Leaky eye, sniffles

Hi all

Chloe has had a leaky eye for the past few months, it’s been clear liquid. She has had her eye flushed twice. This week it’s paticularly bad, plus her nose sounds sniffly and I’ve noticed a bit of white gunk on her nose.

She’s got the vets booked for Tues but I wondered if anyone had an idea of what it could be?

MummyBunnyEm said:

Hi all

Chloe has had a leaky eye for the past few months, it’s been clear liquid. She has had her eye flushed twice. This week it’s paticularly bad, plus her nose sounds sniffly and I’ve noticed a bit of white gunk on her nose.

She’s got the vets booked for Tues but I wondered if anyone had an idea of what it could be?

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Oh dear, sorry to hear that .. It sounds like a bit of bacterial infection.

The tear duct can get blocked and sometimes infected ...

https://wagwalking.com/rabbit/condition/nasal-duct-blockage

Sometimes it needs flushing with baytril, and oral antibiotics to address the nasal discharge. I haven't found oral antibiotics to be that much use and have resorted to things like Bisolvon (for thinning the mucous) and nebulising.

My rabbit had this earlier this year. Fortunately I've managed to clear it up, but it can be very persistent.

You could try giving echinacea to stimulate Chloe's own immune defences?

There's also some info here about upper respiratory tract infection, with nasal and ocular discharge, sometimes sneezing and snoring:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Respiratory/Bacterial/URI.htm

Thank you so much for replying MM. She’s always been a snorer funnily enough. And lots of sneezing recently poor thing. Going to have a read through those links now. I have no idea what echinacea is?

Also, where her eye has been leaky it’s left her fur in like dried, prickly mattes. Is there anything I can use to wash that area with?

MummyBunnyEm said:

Thank you so much for replying MM. She’s always been a snorer funnily enough. And lots of sneezing recently poor thing. Going to have a read through those links now. I have no idea what echinacea is?

Also, where her eye has been leaky it’s left her fur in like dried, prickly mattes. Is there anything I can use to wash that area with?

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Glad it helped

Echinacea is a herb that has been proven to stimulate the immune system.

You can either buy it in capsules and open them up and sprinkle a pinch onto food 2/3 times daily (which is what I do), or buy a herbal tincture:

https://www.baldwins.co.uk/baldwins-echinacea-angustifolia-herbal-fluid-extract

With that you can give a couple of drops 2/3 times daily. Use it for three weeks and then give it a rest before you begin again, if you use it


Yes the fur under the eye can get like that - what I do is clip it very close to the skin with curved scissors. You could get the vet or nurse to do it on Tuesday. Then it's easier to use a cotton wool ball soaked in warm water to gently coax the dried fur off the skin.

If you want to try and encourage the eye discharge to come out, you can use a cotton ball with warm water and make a compress just underneath the eye, moving towards the tear duct. This will encourage the white gunk to come out

MummyBunnyEm said:

Hi all

Chloe has had a leaky eye for the past few months, it’s been clear liquid. She has had her eye flushed twice. This week it’s paticularly bad, plus her nose sounds sniffly and I’ve noticed a bit of white gunk on her nose.

She’s got the vets booked for Tues but I wondered if anyone had an idea of what it could be?

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My Snuffles bun Benjie eventually got a blocked tear duct from infection travelling back from his nose up the tear duct, He was discharging tears down his face which made it sore.
We didn't dare do a flush becaus his blood wasn't clotting properly (low platelets) so we used ABx ointment on the inside of the eyelid. Worked a treat.
(Ointment is slower release than eye drops)
This sort of thing also happens in humans with chronic sinus infections.

When Lopsy had his eye ulcer we used the eye ointment as well and it was dead easy to administer: just squirted a sausage into his eye basically! We kept him inside for a few minutes afterwards so it could coat the eye but only so Aboleth didn't lick it off (no evidence they lick each other's eyes but it's always a possibility with bonded buns). I think eye drops proper would've just run down into his fur.

I’m useless with the eye drops so will ask about ointment thanks

The ointment is better for ABx activity because it stays around longer & doesn't run down the face with the tears.
It's also better for non blocked tear ducts because it takes longer to get through the tear duct.

Just an update on how the appointment went - Chloe had her eye flushed three times, again all clear so the vet is happy there's no infection. She's also trimmed all the matted fur off and has gave me some cream to apply should the area get red and sore.

Thanks again for your advice guys x

MummyBunnyEm said:

Just an update on how the appointment went - Chloe had her eye flushed three times, again all clear so the vet is happy there's no infection. She's also trimmed all the matted fur off and has gave me some cream to apply should the area get red and sore.

Thanks again for your advice guys x

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Great result