newborn rabbits eye problem

Question
Thank you for the opportunity to ask this question.  We raise some of our rabbits for meat.  We have a newborn litter of 6, and 4 had one eye each that is crusty and mostly closed.  The mother was given to us, and was allowed to run "wild" in a yard for a little while.  This is the first litter that we have had from her.  As far as you can tell from the eye problems of the babies, we need to know if we should keep her for breeding (she also has lost some hair on her face since giving birth...my husband put mineral oil on it, as well in her ears....one ear is scratched and bleeding some, possibly she has ear mites). We won't to make sure the meat will be okay to eat.  We had planned to keep one of the babies. I read a question and answer that was sent to you by someone else about crusty eyes. Your answer was that one could use a little water on a cotton pad, or even vaginal cream.  What about mineral oil?  She has been a very good "Mama."  Thank you for your response.  Carolyn  

Answer
Dear Carolyn,

In a newborn, this type of sign is more likely to be due to an eye infection (bacterial), than to mites.  And mineral oil will not help.  The babies need the attention of a good rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

who can prescribe the appropriate antibiotic drops, once the problem has been diagnosed.  Home remedies are usually not going to be effective, especially since you often don't know what the problem is.  Crusty eyes in adults can be due to anything from bacterial infection to eye injury to mange mites, and each requires a different treatment.  For mange, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html

Revolution is the answer to the mites, not mineral oil.  

Dana