Dwarf rabbit with what looks like Pink Eye

Question
Our 1 year old dwarf rabbit has what appears to be pink eye. Its redish pink around the outside and looks watery. He seems to be rubbing it a lot. What do  you think it is and can it be treated without going to the vet?

Answer
Hi Karen,

I can't tell you conclusively what it is or that it can be treated without going ot the vet.  In my experience, with rabbits the kids of infections and such that they get, are best diagnosed by a vet because they generally need prescription-strength medicines you cannot get with a vet prescribing them.

I am glad you are concerned about it.  It could be something physical in there irritating him.  It could be a blocked tear duct.  It could be a scratch on the cornea that can get infected and if left untreated he can lose the eye.  If you don't know by looking at it, the best advice is to go to a good rabbit vet right away (because they will give you the best diagnosis and proper treatment the fastest - and therefore least expensively) and bunny will get better quicker.

Now the key is "good rabbit vet".  If you don't have one or want a better one, start here:

www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

and find a House Rabbit Society-recommended vet near you.

And you should get in as soon as physically possible because it is irritating him, and if he's rubbing the eye area he may also accidentally scratch his eye or (if it is a scratch) make it worse.

The sooner the better.  Try getting into a good rabbit vet tomorrow morning.

Let me know what it turns out to be.

Lee