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Itchy eye (just one) and closing it

R

Rupert & Tia

Mama Doe
Last night, Rupert had his left eye closed, then he was opening it for a while, then scratching at it and closing it. It was a bit watery, I tried to see if there was anything obviously in it (he has had a piece of hay in his eye before) but I couldn't see anything obvious.

I used cooled boiled salt water to try and wipe it over but I wasn't having much luck.

He's eating, drinking, pooing, running around all normal.

I've got him an appointment at the vet after work, but just wondering if anyone has any ideas what it could be? I had a google.
 
He may have a small scratch on his cornea which cant be seen without the use of some fluorescein. Or it may just be a tiny strand of fur irritating the eye. This can often happen during a moult. It's always a good idea to get any eye problems checked out by a Vet ASAP, as you are doing.

Good luck xx
 
Thanks Jane, his eye does look dull, and this current new bag of hay seems quite dusty, bless him. He is himself, just tell its irritating him, I was stopping him scratching and he flicked his feet at me and caught my eye so I know how he's feeling poor boy. We did get eye drops last time he had an eye issue but that was a long time ago, so I didn't want to use them in case it made it worse.

I've not seen the vet we're seeing today - what should she be doing?? with gut I know what they should do, but eyes are a new one to me - I'm guessing they do the ink stuff that changes colour if there's infection right? Should they check his teeth? I read something about teeth issues could cause runny itchy eyes? His front teeth look jagged so I'm going to get them to check that - he's not eating as much hay as usual, due to it not being all the great quality.
 
Rupert & Tia said:
Thanks Jane, his eye does look dull, and this current new bag of hay seems quite dusty, bless him. He is himself, just tell its irritating him, I was stopping him scratching and he flicked his feet at me and caught my eye so I know how he's feeling poor boy. We did get eye drops last time he had an eye issue but that was a long time ago, so I didn't want to use them in case it made it worse.

I've not seen the vet we're seeing today - what should she be doing?? with gut I know what they should do, but eyes are a new one to me - I'm guessing they do the ink stuff that changes colour if there's infection right? Should they check his teeth? I read something about teeth issues could cause runny itchy eyes? His front teeth look jagged so I'm going to get them to check that - he's not eating as much hay as usual, due to it not being all the great quality.
Click to expand...

The fluorescein is the green dye, it picks up any corneal abrasions which may not be seen with the naked eye. Infection is usually obvious, there would probably be signs of inflammation and maybe a white discharge from the effected eye.

Elongated tooth roots can cause runny eyes, but the only way to assess tooth roots is by taking skull radiographs. But it is a good idea to get the Vet to check the crowns of his teeth as well as his eye.
 
Rupert & Tia said:
Last night, Rupert had his left eye closed, then he was opening it for a while, then scratching at it and closing it. It was a bit watery, I tried to see if there was anything obviously in it (he has had a piece of hay in his eye before) but I couldn't see anything obvious.

I used cooled boiled salt water to try and wipe it over but I wasn't having much luck.

He's eating, drinking, pooing, running around all normal.

I've got him an appointment at the vet after work, but just wondering if anyone has any ideas what it could be? I had a google.
Click to expand...

Has it come on really suddenly? If so, then it's most likely something (foreign body) in the eye. The vet can easily spot this by putting dye in the eye and studying it. He will be able to see whether the eyeball is scratched at all.

If you've noticed any weepiness for a while (even a short while) then it may be due to tooth roots. Tooth roots can cause blocked tear ducts, which cause a runny eye. Either way your vet should have an opinion.

I don't know whether you've been yet? May be too late with this :)
 
UPDATE:

We went to vet last night, even tho his eye didn't seem too bad when we got home, so glad we did tho!! When she first had a look we couldn't see anything then she put the dye in and at first all was fine, then a quite big green spot showed up on the front of his eye like an ulcer :( so she had a good look again and I said ooh is that a grass seed again there (pointing) it was bright green, and she said ooh yes that's well hidden isn't it (it was right at the back of his eye poor soul!) she grabbed it.... and it just kept coming!!! It was about 3 inches long!!!! It was horrific!!!! he looked so relieved tho!
He's got drops now twice a day for 5 days, as his scratching has caused the ulcer on the front of his eye but she said he should be fine!
It was awful, goodness knows how it got in there - altho I think its because they have a hay rack and I noticed the hay falls outs as one of them is eating, a piece fell near to his eye, so we've taken the rack out.
 
Rupert & Tia said:
UPDATE:

We went to vet last night, even tho his eye didn't seem too bad when we got home, so glad we did tho!! When she first had a look we couldn't see anything then she put the dye in and at first all was fine, then a quite big green spot showed up on the front of his eye like an ulcer :( so she had a good look again and I said ooh is that a grass seed again there (pointing) it was bright green, and she said ooh yes that's well hidden isn't it (it was right at the back of his eye poor soul!) she grabbed it.... and it just kept coming!!! It was about 3 inches long!!!! It was horrific!!!! he looked so relieved tho!
He's got drops now twice a day for 5 days, as his scratching has caused the ulcer on the front of his eye but she said he should be fine!
It was awful, goodness knows how it got in there - altho I think its because they have a hay rack and I noticed the hay falls outs as one of them is eating, a piece fell near to his eye, so we've taken the rack out.
Click to expand...

Poor lad, I hope the treatment will clear the ulcer up quickly xx
 
Thank you, he's so brave, he's fine this morning, he had a sulk last night, chewed the broadband cable, bit a hole in my pjs, bit the tv unit etc and Tia wee'd on the floor in her usual dirty protest :lol: I was quite pleased to be able to get the drop in this morning!
If he was a child, I swear he'd be on the risk register or something, in the 5 years we have had him:
2 x bust lips
1 x bust nose
2 x foreign bodies in eye, both times needing vet
lost count of the number of has episodes.
Ripped toenail.
not to mention how he ripped his castration scar open, then ate the stitches (before he came home from RSPCA).

everyone always says 'he's such a character'... yes, yes he is!!! :roll:

Oh yeh, hes also scaled the fence (actually climbed the fence, pushing against shed to shimmy up!!!).
Got into the riser in the kitchen... thought we were going to have to get a builder to get him out that time!!
 
Rupert & Tia said:
Thank you, he's so brave, he's fine this morning, he had a sulk last night, chewed the broadband cable, bit a hole in my pjs, bit the tv unit etc and Tia wee'd on the floor in her usual dirty protest :lol: I was quite pleased to be able to get the drop in this morning!
If he was a child, I swear he'd be on the risk register or something, in the 5 years we have had him:
2 x bust lips
1 x bust nose
2 x foreign bodies in eye, both times needing vet
lost count of the number of has episodes.
Ripped toenail.
not to mention how he ripped his castration scar open, then ate the stitches (before he came home from RSPCA).

everyone always says 'he's such a character'... yes, yes he is!!! :roll:

Oh yeh, hes also scaled the fence (actually climbed the fence, pushing against shed to shimmy up!!!).
Got into the riser in the kitchen... thought we were going to have to get a builder to get him out that time!!
Click to expand...

He must be related to the late Sir Victor Velveteen !! He was always in some sort of trouble due to his 'adventurous' character :roll:
 
Jack's-Jane said:
He must be related to the late Sir Victor Velveteen !! He was always in some sort of trouble due to his 'adventurous' character :roll:
Click to expand...

:lol: he must be!

I feel sorry for Tia... sometimes, when we let them out after work she just looks like she thinks 'oooh thank goodness you are home, you take him off my paws for a few hours I'm having a break' :lol:
 
Rupert & Tia said:
UPDATE:

We went to vet last night, even tho his eye didn't seem too bad when we got home, so glad we did tho!! When she first had a look we couldn't see anything then she put the dye in and at first all was fine, then a quite big green spot showed up on the front of his eye like an ulcer :( so she had a good look again and I said ooh is that a grass seed again there (pointing) it was bright green, and she said ooh yes that's well hidden isn't it (it was right at the back of his eye poor soul!) she grabbed it.... and it just kept coming!!! It was about 3 inches long!!!! It was horrific!!!! he looked so relieved tho!
He's got drops now twice a day for 5 days, as his scratching has caused the ulcer on the front of his eye but she said he should be fine!
It was awful, goodness knows how it got in there - altho I think its because they have a hay rack and I noticed the hay falls outs as one of them is eating, a piece fell near to his eye, so we've taken the rack out.
Click to expand...

I saw your update this morning, and I was so relieved! Sorry I didn't have a chance to reply until now.

What a discovery :shock::shock: You (and he) must have been so very very happy to make that discovery!

Good luck for a speedy recovery :thumb:
 
MightyMax said:
I saw your update this morning, and I was so relieved! Sorry I didn't have a chance to reply until now.

What a discovery :shock::shock: You (and he) must have been so very very happy to make that discovery!

Good luck for a speedy recovery :thumb:
Click to expand...

Thank you, I wish i'd taken a photo of it - I didn't have my phone with me though.

He did look relieved, he looked like he sighed and then he licked her hand to say thanks haha
 
Oh crikey he sounds like a worse version of Lopsy :S He's also had the grass-seed in eye thing, and it was chuffing MASSIVE! Not 3" but howinhell it got in there I'll never know. The ulcer cleared up in less than a week, and the eye weeping was gone in about 24hrs. Lopsy was great with the eyedrops though, so I'm thankful for that :)

Lopsy's also 'adventurous', accident prone and generally a bit of a moron. He gets called d1ckhead a lot (only by me! OH doesn't like to be 'mean' to him :lol:) because he's so retarded :lol: :love: him really, of course!
 
The weeping stopped straight away thank goodness, I've been kind of squirting the eye drops and hitting so that's not been too bad. She said to make an appointment if I'm concerned but last time they did a free check up after the drops, so I might plead ignorance and ring up and ask for another test strip to make sure the ulcer has gone. It hasn't phased him at all. He's still crazy! He will never learn (but really, I wouldn't have him any other way :love: ).

We always say (laughin and joking) that Rupert isn't very good at rabbiting... he'd make a better cat... or dog (he wags his tail when he's excited like a dog does!) and he thinks he's a cat! <3
 
Good spot by the vet! :thumb:

Glad he's healing well and gosh he should have been a girl for the sulking :lol:

He is "quite a character" isn't he?! :lol:
 
Angie B said:
Good spot by the vet! :thumb:

Glad he's healing well and gosh he should have been a girl for the sulking :lol:

He is "quite a character" isn't he?! :lol:
Click to expand...

He really really should!!! :lol:

MightyMax said:
How lovely :love:

Glad things are going well x
Click to expand...

Thank you :D

He's so funny.... I swear last night he was trying to get hay in his eye because he'd been in the house an hour and STILL had not had any pellets!!! The little git tried to get behind the sofa (we've blocked it off with cushions) so he had Tia on lookout while he (very quietly!!!) was puling at the cushion.... John snuck round the side of sofa, Tia moved her head, Rupert stopped what he was doing and that 'what?' face (if he was human, he'd be whistling, with his hands in his pockets trying to look innocent)... its never a dull moment and I love that no matter how much of pooopy day we've had and how fed up we are, he can cheer us up with his shenanigans... I should write a book! :lol:
 
Bless him he must be sooooo relieved to have that out! :shock:

He sounds exactly like my Max, naughty, petulant, always where I don't want him to be, but absolutely hilarious! :lol::love:
 
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