Evie's Eye boogies (surface)

[NorthernAutumn]

Hi all;
Evie (new bun) has been getting a circular whitish blob on the surface of her left eye every day since Monday. When I manually close her eye and manipulate her eyelid, the blob shifts around the surface of the eye. I think it is a mucous boogie filled with a wound up piece of hair. She is currently shedding like crazy.

Anyhoo, I looked at some threads on here dealing with eye challenges, and many folks said to shift the material out using a soft warm cloth, and apply a saline solution (esp. Jim D). I've done that, and also used a q-tip soaked in my saline contact solution to shift the boogies out over the last few days.

Evie's got another one in there this morning. Should I just leave it, and let it shift out naturally? Or is this indicative of a "dry eye"? (I'm guessing that there isn't enough fluid moving over the eye to keep it lubricated). Do you think her tear duct on that side is blocked? Am I supposed to flush it out? Does contact solution work?

 

[tonyshuman]

That is interesting. My bunnies get eye boogies a lot, but they're usually crusty and dried in the corners of their eyes, so there's no problem taking them off. Benjamin would get the clumps on his eyes sometimes, and we'd flush them out with a little saline solution (for contacts). I have used contact cleaning solution on my hamster's eyes, but I would reccomend sterile saline solution for contacts over the all-in-one solution. Only use the all-in-one as a last resort (we were on vacation and it's all we had).

It sounds like maybe she isn't making enough tears. Keep on eye on her for other respiratory symptoms, wash it out with saline, and wait until she's done shedding, I say. If she's still got them once she's done shedding, it warrants a trip to the vet.

However, I have no experience with tooth root problems, which could cause the blocked tear duct, so I don't know how severe they can be.

Good luck!

 

[Maureen Las]

Are you sure that it is not pus.?
I have a bun that had dental work done and 2 weeks after the surgeryI noted pus in the corner of the inner eye

it was an infection that another vet thought may have occured due to my bun lying on thatside while have the dental procedure done
It required antibiotic opthalmic creme and cleared up immediately
The fact that you are needing to do this daily makes me suspicious. it's best to get it diagnosed rather than to continue to guess.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

angieluv, I took a look at the last one under a magnifying glass. It is a tightly coiled up piece of hair in a clearish puddle of eye boogie.
As it is clear, with no yellow tint, and its not runny nor in the corner of the eye, I don't think it is pus.
It is a stiff, round circle. I tried to roll it between my fingers, but it held its shape well.
I agree tho, if I can't find a satisfactory solution, I'll take her to the vet...

 

[jcl_24]

How are Evie's eyes now?

Jo xx

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Hi Jo!
Thanks for asking about her eyes. After posting to you guys the last time, I had only one more eye boogie issue, which coincided with the end of her moulting period
I sped up the shed by brushing her a lot, and pulling out loose tufts of fur.
The last time I removed the boogie, I used a q-tip soaked in contact solution.
stroked her until she laid down, then moved the boogie to the front corner of the eye with my q-tip. Took about 5 min, b/c she was resisting by shutting her eyes.

Haven't seen a boogie since last week!