lop eared bunny problems

Question
my bunny has been having loose stools for about a week and i noticed under one of his eyes it looks as if he had been "crying" and its all dried up and crusty and when i try to clean it up it flakes. i was just wondering if he needs to be taken to a vet or if this is just something he will get over, thanks for any help

Answer
Dear Shawn,

As surprising as this may sound, the runny eye and the runny stool are probably related.  A bunny suffering from pain will respond physiologically with ileus:  a slowing or stopping of the intestinal movements.  This slowing allows harmful bacteria to overgrow in the cecum, and also can affect the normal functioning of the intestines' "poop packaging" mechanisms, resulting in mushy poops.  You can read more about this here:

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

as every bunny "parent" should know about this very important health clue.

If the bunny actually stops eating and producing poop, then this emergency information could save his life:

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

The runny eye could be due to just a blocked tear duct, but if there is any smell or evidence of pus, it's more likely that there is a molar problem--either spurs or an abscess in the jaw.  This is a serious problem that will not resolve on its own, and will need the attention of a very good rabbit vet who has experience and expertise with rabbit dental problems.  You can read more about this here:

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

and find a good vet in your area with the list linked here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.  Please write back if you have more questions.

Dana