Young Rabbit Eye mucus

Question
hi, i bought a rabbit that is about 8 weeks old, she is active, alert, eating and adorable, except that her eyes are not draining, i clean up the crusty mucus (or tears)with an eyewash and she doesn't seem to be in pain, but in about two days her eyes get clogged again...is this an allergy? can do anything about it, should i just leave it? thank you so much for your time

Answer
Dear Martha,

Your bunny appears to have blocked tear ducts, which could either be due to a mild infection (bacterial residue can clog the ducts) or to a congenital condition, especially if she is a dwarf, lop, or Lionhead--all of which are prone to narrowed tear ducts because of their unusual head anatomy.

You can find a good vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

who can have a look and detemine whether this might be best treated with a course of ophthalmic ointment to try and clear the ducts, with warm compresses, or other treatment.  She may be too small at this age to try a tear duct flush, but this is often done in older rabbits to clear clogged ducts.

If she also has a snotty nose, then please see:

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

I hope this helps you get her on the road to recovery.

Dana