Watery eyes: What else should I be doing?

[mrsmeyers]

Last weekend I noticed one of my Lop's eyes was watery. Clear tears. By Thursday, it had spread to the other eye. TWO watery eyes. I took him to a rabbit-savvy vet who said it didn't appear to be a bacterial infection, abscesses or a noticeable tooth issue (no x-rays yet, I'll get to that in a moment). He's eating normally, acting normally, pooping normally, no weight loss, no sneezing, no colored discharge, etc. She sent me home with Bausch and Lomb Flurbiprofen Sodium Ophthalmic eye drops and instructions to remove airborne irritants if the tearing continued. Possible steps after that will be to do x-rays to check his teeth, etc. She's clearly following a process of elimination.

It's now Monday night and there's really no improvement and I'd love to see some results. I ran saline over his eyes twice today and applied the eye drops. Before I take him back to the vet, are there any other at-home treatments I should be incorporating??

I'm skeptical of the airborne irritant notion ... nothing in his hutch has changed and he's been fine all winter! The wind is also no worse than it has been for the last 4 months. However, I will change out the straw in his cubby and buy a new bag of timothy hay just to make sure.

I'm stumped.

 

[JBun]

Irritants are a slight possibility, but it's more likely to be something else. Aside from rinsing the eye with sterile saline, there isn't much more you can do from home. Did the vet not give you any antibiotic eye drops to at least try and see if that cleared it up? That would be the first thing that is usually tried to clear up runny eyes. Bacterial infections or something in the eye, are the most common causes. Dental problems can certainly be a cause, but usually a vet will first investigate the things that are more likely to be the cause.
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/weepy.pdf
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sneezing.html

If your vet isn't a good rabbit vet, I would suggest finding one more experienced.
http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/finding-vet-13366/

 

[mrsmeyers]

Antibiotic drops might be a next step, but she was fairly sure it wasn't bacterial based on his lack of symptoms, thus the other eye drops. I specifically asked, "So you don't think he needs an antibiotic? Or antibiotic eye drops?" and the answer was no, not at this point.

This vet practice is one of the only vets listed for my area on rabbit.org.

If you think an antibiotic would be helpful, what about trying the NFZ Puffer? Otherwise, I can get an oral antibiotic from the rabbit breeder. Or just go back to the vet.

 

[JBun]

I have no experience with that, so don't know if it is safe or helpful for rabbits. You need to be careful about giving your rabbit oral antibiotics as some can never be given orally or they could prove fatal. You could probably just call your vet office up and not have to bring your rabbit in, and say that you would like to try antibiotic eye drops. If this doesn't clear it up, it could have to do with the tear ducts, or possibly tooth root issues. If this vet doesn't seem to be very experienced, if at all possible, I would suggest searching out a better vet.

 

[lovelops]

I'm having the same problem with my Lop and was sent home with I believe antibiotic eye drops. My vet was saying it could be allergies. I got her in November of 2013 so I've never had her in Spring. I know some of my dogs have allergies also and it's bothering them at the same time, but in a different way. I think it's interesting we both have Lops and it's going on now at the same time. You are in the midwest and I'm on the east coast. We also tested her tear ducts with the glow in the dark drops and Nope. nothing. He checked her teeth, no problems there, no absesses, nothing.

Mine is acting fine, eating like a horse, no weight loss in fact she gained a pound and a half since November, recently beat the living devil out of my 11 pound bunny that I've been trying to get her bonded with so she definately ain't lethargic, poops like mad, no sneezing, no changes to diet, is an indoor bunny and I've added NOTHING new to the environment.
NOW, this weepy eye came after the fight by a day or so, but there is no marks on her what so ever, and I found scabs on my 11 pound so I know where she bit the devil out of her. I'm stumped also. No problems with teeth. In fact I took her to TWO vets. Both said the same thing they thought it might be an allergy since the weather keeps going to 70 down to 20 and snow every other 2 to three days here. Personally, I'm stumped and there two are decent vets who know rabbits. So tear ducts have been ruled out and so have the teeth...if you find anything else out share it here.. I'd like to see what your answer is to your Lop's situation.

Vanessa

 

[mrsmeyers]

We got our Lop last summer, so this is our first spring with him, too. Allergies are an interesting theory ...

I'm happy to report that after a few more days of rinsing with saline 2x a day and using the non-steroidal, anti-inflam eye drops, his eyes stopped tearing.

The only other thing I did was change out the straw in his cubby with fresh stuff.

I'm still a bit perplexed by what caused this, but do feel more comfortable with treating it should it happen again. For now, I'm doing this: :happyrabbit:

 

[mrsmeyers]

Another update: After several days of being tear-free, one of his eyes is watery again. After watching him burrow around in his cubby, I'm wondering if he's poking himself in the eye(s) with straw. I'm going to remove the straw and/or remove him and move him indoors and see if that helps. If not, back to the vet.

 

[lovelops]

Ditto. I've noticed the same with mine. I've just about come to that conclusion as well after buying some hay that is really sharp that poked me in the back and caused me to bleed. I'm going to see if I can find some significantly softer hay and I'm cleaning all the indoor areas. she is still on the antibiotic eye drops but noticed after her rooting in the hay the problem occurs. Let me know what happens after you move him indoors. I've just opened the bag of new hay that is really hard but I'm about to throw it in the trash or use it for landscaping.

Van

 

[mrsmeyers]

Today his eye was dry. Sheesh!!!! I still took out the straw today, though. I'm keeping him outside for now to see what happens because I'm dying to get to the bottom of this by process of elimination.

 

[mrsmeyers]

Both eyes are still fine. Lovelops, how are things over there?

 

[lovelops]

Both eyes are still fine. Lovelops, how are things over there?

I took her to the vet last week in fact last Friday. He said her eyes were clearing up and looked 100% better. He was right.. He gave me more drops but I decided not to use them and see if they cleared up on their own. They have started to. Only slight weeping when she is eating hay. I think it's the dust in the hay to be honest and need to reclean out her hay boxes! Other than that everything is ok. She is 100% better! I think it was the dust in the hay and possibly allergies from the weather changing so much here and going from heat to open windows and pollen...

Vanessa

 

[squidpop]

When I did research because I had a male nethie with a watery eye I read where several rabbitry owners believed watery eyes in males might have something to do with surges in hormones causing blocked tear ducts— because they noticed it happens a lot in spring, in males with surging hormones. So just thought I throw that idea out there. To treat first course of action was to simply make eye wash from black tea and wash eye out - and some recommended black tea in home made saline solution made with 1/4 teaspoon of uniodized salt to 1 cup boiled water. Another suggestion was that since the area was moist around the eye all the time- that could lead to skin irritation under the eye so they would put a little vaseline.
If tea didn't work or discharge looked cloudy terrimycin ointment was suggested- which you can buy from ebay over the counter. If it still persisted trip to vet.

 

[mrsmeyers]

That's an interesting theory! I brought him inside this week to try and litter train him and it's given me a chance to really observe him and ... he's humping toys. I wonder if his hormones had something to do with the eyes???!!!

 

[lovelops]

with mine she is a girl and she's been fixed...

Vanessa

 

[mrsmeyers]

That's true. I was just thinking about possible causes for my unfixed male. It will be interesting to see what happens next spring and whether allergies/hormones wreak eye havoc again!