Wow,
I just have to say you hit that one right on the nose. Everything you said about it. I took her back to the vet and actually had sent that article with pictures before I went to the vet asking if any of them had experience with the corneal occlusion. The pictures looked almost exactly like how Snowball's eye is, as it has also gotten worse. I brought the article in as well, and told them that I had got it from my online rabbit forum, and you guys are fabulous! As you also diagnosed her syphilis that she had. You are genius!
Well I lucked out and saw a different vet that has been there for 11 years, and she has seen cases of this. It is not very common though. Like you said, she is going to have to see a specialist and at Michigan State like you also had mentioned! I had never thought of there being a rabbit ophthalmologist. She knows one at State that she sends people to sometimes. I am about an hour and a half away from Lansing, so it's a bit of a drive but not too bad I guess.
She gave Snowball anti-inflammatory drops in case it was rubbing on her eye as it was still a little bit red on the white part of her eye and I'm pretty sure she had been grinding her teeth a bit the night before I took her.
The vet said that she thought the surgery was about 80% effective, as in the skin won't grow back over her eye. It could, and then there might have to be more surgeries or steroid drops. I'm not sure they may even give her steroid drops after the surgery anyways. I have not found out how much the surgery costs, but this scares me too, in addition to her actually having the surgery. I do believe they try and suture the skin to underneath the eyelid? Instead of cutting it off, which results in it growing back.
I don't think I would be able to afford multiple surgeries if that were to come up, nor I don't think I would want to put my rabbit through that. Some people have mentioned that I may have to think about putting her down if that happened, which I would just be devastated. But there was one person I talked to who said that if the skin did grow back over her eyes, which would make her unable to see, then she said how well animals adapt to senses they don't have, such as being blind.
I would feel sooo bad for her being blind though too, but I guess that would be better than having to put her down? Because I definitely don't want to have to do that. I guess I will try not to worry about that quite yet. This is a progressive disease, and it is worse in her left eye, but the vet said that it is also starting in her right eye.
The vet also said that although unsure about the cause, that it may be related to something auto-immune to the body. She said I should have the surgery sooner than later, but it's not an emergency. I am a teacher, so I will probably take her over Christmas break in December.
I feel sooooo terrible for my poor Snowball, as she just turned one year old and she has been through so much already. She was the one that had the case of syphilis that was so hard to diagnose. The vet even said that they see a lot of cases of syphilis from rabbits from pet stores, but that hers was not typical, as it started in the eye. She had a runny, red eye. (Which really could be a symptom of many things)
Even after her spay, she came down with stasis, because I think her pain meds were not strong enough which resulted in sub q fluids, critical care, and that gut motility drug, oh and a stronger dose of pain meds.
People are saying that she is lucky I have adopted her because maybe a lot of people wouldn't have taken her to the vet or spent that much money, cuz I have spent a ton on my poor baby. I love her to death though and would do anything for her.
So although I'm sure the surgery is very expensive, I plan on having this at least, as it is the best option. I love her so much, but I just feel sooo bad for her. And I look at her with this thing growing over her eye and it just makes me so sad. She is such a beautiful bunny too.
