns out that pepper has glaucoma in her left eye :(


The vet has given her injectable steroids and wants to see how she gets on. Is this the usual treatment for glaucoma ? I didn't think steroids were recommended in bunnies ?

Also does anyone know if steroids cause the same side effects in rabbits as dogs (eg. Increased hunger/thirst)
 
binkybunnyox said:
Well after swabs, scans and xrays with nothing found, it turns out that pepper has glaucoma in her left eye :(


The vet has given her injectable steroids and wants to see how she gets on. Is this the usual treatment for glaucoma ? I didn't think steroids were recommended in bunnies ?

Also does anyone know if steroids cause the same side effects in rabbits as dogs (eg. Increased hunger/thirst)
Click to expand...

If it were me, I would take her to see a specialist ophthalmologist. Glaucoma is rare in rabbits, and is usually treated (as in humans) with eye drops.
 
binkybunnyox said:
Well after swabs, scans and xrays with nothing found, it turns out that pepper has glaucoma in her left eye :(


The vet has given her injectable steroids and wants to see how she gets on. Is this the usual treatment for glaucoma ? I didn't think steroids were recommended in bunnies ?

Also does anyone know if steroids cause the same side effects in rabbits as dogs (eg. Increased hunger/thirst)
Click to expand...

I am assuming the diagnosis of Glaucoma was made after the Vet tested the intra-occular pressure ? Glaucoma is relatively common in Rabbits, especially New Zealand whites where it can be a hereditary condition. Effected NZWs should never be used for breeding.

Systemic steroids are not usually the treatment given for Glaucoma. It is usually treated topically with eye drops eg Timoptol ( timolol maleate).

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/GlaucomaRabbit.htm

You are correct in thinking that the use of systemic steroids in Rabbits needs to be undertaken with extreme caution due to the fact that Rabbits are very sensitive to the side effects, especially to the immuno-suppressant side effects.

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Corticost/Cortico.htm


Also, if the glaucoma is not of the hereditary it is often a secondary symptom of another problem. So trying to establish what the primary cause is and treating it if possible is also important.

As Rabbits do not always respond well to treatment for Glaucoma it is essential that the intra-occular pressure is regularly monitored. So it might be a good idea to ask your Vet to refer your Rabbit to an Opthalmologist.

Good luck xx

ETA- Yes, steroids do increase the appetite/thirst in Rabbits.
 
Last edited:
We are waiting on a referral to an ophthalmologist. The vet measured the pressure in both eyes. Her right eye is normal 15.6 but her left eye was 49.8 :eek:

She's now lame on her left leg again :( this started last year, she's been on gabapentin, metacam & tramadol for a year with no issues then on Thursday, 2 days after a vet gave her a steroid injection for her glaucoma she couldnt hop properly & had started holding her left leg up, could this be related to the steroid injection ?

We seen a different vet about her leg, who advised to up her tramadol from twice daily to three times daily & to put a sock on her right foot due to pressure sores developing. She also gave us xalan sp? for her left eye.I think we are getting close to pts :(

she's not herself since her leg went again, she sits in her little igloo house all day & the only thing she's interested in is food. She seems very painful on her leg still despite the drugs :( I just don't know what to do. She had xrays last year but there was nothing on them, slight arthritis in her left hip, the vet thought at the time that it was impinging on the sciatic nerve but did mention an mri to check for a nerve tumor (i had to decline due to cost, pepper is not insured)
 
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