Separating buns for medical reasons?

[BriannaBunny22]

Hello,

My sweet holland lop Bailey has never ending eye problems. We finally got her indolent eye ulcer healed after months of appointments. Yesterday, I noticed her eye was red and inflamed (I’ll attach the picture). Her brother, Java, will not stop licking it! I know he’s just trying to help, but it’s definitely making it worse. The vet recommended that I separate them for a few days to let the eye heal (on top of medication). However, this bond is already pretty fragile, so I don’t want to risk it. Any advice? I know I shouldn’t separate them, but I can’t stop him from licking it during grooms.

P.S. at first I thought it was conjunctivitis, but it’s only in her one eye and Java hasn’t showed any signs of it

 

[Mac189]

I would say to follow the vet's advice... health trumps ideal social situation in my books. Especially if there is any risk this is contagious. You can, however, find a way to separate where they aren't totally separate, so to speak. Perhaps using side by side x-pens so they can see and slightly touch through the bars, but preventing Java from touching Bailey's eye.

Does your vet have a guess of the exact cause of the eye trouble? If it is conjunctivitis, there are multiple root causes that could be to blame for the symptoms. Have you considered getting a second opinion since this issue is recurring?

 

[JBun]

If it's the only way to give the eye a chance to heal, ,you may not have any other choice. Though one possibility that I can think of that may give you a way to keep them together, is if she wears a cone. This will hopefully prevent him from being able to get at her eye, but allow them to remain in the same enclosure. Though you will have to monitor her to make sure the cone doesn't make her depressed and stop eating, and also that it doesn't affect their bond. You may also need to give her a break out of it occasionally, especially to eat her cecals, which a cone will usually prevent.

With reoccurring eye irritation, has the vet looked at eyelid abnormalities like an eyelash growing towards the eye?

Medirabbit: corneal ulcer