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Sticky wet eye

Lauren25

Young Bun
Hi everyone. Hope all your buns are enjoying the sunshine!
I've noticed that one of my bun's eyes is all wet - when I touched the surrounding fur it was very sticky with a clear gunky liquid. His other eye seems fine and the eyeball itself isn't red or anything. He usually gets crusty bits in the corners of his eyes which I just gently brush away if they are quite big but this is the first time I've noticed it being wet and sticky. Any advice?
Thanks in advance :)
 
Hi Lauren25,

It could be the start of blocked tear duct my rabbit has them, he has had them flushed out in the he past but the last time it didn’t work so I have to cleaned them everyday with cooled boiled water cotton pad and cotton wool.

Or it could be the start of an eye infection. I would get it checked out at the vets
 
I've had a closer look and it seems that his tear duct is slightly swollen and pink. You can see more flesh around the tear duct than you can in his other eye and the fur surrounding it is wet. But the other eye is also slightly crusty - is this normal or is this a sign of an infection/blocked tear duct? Should I just simply wipe his eye with the cooled boiling water and do this with the other (with a different cotton pad) to remove the crustiness as well as the gunk? I just don't want to hurt him!
 
I've had a closer look and it seems that his tear duct is slightly swollen and pink. You can see more flesh around the tear duct than you can in his other eye and the fur surrounding it is wet. But the other eye is also slightly crusty - is this normal or is this a sign of an infection/blocked tear duct? Should I just simply wipe his eye with the cooled boiling water and do this with the other (with a different cotton pad) to remove the crustiness as well as the gunk? I just don't want to hurt him!


Yes, bathe them both in the same way, as you suggest.

If it doesn't clear up though, as Anna says, it's best to get a vet to have a look as he might need antibiotic eye drops :)
 
I've had a closer look and it seems that his tear duct is slightly swollen and pink. You can see more flesh around the tear duct than you can in his other eye and the fur surrounding it is wet. But the other eye is also slightly crusty - is this normal or is this a sign of an infection/blocked tear duct? Should I just simply wipe his eye with the cooled boiling water and do this with the other (with a different cotton pad) to remove the crustiness as well as the gunk? I just don't want to hurt him!

You can gently bathe both eyes as you describe, but I would get your Rabbit checked over by a Vet as 'runny eyes' (Dacryocystitis) can be caused by other issues as well as 'just' infection

Some information here :

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Eye_diseases/Differential/Runny_eyes.htm

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/DacrocystitisRabbit.htm
 
I've had a closer look and it seems that his tear duct is slightly swollen and pink. You can see more flesh around the tear duct than you can in his other eye and the fur surrounding it is wet. But the other eye is also slightly crusty - is this normal or is this a sign of an infection/blocked tear duct? Should I just simply wipe his eye with the cooled boiling water and do this with the other (with a different cotton pad) to remove the crustiness as well as the gunk? I just don't want to hurt him!


Just a thought, Lauren - what does the eye look like if you gently lift up the lid?
 
Thanks everyone! I bathed both eyes and he seemed to like it, bless him. He is so sweet. I'm really hoping he may have just had something irritating his eye and that it clears up, but if it doesn't over the next few days I will 100% book a vets appointment. I've only just rehomed him and I've already had him to the vets five times for his skin! :( Thankfully that's all cleared up now.
I gently lifted his lid and the upper waterline is very pink and it is a crescent shape with almost a little bit missing in the middle, like a little dip in the curve of his waterline. At first I thought he had a sty or something but I compared this to the other eye and it was similar. I'm assuming this is just the shape of rabbits' eyelids - it's probably a very poor description on my behalf. The eyeball itself seems fine. The only noticeable difference is the pink/redness in his tear duct and the fact that it looks ever so slightly swollen. I have noticed since getting him that his eyes are always crusty in the inner corners but I thought that was pretty normal.
 
Thanks everyone! I bathed both eyes and he seemed to like it, bless him. He is so sweet. I'm really hoping he may have just had something irritating his eye and that it clears up, but if it doesn't over the next few days I will 100% book a vets appointment. I've only just rehomed him and I've already had him to the vets five times for his skin! :( Thankfully that's all cleared up now.
I gently lifted his lid and the upper waterline is very pink and it is a crescent shape with almost a little bit missing in the middle, like a little dip in the curve of his waterline. At first I thought he had a sty or something but I compared this to the other eye and it was similar. I'm assuming this is just the shape of rabbits' eyelids - it's probably a very poor description on my behalf. The eyeball itself seems fine. The only noticeable difference is the pink/redness in his tear duct and the fact that it looks ever so slightly swollen. I have noticed since getting him that his eyes are always crusty in the inner corners but I thought that was pretty normal.


A crusty eye is quite common in rabbits, but not normal. Bathing is a good way to go.:thumb:

I'm sorry you've had him to the vets already for skin issues. Remind me where you rehomed him from?
 
Thanks MightyMax, I'll carry on bathing. I rehomed him from someone on Facebook - he is very distant mutual friend but I don't know him personally. Seemed a nice enough person but didn't have time for him and wanted him to have a better life. Think he was left outside in a hutch by himself most of the times - not in the worst conditions but certainly not the best. He had bought him from gumtree. I think he had a lot of homes previous to that and I'm not sure of his age but would guess around 2 y/o. He has so much love to give, it breaks my heart to think of him being anywhere else but with me!
 
Thanks MightyMax, I'll carry on bathing. I rehomed him from someone on Facebook - he is very distant mutual friend but I don't know him personally. Seemed a nice enough person but didn't have time for him and wanted him to have a better life. Think he was left outside in a hutch by himself most of the times - not in the worst conditions but certainly not the best. He had bought him from gumtree. I think he had a lot of homes previous to that and I'm not sure of his age but would guess around 2 y/o. He has so much love to give, it breaks my heart to think of him being anywhere else but with me!


What an awful story :( Left outside in a hutch - so many rabbits are in this position and it upsets me to hear it :(

But it warms my heart so much when lovely people like you take on these unwanteds.
He will be forever grateful to you - whats his name?
 
It upsets me every time I think about it, he really is so loving, sweet, and intelligent. I couldn't ask for a better bun and I am so grateful our paths crossed and that he has finally found his forever home with me. When I brought him home he was bald all the way under his chin and neck, it was all red and scabby. He had mites (you may remember me posting asking for advice) and his previous owner claimed he had never noticed his baldness. If that's the case, he must have never had him out of the hutch or petted him because it was so obvious.
That's lovely of you to say, thank you. He's called Thumper and is a blue/fawn French Lop. So cute!
 
It upsets me every time I think about it, he really is so loving, sweet, and intelligent. I couldn't ask for a better bun and I am so grateful our paths crossed and that he has finally found his forever home with me. When I brought him home he was bald all the way under his chin and neck, it was all red and scabby. He had mites (you may remember me posting asking for advice) and his previous owner claimed he had never noticed his baldness. If that's the case, he must have never had him out of the hutch or petted him because it was so obvious.
That's lovely of you to say, thank you. He's called Thumper and is a blue/fawn French Lop. So cute!


Yes I do remember you posting now. Bless him :love:

I bet the hutch wasn't anything like the size it should have been for such a big rabbit.

Welcome to the Forum Thumper :wave:
 
Definitely not, especially with him probably spending the majority of his time in it. He's in a six foot long cage now with the doors permanently open (apart from bedtime) so he has the full run of my living room and kitchen - I bet he loves the freedom. I asked his previous owner if he had ever heard him 'purr', seen him binky, or been licked. I don't think he knew what I was talking about! Thumper would lick me all day if he could, bless him.
Thanks MightyMax, hopefully we can get this runny eye sorted out for him. He deserves the best of the best :)
 
Definitely not, especially with him probably spending the majority of his time in it. He's in a six foot long cage now with the doors permanently open (apart from bedtime) so he has the full run of my living room and kitchen - I bet he loves the freedom. I asked his previous owner if he had ever heard him 'purr', seen him binky, or been licked. I don't think he knew what I was talking about! Thumper would lick me all day if he could, bless him.
Thanks MightyMax, hopefully we can get this runny eye sorted out for him. He deserves the best of the best :)


You're welcome, and he certainly does deserve the best :D

And if I can help in any way, you only have to ask!
 
It must not be working :( It's basically a photo of Thumper with a pink lump right above his eye, just about his waterline. It's all crusty and I've managed to remove that by bathing it but the pink lump is still there.
Sorry for the lack of photos - my laptop doesn't seem to be cooperating with me.
 
It must not be working :( It's basically a photo of Thumper with a pink lump right above his eye, just about his waterline. It's all crusty and I've managed to remove that by bathing it but the pink lump is still there.
Sorry for the lack of photos - my laptop doesn't seem to be cooperating with me.


Do you want to send me a photo via email? PM me and I am happy to have a look :)
 
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