Cottonball- dutch rabbit eye infection

Question
We think our  adopted  1 year old dutch rabbit's is blind in her right eye. An
infection spread and seem to burst covering her entire eye. She was treated
3x in 3 months with different topical and systemic medicine. She still eats,
goes potty and enjoys being touch but not held.  The vet said bunnies can live
with eye infections by closing them off to the rest of their body.  We think the
infection will eventually spread.  We can't afford an eye doctor for her and the
vet said that the medicine we were giving her was not working there was no
reason to continue. What should we do?  

Answer
Dear Sandy,

It is unfortunate that you can't get your bunny to a veterinary ophthalmologist, because that's what she really needs.  I can't see the eye to know whether this is a superficial infection, or inside the eyeball itself.  And while it is true that the eye and central nervous system are "walled off" from the rest of the body by a structure known as the blood brain barrier (composed of tight-junctions at the plasma membrane), a breach in this barrier can be caused by infection.  I would not assume that the infection cannot spread, simply because it's in the eye.

A corneal infection can be due to either bacteria or fungi.  If the drops your bunny was getting were antibiotics and not having any effect, then two of the most likely explanations would be:

1.  the bacteria causing the infection are resistant to the antibiotic in the drops (see:  www.bio.miami.edu/hare/culture.html )

2.  the infection is fungal (in this case, ask about using miconazole cream in the eye.  We've used over-the-counter Monistat safely, under the supervision of our veterinary ophthalmologist, but DO NOT do this without consulting your vet!)

It might not be a bad idea to get your bunny to another rabbit vet for a second opinion.  You can find one here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.

Dana