PLEASE HELP!

[dwarf_breeder_tn]

i have a three week old litter of netherland dwarf kits. one of thekits was born with its eyes open, at first nothing happend he seemedfine. now however both his eyes are matted shut and oozing a whitepuss. please any suggestions will be GREATLY appreciated. he isbecoming more and more lathargic it seems. i read somewhere that ishould flush his eyes with saline solution and warm water daily. my vethas no idea what to do :/ he has no exsperiance with small animals likethis. please please send me your suggestions!!!

Sarah

 

[BunnyLover]

That's terrible. I feel so sorry for the littleguy! Go here:http://rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=9andsee if you can find a rabbit savvy vet in your area. A vet that knowsrabbits would be able to help you way more than the one you are goingto. I'm sorry I can't be more help than that, I've never had thatproblem before.

Lissa

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

Are you a breeder? Does the kit haveany other abnormalities like the legs not developingcorrectly? I ask this because there is a mutation in rabbitsthat carry the dwarf gene that would cause this.

Sharon

 

[dwarf_breeder_tn]

Yes he has been slightly odd lookingfrom the day he was born. I know about the dwarf gene that results in akit not developing correctly but in my exsperiance i have never had akit with the defect (peanut gene) live more than a few days.This little guy has a odd shaped head and his fur doesnt lay like anormal dwarf kits should. There is somthing very off about this littlekit. He doesnt walk/hop normally but i shrugged that off thinking itwas because he seems to be blind. I did the warm water and saline washon his eyes today and cleaned everything off of his little eyes but hisleft eye is so swolen and red and almost looks like there is an absesson it. :? On the upside he is still gaining weight normallyand growing at the same rate as his litter mates. He doesntseem to be in any pain but regardless of that at the moment he doesntreally have any quality to his life. The vet doesnt think weshould put him down yet but he also didnt give me anything to help withthe little kits eyes and its cruel to let him get worse andworse. Do you have any suggestions? I have onlybeen breeding netherland dwarfs for about two years and i have neverhad this happen before. His litter mates are all doing fantastic exeptfor one little jr doe having a weepy eye but i know how to handle thatofcorse.

 

[Rachy1412]

Why don't you just search for a better vet? There's no point in having a vet that hasn't a clue about rabbits.

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

Can you take any pics? It would be helpful.

Sharon

 

[dwarf_breeder_tn]

not tonight he is really stressed from me bothering him all day lol but tomorrow ill try and get a few pics and post them

 

[Pipp]

Sorry, notadding anything new otherthan I have definitely heard of this before, but I can't find thethread or site that discussed it. I seem to remember the kitending up healthy but blind. It was also somethingother breeders had experienced. I'll keep looking.

sas

 

[dwarf_breeder_tn]

thank you pipp i would really appreciate it

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

Dwarf_breeder: I sent you a PM. Hope it helps as it contains pics.

Pipp: Is it the Max Factor gene you are thinking of?

Sharon

 

[dwarf_breeder_tn]

Just an update for everyone i think the littlekit has whats called the "max factor" defect. Sharon broughtthis possability to my attention along with several pictures and ithink thats what is wrong. As far as the little guy goes heseems to be doing a little better since i did the warm water and salinewash on his eyes. One of his eyes is now staying open but the other isstill very swolen and staying shut with the goo. yuck! :?

 

[Pipp]

Starlight Rabbitry wrote:

Pipp: Is it the Max Factor gene you are thinking of?

I just remember the open eyes from birth, pus,etc.. Almost the exact thing. (Not sureabout the odd shaped head part, though, that may bea MaxFactor thing?). Just can't remember who and/orwhere. onder: Lanna maybe?

sas