Rabbit eye infection/scratch

Question
I just got a female rabbit yesterday afternoon and she has an eye scratch/infection which I believe she got by my male rabbit jumping over her.  I think he scratched her eye with his paw and it was bleeding a little yesterday and now she can't open it due to pus.  I have tried using warm water cloth to clean it but it is not working.  Is there anything over the counter I can get or use to put on it?

Answer
Hi Kendra,

I'm sorry to hear about the accidental scratch by your boy bunny.

Unfortunately a bleeding eye (now with pus in it and unable to open) is a simple, but now serious, injury.  Your female needs to be taken in to a vet.  He/she needs to determine the extent of damage from the scratch, and also now determine the type of infection and what antibiotic(s) to give her to clear up the infection.

I would guess he will probably clean up/out the eye, and probably put her on a topical antibiotic cream you can put onto the eye itself, and also possibly an oral antibiotic to make sure it knocks out the infection in case it spreads into the sinuses or bloodstream.  This is why this injury must be regarded as very serious and requires a good rabbit vet to treat her properly.  If you need to find a good rabbit vet in your area, go to

www.rabbit.org\vets

and find a House Rabbit Society-recommended vet near you.  Not all vets even handle rabbits.

Please do not wait to go to the vet.  Often rabbit owners underestimate the severity of an injury because rabbits are not vocal about pain or injuries like cats and dogs are, being a prey animal.  You need to get there as soon as possible, she is at risk of losing the eye and/or having the infection spread.

Write back anytime.  Lee