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eye problems in rabbits

22 10:36:21

Question
One of my rabbits quickly developed a problem with her eye.  The iris in her left eye appears very small - about .5 cm across and her eye looks a bit red.  There is a small area of redness at the top of the eye when I pull the eyelid back. There is no weeping or other signs of infection.

Answer
Hi Anita,

My first thought here is some type of irritation...maybe a scratched cornea due to the fact that the issue developed quickly.  That can come from something like a piece of hay or even from scratching themselves.  I am not a vet, but my suggestion at this time since there is no weeping or signs of infection is to flush the eye with sterile eye wash.  That can be purchased at any pharmacy for only a couple of dollars.  Pull the lid back and flush that too in case there is something under the lid that is irritating the cornea. I would flush the eye several times over the remainder of the weekend. It would probably feel better to your bun if you would put some drops in there every couple of hours.  I prefer to use the gel lubricant instead of the liquid drops since the gel will stick in the eye longer than the drops.  Only use the basic lubricant gel...not any with added medication.  That could cause some complications under certain conditions.  I would continue to monitor the eye for signs of infection.   Also pay close attention to see if you notice something like a blister developing....that would be a corneal ulcer that can develop easily if the cornea has an abrasion.  An ulcer is quite painful and can cause loss of vision if not treated properly.  If the irritation isn't cleared up in a day or so, I would suggest a visit to the vet.  The doctor will most likely "stain" the eye.  It is a procedure using an ultraviolent dye that is placed in the eye and then rinsed out.  If there is an abrasion or an ulcer on the cornea, the stain will bind to the injury and will be seen under a UV lamp.  A blocked tear duct is also a possibility but that is something that usually comes on gradually.  And it is always possible that this is the first sign of an impending infection.  But it really sounds like some type of external irritation.

Randy