watery eyes & shedding

Question
Hi,
Everytime my bunny sheds his coat, his right eye waters down his check and his eye appears red and inflamed. Once his shedding has stopped, his eye dries up and the inflammation goes away.  There has never been any discharge. He has been taken to the vet on two different occasions for this problem, and no medication or conclusive statement has ever been made. He enjoys it when I wash his cheek and eye with a warm damp cloth, and comb the crust that eventually builds around his eyes and down his cheek from his tears. As such, I belive he is not in severe pain, but it most be awfully uncomfortable.
Is this some anomaly, or do some rabbits tear (in one eye) when shedding?
Thanks.

Answer
Dear S,

I don't think the shedding has anything directly to do with the red, watery eye.  It's possible that the stress of shedding sets off a small chain reaction because your bunny is a little immunosuppressed while he sheds, and may be expressing an underlying mild infection.  But the shedding cycle is not likely the true cause of the runny eye.

Rather, runny eyes are usually caused by sinus and/or dental problems, as you can read here:

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

Please find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

who can help you figure out why your bunny's eye is irritated and watery, and be sure the vet knows the connection between such problems and molar spurs or intrusive molar roots.

I hope this helps.

Dana