Eyes

[Garden Flowers Rabbitry]

I've been reading over forum posting on this forum and another and noticed there seem s to be a lot of problems with rabbit's eyes in general, ...

Is this right and if so, why???

connie

 

[bunnydude]

True, they vision isn't as sharp as a persons', because it doesn't need to be. Here is a very good article on rabbit vision.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/vision.html

 

[AmberNBuns]

Thinking she's referring to eye health problems...

I am not sure if there are more eye problems than any other problems,but I think the eyes are a good indicator of many different healthc oncerns. Sometimes it is just the eyes, but eye problems can be a symptom of many different health issues.

 

[Bassetluv]

Do you mean compared to other animals, Connie? Or that there seems to be more incidents of eye problems cited regarding the bunnies here in the forum? I haven't experienced many eye problems with any of my animals over the years (when I raised rabbits back in the 80s I can only recall one eye problem with a rabbit), but I do know that Raph does on occasion get a hard crusty substance in the corners of his eyes, which has to be wiped away.

His eyes don't weep,but they do get a hard crust from time to time. He also has a strange thing...his 'third eyelid' is visible in both eyes all the time. I don't know if it's an indicator of something else going on in his body,but he's had that from the time I got him, and my vet didn't seem to know what would cause it. (My vet seemed to think that Raph's eyes are larger than normal as well...but I'm not sure if he's correct or not. I don't know if it's a trait of E-lops.)

 

[Garden Flowers Rabbitry]

Hi Di,

That's what is happening with her, the eyelid is sometimes over 1/2 the eye..

I worry so much about my animals and anything that is out of the norm

 

[JimD]

We got Binkie as a baby (3 mo) from a petstore.She had one eye where the top eyelid was partially folded under and caused her eye and nose to run. The vet said that it might correct itself or may have to be surgically corrected when she got older.

We've had her for just about a year now. At about 6 months I noticed that her eye was improving. At this point in time her eye is normal and she no longer has a problem with runny eye or nose.


Seeeee...

 

[Bassetluv]

That's what is happening with her,,the eyelid is sometmes over 1/2 the eye..

Yes, Raph has had that since the day I got him. I got Raph on July 15thof last year, and he's now almost a year old (his b/day is on the 23rdof Feb). His third eyelid has been showing almost constantly, though some days it covers more of the eye than others. I haven't seen it cover almost half of his eye, but it can still be quite prominent.

I tried to find a pic I could show you of it, but it's not really visible in the ones I've taken of him. Here's three though, to give you an idea:

This first one shows the third eyelid a bit...along with that crusty white stuff that forms in the corner at times (these were all taken not long after I got him):

This second one shows more of the size of his eye, which my vet though was unusually large. I don't know if that's true, if it's a trait of English lops, or if that could be the reason why the third eyelid becomes prominent:

And this last one is blurry, but it shows the third eyelid more. This pic reflects how prominent Raph's 3rd eyelid is most of the time:

I don't know if it's something to be concerned about...maybe it's a hereditary trait? I always took it to be just another oddity that Raph has, but perhaps it is a sign of something. My vet didn't seem concerned (though the knowledge of rabbits that he professes to have has gone way down in my books lately...).

If I find out anything more I'll let you know...

 

[Bassetluv]

What a beautiful bunny you have Jim..!Interesting that her eye problem corrected itself like that. Did yourvet ever say what might have caused it?

 

[Bassetluv]

(P.S. Connie....I can so relate to what you mean about worrying so much...Raph has been having problems in the past few days with his legs. He is stumbling more and one hind leg will slip out from under him, and I noticed his isn't eating his food as heartily. He still eats it all, but takes a lot longer and 'lingers' over his dinner...and usually he has an appetite like a horse. It's an indicator that he could be in pain, so I'm now giving him baby aspirin to counteract it. I am praying that this will go away...I don't want to lose him so soon because of his joint problems.)

 

[JimD]

Bassetluv wrote:

What a beautiful bunny you have Jim..! Interesting that her eye problem corrected itself like that. Did your vet ever say what might have caused it?

Thanks...she's such a sweetie, too!!

The vet said that it could have beena congenital condition called entropion....where the upper (Binkie's case)or lower eyelid folds under. This could be caused by dust or debris collecting in the eye, by eyelashes growing in the wrong direction, or by an eye injury.It was a very small portion that had folded under. I was all set tohave surgery done to correct it, but Binkie obviously "grew" out of it.

 

[bunnydude]

Sorry, Connie. I misunderstood the question.


AmberNBuns wrote:

Thinking she's referring to eye health problems...

 

[Bassetluv]

The vet said that it could have been a congenital condition called entropion....where the upper (Binkie'scase) or lower eyelid folds under. This could be caused by dust or debris collecting in the eye, by eyelashes growing in the wrong direction, or by an eye injury. It was a very small portion that had folded under. I was all set to have surgery done to correct it, but Binkie obviously "grew" out of it.

Oh, it's so great to hear when a problem takes care of itself like that! You were able to avoid surgery (and the inevitable stress on both of you). And Binkie can now show off her beautiful eyes!

And even though this might not be the cause of the problem for Raph, Binkie, or Connie's bunny, it's also a good reminder about keeping dust and other irritants down to a minimum around rabbits as well to help prevent eye problems. I know that horse owners put hay racks at a level lower than the horse's eyes to keep dust and minute particles from falling into the eyes....so it's probably a good tip for us bunny owners as well....

(Speaking of which...I bought a bag of Kaytee hay a while ago and was upset to see that the hay in the bag was extremely dusty. I'd thought that the baled hay I already had purchased from a feed store wasn't top quality, and was somewhat dusty, so I tried the Kaytee, thinking it would be much better...but I wound up throwing the entire thing out, it was that full of dust. Anyone else run into that?)

 

[Lissa]

I'll have to take a picture of Iszy's eyes. Her eyes are far worse than any of these.

 

[nose_twitch]

This thread is making my eyes water.

 

[naturestee]

(Speaking of which...I bought a bag of Kaytee hay a while ago and was upset to see that the hay in the bag was extremely dusty. I'd thought that the baled hay I already had purchased from a feed store wasn't top quality, and was somewhat dusty, so I tried the Kaytee, thinking it would be much better...but I wound up throwing the entire thing out, it was that full of dust. Anyone else run into that?)

Yeah, I've had that several times. If you're going to try buying bags of hay, try Oxbow. Better yet, order a box. It's cheaper per pound when you buy in bulk, and it's really good quality. I've had a few small dusty spots, but nothing bad so far.

 

[Bassetluv]

Okay, thanks Naturestee, I will have to look into that. I have a ton of hay here that I got from a feed store, and while it's okay, it doesn't seem superior quality. Raph picks and sorts his way through it to find blossoms, I think...he burrows his head into it and doesn't eat the thicker stalks. Fussy bunny... :disgust:

 

[jyrenze]

One of my rabbit's third eyelid shows quite clearly, and she has very large eyes too. I've always wondered if its normal..I should get it pic of it someday

 

[Garden Flowers Rabbitry]

Hi Bunnydude, no problem, I should have been more precise in explaining what I meant. After I read what you'd typed, I realised, yup, that what I'd said could betaken to mean vision too







bunnydude wrote:

Sorry, Connie. I misunderstood the question.


AmberNBuns wrote:

Thinking she's referring to eye health problems...

 

[Garden Flowers Rabbitry]

I amSO sorry Raph is having so much trouble, maybe it is a flare up that will calm down, the way arthritis does in animals and people..

Did you talk to the vet, what does he say?



Bassetluv wrote:

(P.S. Connie....I can so relate to what you mean about worrying so much...Raph has been having problems in the past few days with his legs. He is stumbling more and one hind leg will slip out from under him, and I noticed his isn't eating his food as heartily. He still eats it all, but takes a lot longer and 'lingers' over his dinner...and usually he has an appetite like a horse. It's an indicator that hecould be in pain, so I'm now giving him baby aspirin to counteract it. I am praying that this will go away...I don't want to lose him so soon because of his joint problems.)

 

[Garden Flowers Rabbitry]

:rofl::rofl::rofl:







nose_twitch wrote:

This thread is making my eyes water.