Another trip to the vet :(

[Gina.Jenny]

Rusty has a slightly swollen eye this morning, and is grinding his teeth a bit.

Just rang vet and they want him straight in, so off we go…

[Bam]

(((((Rusty)))))

You don’t get much rest these days, do you =/ I hope the rest of the bunch is fine.

[Gina.Jenny]

Vet checked Rusty’s eye first, there was no sign of anything in the eye, or of any damage to the eye. Then he checked his teeth, which were fine too. He says something is pushing the eye out from behind the socket.

It could be an abscess in the tear duct, so for now, Rusty is on antibiotics and pain meds for 10 days, to see if that helps. If its not an abscess, the vets says it could be a tumour growing behind the eye, and if it turns out to be that, then putting Rusty to sleep will be the only kind option, as surgery would involve removing a sizeable amount of the skull, and they won’t do that.

Rusty isn’t quite two, so really hoping the antibiotics do the trick. He’s took his meds and gone out in the garden with Pipkin for now.

[Bam]

(((((((Rusty)))))))

I so hope the abs will take care of this!

[Gina.Jenny]

ty

I don’t know if the eye will go back into place if its an abscess, or whether it just wont get any worse? If it gets any worse, I’ve to bring him straight back in.

[Bam]

You will just have to wait and see I think, and look out for signs of pain in him. Hopefull the abs will get to the infection. In some cases a rabbit with an abcess behind his eye will need to have the eye removed. Bunnies can lead perfectly good lives with one eye though.

[Gina.Jenny]

He’s just ate a load of dandelions I picked for him.

Just seems so unfair we’ve done all the right things to keep his teeth healthy, yet he still has whatever this is.

On plus side, the girls are coming along great, but i think I’ll do a separate, more cheerful post for that.

[Bam]

Of course it is unfair. It just is.

Dandelions are good though =) I’m going out to pick some for my buns when I’ve had my coffea. It’s such a favorite.

[Gina.Jenny]

At least we have spotted whatever it is very early, and got him straight to the vets. There hasn’t been any sign of his appetite being affected, so hopefully he hasn’t suffered much pain so far, and now he is on pain meds, he won’t be left silently suffering either.

[Gina.Jenny]

Just went to check how Rusty is, he soon came over for some more dandelions, and I could look at his eye from a short distance away. He is keeping it half shut, and it looks like there are tears dripping out of the eye. I don’t know if this is in response to the anti-inflamitory action of the pain meds, or to the antibiotics, so I don’t know if this is a good sign or not…

[Cottontail]

Any unknown/unexpected (by you) changes, call your vet and describe what’s going on. It will keep them in the loop and better able to decide a course of treatment, and it will give you peace of mind by knowing whether to rush Rusty back to the vet or be happy to see an expected reaction to treatment. I’m not really sure in this case, other than if he’s holding it shut it’s obviously bothering him good-deal. I would consult your vet that is treating him and voice your concerns.
{{Vibes for Rusty}}

[Gina.Jenny]

This was taken this morning, I think the cloudy look is from the flash?

this was out in the garden but appetite is fine, he’s been eating grass as usual, so if it is an abscess, its unlikely to be a dental one? what was coming out of the eye was clear, but it could even have just been watering cos the sun is so bright? it wasn’t lots

this is just now, I’ve bought them in a bit early as I don’t want him getting cold if the temp drops getting into evening time. its hard to catch what it looks like, but apart from the eye, he seems fine, but then even quite poorly buns can do. its not stopping him tuck into kale, anyway…

[Gina.Jenny]

letting the boys have their usual run of the dining room, living room, stairs and landing, and he’s come straight through to the living room, checking nothing has changed, as per usual.

took this from above, it maybe shows the ‘swelling’ better?

[Cottontail]

Poor baby. Is he breathing through his nose well? It does look like it would be painful with that much swelling..
{{sending more vibes}}
I hope that he feels better soon. I noticed with Tilly that she doesn’t like severe light either with her injured eye, so that could be part of the wincing with him… but I would still keep a close eye.

Going on my personal eye experiences (mine, not the bunnies’), I know that if the pressure in or behind the eye increases then you get a stabbing, light sensitive pain in that eye. Sometimes warm compression on the closed eye helps me; even though it’s still an increased pressure, it’s more equalized and that seems to alleviate most of the stabbing sensation while compressed. I’m not sure if this would benefit your little guy or not, but it may be worth a shot if you want to try it, and your vet approves.

[Gina.Jenny]

Just given everybunny some pellets, to see how Rusty is with them, he was straight into them, crunching away like everybunny else. 

I would think an abscess behind the eye, certainly a dental abscess, would make crunching down pellets too painful? He ate carrot and pellets this morning, before I took him to the vet, so before any pain relief? 

[Bam]

In any case it’s great that his appetite is so good! I do think crunching on pellets would be painful, I have a bun who completely refused all hard-ish food for a month due to the tiniest molar Spurs.

[Gina.Jenny]

Rusty was really good for me this morning and took both meds without fuss or fight. Gave him some carrot straight after as a thank you treat for making it so straight forward, unlike Jenny, who thankfully only has one day left of hers! She still got carrot though after, but only after I’d done Rusty’s.

Its a wet day, so no garden time for the boys, but not sure carrying on with bonding the boys with Jenny is wise, til I know more bout what is pushing out Rusty’s eye. It is going to be tricky to manage some floor time for each of the girls with the boys in though, which is one reason I’ve wanted to get the bonded sooner rather than later, and certainly before winter weather keeps the boys in most of the day.

[Gina.Jenny]

Spent a little while just being with the boys, who both enjoyed the attention. Managed to get frontal pics of both bunnies, which I think is good for comparison, given they have similar shaped heads.

I can use the pic of Rusty to compare over time too, to see how things progress.

Pippi’s eyes can barely been made out from this angle (the brown smudge is a tiny patch of brown highlights in his fur)

It looks to me like the eye is being pushed up as well as out? My poor (((Rusty))) 

[Bam]

It does look pushed up on this pic. Really weird.
They are lovely-looking boys!

[Gina.Jenny]

They are both lovely natured too.

Really worried about him, he’s eating normally, but there is still some teeth grinding, even with pain meds, and its hard to think it wouldn’t be painful from how it looks. He’s wanting more head rubs than usual, which he is obviously getting anyway. He’s pretty fed up, but he always is when bad weather keeps him in.

[Gina.Jenny]

Spent most of the rest of the day with or around Rusty, although he is happy to eat pellets, I’ve not seen him eat any hay today. When I gave him some pellets, he was quick to eat them, so given him extra, and he ate the lot. The white at the front of the eye is quite blood shot tonight, so I will be ringing the vets first thing in the morning to see should I bring him back in, or give the antibiotics more time.

[Gina.Jenny]

He’s out in the garden this morning, but he’s mostly staying in his little wooden house, not out eating grass. His eye is watery again, and he’s holding it half shut. It could be the sunshine bothering him, but he clearly isn’t ok, so I’ve rung the vet and I’ve to take him in this afternoon.

[Bam]

Poor little man. It does sounds like he needs to be seen again.

[Gina.Jenny]

he’s been kept in, he’ll be under anesthetic so they can xray/ct scan him, then if its an abscess, they will try draining it using a circular needle around the eye, followed by stronger abs, if its a tumour, he’ll prob be put to sleep before he comes round.

now sat at home waiting for the phone to ring, he’ll be kept in overnight if its not a tumour. He isn’t a cuddly bun, but when I was holding him against me, on the table, while the vet got the anesthetic consent form printed, he turned into me, and put his front paws on my chest and cuddled right into me…

typing through tears

[Bam]

The dear sweet boy, I tear up too thinking about it =( I so hope it’s an abscess, rabbits are after all prone to abscesses, and they as a rule have to be drained and flushed out thoroughly because rabbit pus is very thick and pasty due to lack of an enzyme, so abs can’t get to the root of the problem otherwise.

Keeping my fingers crossed for him here. (((((((Rusty)))))))

[Gina.Jenny]

vet rung, only tears here

[Bam]

Oh no.

I’m so so sorry, Gina.Jenny.

[So Fluffy Bunny]

I am so sorry myself. I can only imagine what you are feeling at the moment. -hugs to you-

[Author]

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