Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Rabbits > Rabbits eye infection

Rabbits eye infection

22 10:42:28

Question
Our 12 week old gorgeous lop-eared bunny, Beanie has something seriously wrong with her eye.  5 days ago I noticed her eye was closed and looking bung.  I took her to the vet the very next morning and after looking under ultraviolet light and dye  h prescribed Tricillin eye ointment.  I administered this religiously, but Beanie's eye has just been getting more and more swollen and protrusive.  The white/yellowish film fills her whole eyeball.  I took her to the vet again this afternoon.  He cannot understand why the Tricin has not improved the situation and therefore has now prescribed chlorsig.  He mentioned that perhaps she suffered some eye trauma, but why is the eye area getting more swollen as the days go by?  I am very distressed and was hoping you could give me some feeback that I can take to him tomorrow morning again.  I have a suspicision that she has some kind of secondary absess behind her eye rather than merely a laceration of the cornea which is only getting bigger.  Can you prescribe any other medication with your expertise?  I am absolutely desperate!

Answer
Dear Tania,

I'm not sure why the vet would prescribe tricillin for the eye, since penicillins should never be given where the rabbit could accidentally ingest them.  Oral penicillins can be fatal to rabbits, and though the quantity in eye drops or ointment might be small, it is still more of a risk than I would be willing to take with my rabbits.

I would suggest you find a more experienced rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

for a second opinion, and perhaps a referral to a qualified veterinary ophthalmologist.

If the eye is swelling and is white inside, there could likely be an intraocular abscess (perhaps originating in the molar roots, which would be unusual for a bunny so young, but not impossible), necessitating removal of the eye.  A corneal abrasion/ulceration is not likely to cause the eye to swell and/or protrude, and I think you are correct that something more sinister is going on.

Eye trauma can cause something like this, especially if the lens capsule is ruptured, causing a constant inflammatory reaction.  Glaucoma also can result from eye trauma, but will usually not resolve with antibiotics alone; our vets also prescribe anti-glaucoma drops for this problem.

I think you need another vet with more rabbit experience, and the sooner the better.

Please also ask about rabbit-safe pain management, since a problem like this is likely to be very painful.  Pain can cause another cascade of problems best avoided.

I hope this helps.

Dana