Reoccuring Eye Problem

[danakscully64]

Is that something a rabbit can have for a year or do you think it's something that started in the eye and went elsewhere? Can you recommend a specific medication or two so I can bring the names to my vet?

I'm so poor right now because of vet bills, I really want to have all of the information I need to bring with me to the vet. No more unnecessary treatments and procedures. I trust your opinions. And thank you so much for your responses everyone, very helpful and appreciated.

 

[danakscully64]

I did a search of the forum and found this:

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Antibiotics/Safe_antibiotics.htm

I see Azithromycin is listed as a way to treat difficult URI's, but I can't risk the lose of appetite (had that issue last year and it was horrible). Are there ones I should try first?

 

[tonyshuman]

Azithromycin is a good one, and it doesn't cause loss of appetite in all bunnies. What caused Mason to not eat last year? He might be fine on zithro.

 

[danakscully64]

We never figured out why he stopped eating. He was at the vet for 5 days because of it, almost didn't pull through. When I went in 2 weeks ago, I even said it might be a respiratory infection (he was breathing weird), but she didn't hear anything. I wish Mason could talk, tell me what he's feeling.

 

[tonyshuman]

Are you capable of doing sub-Q injections? If so, or you're willing to learn from the vet, you could do a bicillin course. It's a drug you can buy at the farm store for pretty cheap, you also need sterile saline for injection or a lactated ringer's solution and syringes/needles. The injections are done every other day for at least 2 weeks.

The only other oral option is cloramphenicol, which can also cause GI upset, according to Medirabbit. It's also pretty expensive I think. Another injectible option is Convenia, which is given every 5 days by the vet, but it's pretty new so I assume also expensive.

 

[danakscully64]

I'm partially relived. I don't want to say completely relived because this has been an ongoing issue, doesn't seem like it can be that easy. He's been diagnosed with a clogged tear duct. At the last appointment, they did a flush. When I went back today, they did another flush. I talked to the vet and she said when she does the flush, the water doesn't come out through his nose like it should. She was hoping the anti-inflammatory drops would help bring down swelling so the flush would be more effective. I'm going back in next week to get another flush.

Mason has been VERY happy, eating well, pooping normal. I realized when I was at the vet that the yellow under his nose has been there for years. I have an old picture (at least 3 years, my avatar actually) of Mason on my cell phone and it caught my eye that he had the yellow discharge. I just never noticed it because he always has his nose down and I never saw actual discharge, just the stain.


Thoughts?

 

[dquesnel]

Did your vet ever end up doing the culture? If not that would be my own next step before any more antibiotics. Since it has been an issue for a year now it could be an ongoing infection.

The anti-inflammatory drops won't hurt him. I would be giving it to him daily until some of that puffiness goes down.

You did mention chinchilla dust, I honestly don't know what is in it since I don't have a chinchilla but rabbits do get allergies, although diagnosis is rare. It does look to me almost like he has allergic symptoms, have you had the chinchilla/dust the whole time you had him? Even switching hays can cause allergic symptoms. I notice dustier hays cause lots of eye/nose issues that are not immediately evident. If his tear ducts were clogged up, I would wonder a bit about some dust or foreign matter getting in there.

 

[danakscully64]

No because she really doesn't believe there's an infection. He's not on any antibiotics, just the anti-inflammatory drops. She said if he does have an infection right now, it's secondary to the tear duct issue.

Chinchilla dust is made to mimic volcanic ash. He's been living around the chinchillas on and off for almost 7 years (mostly on). I doubt he really is allergic to the dust itself, but it wouldn't surprise me if his sneezing is caused by seasonal allergies (I have them too). Since he's an older bunny, I think he might just have tear dust issues from normal exposure to the outside (he lived outside for a while). It could have just built up over time.

I'm just praying that this is it. He hates the vet visits and my wallet can't take anymore.

 

[tonyshuman]

His breed too could cause tear duct issues. We have a nethie that gets furry mucus blobs in her eyes, probably partly due to impaired tear drainage from her eyes because of her smooshed face.

 

[danakscully64]

tonyshuman wrote:

His breed too could cause tear duct issues. We have a nethie that gets furry mucus blobs in her eyes, probably partly due to impaired tear drainage from her eyes because of her smooshed face.

Thanks for the info

 

[danakscully64]

I just wanted to give everyone an update. After about 8 eye flushings, the clogged tear duct is no longer clogged!!! That's really all it was.

:toast::highfive::thumbup:yahoo:

Perfect timing too before a few days after the last checkup, I moved out of state. His eye is now perfect, no more discharge at all! I will post a picture later, he's sleeping now.