Update: the ups and downs of Beau's eye and other stories (RESOLVED)

[Maureen Las]

I just did both right and left eyes with the flashlight in the dark, His pupils are sluggish and slow to react. it is difficult to watch them as he already has cataracts.in both eyes he doesn't flinch at all to light and actually didn't even blink when I shone the light in the bad eye...

I know this means that his vision is not good ... i know that he has vision by his behavior but i would guess that it wasn't the best before this started.because of the cataracts

I Iooked up papillary conjunctivitis and will read more on it. what's strange is that he is not responding to antibiotics??

Thanks

M

 

[Maureen Las]

Could be something like papillary conjunctivits and I ran across another one called toxic conjunctivitis which is an immune respone to eye meds.
that's another thing to consider as I'm putting in the salve and nothing has helped but I'm using it anyway. :?
It's going to be a long week............

 

[LuvaBun]

Aww Maureen, I'm sorry to hear this. Poor little guy (and you) could do with a break. I know it will seem like a long time, but what with the Holiday and all, I hope it will pass more quickly

Jan

 

[naturestee]

How did the trip to the vet go?

 

[LuvaBun]

naturestee wrote:

How did the trip to the vet go?

:yeahthat: I'm hoping everything went well

Jan

 

[Maureen Las]

I did not get optimistic news...
the vet did a series of tests and exammined his eyes and teethand feels that his eye looks very bad . Their are blood vessels that have actually grown up to connect with the red mass of inflammation in his eye.He doesn't necessarily feel that theteeth areeven the cause of this (although it is difficult for me to get that out of my mind)

He doesn't think that Beau would be a good candidate for enucleation nor does he feel that the dentist can do his teeth when his eye is this bad.

We are trying another antibiotic (chlorampmenical salve) and we are trying a steroid only as a last resort.

If it would get better I reschedueled his dental for the 21st and if it doesn't improve then I probably will have him PTS as it is painful for him to when I clean it and is getting worse daily.

 

[LuvaBun]

Oh No, I'm so sorry that there isn't better news.

I hope and pray so hard that this antibiotic/steroid treatment works. You both don't deserve this

Jan

 

[slavetoabunny]

I'm so sorry to hear this news. ray:for positive news.

 

[Maureen Las]

His eye is so dramatically better it is hard to believe. No pus so I no longer have to flush it..

the chlorampenical salve worked almost immediately as I did not start the steroid drops right away. I wanted to see if one worked alone.

the swellinghas receded so his eye is now a normal shape.

I truly cannot believe this.

The pus was never cultured ; in addition to the fact that no one in la crosse even knows what chloramphenical is let alone uses it.
i hope that it continues as it has been so up and down i can only be happy now without knowing what is around the corner.


it is disturbing to think that an infection went this long because the improper antibiotic was used. I am sure he will have some visual impairment

i still think that a lot of this is due to the upper molars on the left side as the vet said his teeth on the upper left needed work and were growing askew.

if his eye improves like this I will still have his teeth done mid- month.

 

[cmh9023]

Hi Maureen- That's great news!!!

 

[Maureen Las]

sure is............

 

[cmh9023]

Which doctor was this last visit with who finally found the right meds for him? The one in Madison or Verona?

 

[LuvaBun]

Oh wow, this is great news . Maureen, I am so happy to hear this - after your last post, you and Beau have been in my thoughts a lot. Lets hope the chloramphenical does the trick. Have you used any of the steroid drops?

Keeping the prayers and good thoughts coming.

Jan

 

[Maureen Las]

I started the chloramphenical right way and within the first 24 hrs his eye looked better. I did not think that it was because of the antibiotic at first because the vet had cleaned out the corner of his eye where a lot of pus was dried and I thought that it was just a cleaner eye
By Wed morning I knew his eye was bettter on cloramphenical alone so I tried to call the vet to see if I should use the steroid or not. The vet had warned me that a steroid couldlower his immune system and actually make it worse . The vet was not in so I decided to use the steroid toountil tomorrow fri. I will call the vet tomorrow and see if I should use both .
in the meantime it is better and not worse but maybe he still doesn't need the steroid..

i keep picking him up and looking at his eye
he thinks i'm nuts

 

[mouse_chalk]

That's just great news! I'm so happy for you and Beau! What a great start to the New Year! I really really hope he continues to improve....

 

[Maureen Las]

cmh9023 wrote:

Which doctor was this last visit with who finally found the right meds for him? The one in Madison or Verona?

Dr Barney Smith is also on the HRS list and is also in Verona. he has great credentials and I actually had talked to him on the phone years ago; he is available to people like me with questions and he doesn't charge for a phone call.
Dr Smith is going to be surprised when i tell him that beau's eye is better; he didn't have high hopes. Verona is a town probably 10 miles southwest of madison

The dentist is at the university most of the time and in verona on wed. it is cheaper to see him in verona than at the veterinary medical school.

 

[JadeIcing]

How is it??

 

[Maureen Las]

His eye is much better but his appetite is down .

I think it's a combination of the chloramphenical salve affecting his whole system and also the fact that I looked at his front teeth 2 days ago and found that oneof his incisors was growing into his gum ..
made me pist because the vet looked at his teeth a week ago and didn'tnotice or do anything about it.
Sunday I cut off the tip of the incisor myself
i know that you're not supposed to clip butI had to because this poor rabbit lives a life of pain.
the other thing I am noticing is that his coat looks terrible..his hair has become very sparse.

i hope that he makes it to the 21st when he is supposed to get his teeth done.so his eye is getting better and the rest of him is going down a bit :?

Thanks for asking ..

 

[JadeIcing]

Aww poor little guy.

 

[Maureen Las]

yeh Beau is a little mess but we do get attached to the little messed up ones...