Stewie blindness

Question
Dana,
I got Stewie on Ivomec, which was used on him 7 years ago for Wry Neck and worked like a charm as recommended by another breeder. He is now blind (or can barely see) though, which I think is connected to E. Cuniculi. Will this come back if we can kill off the E.C. or will he stay blind? The poor thing is terrified and bangs into things. We don't want to put him to sleep but he is very anxious and can't seem to relax at all. He is not eating much and has lost so much weight. Doctor says this could be a tumor so it may not even be E.C. but he has leg paralysis/weakness also.

Answer
Dear Karen,

Stewie has a lot of the signs of E. cuniculi, but as your vet says, it *could* be something else.  Still, I'd want to treat him for E. cuniculi, just in case.  Panacur (fenbendazole) appears to be very safe for rabbits, and it can really help in some cases.

Unfortunately, the damage done to the eye by E. cuniculi is a characteristic type of cataract (damage to the lens), and once they are present, the lens will not repair.  The only way to restore vision to the eye is to remove the lenses, which is expensive, but effective as long as the retina is okay (and E. cuniculi does not appear to affect retinal function).

The best person to see about this would be a veterinary ophtalmologist.  Even if you remove the lens in only one eye, it will allow Stewie to see, and probably will relieve his anxiety about being suddenly blind.  Poor little guy.  :(

It would not be a bad idea to have his teeth checked.  His weight loss might not have anything to do with his other symptoms:

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

Bloodwork will reveal whether his kidneys are functioning well.  E. cuniculi can cause renal damage, and once the kidneys are truly in failure, one sign is wasting despite a huge appetite.

I hope Stewie will be better with treatment, though.  It's always good to try!

Hang in there...

Dana