Help! Inflamed eyes w/ mucus

[maxmo]

Hi, yesterday I woke up and found my rabbit with dry eyes that wouldn’t open. A photo will be inserted below. It looks MUCH worse in person 🙁

I was trying not to panic and act fast, so I  put a towel with water to moisten it and it finally opened up. There was a lot of white discharge and tried taking some out. I gave him some anti-inflammatatory eye drops and hours later it was worsening. It became so swollen, I went to the pharmacy and bought some castor oil to soothe his eye. Let me know if castor oil is ok to put on?? I was once prescribed an eye oil for him with castor oil, so I assumed it was ok. I’m going to the vet tomorrow, but just wanted to some insight. Has anybody else’s rabbit had this? What is best solution? And what are usually the causes?? He has conjunctivitis before which looks similar, but I’m afraid because it’s happening again… is this dangerous? It’s very sad for me to see my baby like this and i could tell it’s very painful for him. Also, should I buy saline solution? I was confused as to what brand to buy because most had boric acid which doesn’t sound safe. Right now, he won’t open his eye fully and can only see through one eye. I appreciate your time thank you.

[Bam]

It’s good that you’re trying to keep it clean, but I’d hold off on ointment until you’ve been to the vet. This could be conjunctivitis, or irritation from hair getting in the eye plus a blocked tearduct, or it could have to do with teeth. Hopefully this can be remedied with just some antibiotic ointment and an anti-inflammatory painkiller. Your vet might recommend a warm compress on the eye.

As for saline, I use saline eye drops for humans, without borax. I buy single use vials.

[maxmo]

Thanks for your reply. So, I shouldn’t have put the castor oil? I did and it kind of opened up but it still crusty and discharge but less swollen this morning.

What antiobiotics ointments and painkillers do you recommend? On hand, I have Nepafenac and Ketorlac eye drops. I’ll also try to purchase saline wash without borax, thank you.

[Bam]

Plain neosporin (without a painkiller added) can be used on buns, as well as fucidic acid (fucithalmic). If the problem is purely dermal, this will help. I’ve used fucidic acid cream on my buns.

From what I can find, castor oil is harmless.

[maxmo]

Ok thank you for the recommendations.

An update on his vet appt:

The vet flushed the mucus out with saline solution and some came out of his nose. Apparently, he has a abscessed tear duct, the cause unknown but the vet says it could be dental issues. He was prescribed an antiobitoic eye drop (2x a day), Meloxicam for pain (2x), penicillin, and baytril. Has anyone heard of penicillin and baytril being used simultaneously? At first, I thought it would be too much for him, but that’s what he was prescribed so maybe I’m just being too worried.

[LBJ10]

Poor thing. An issue deeper inside was my first thought when I saw the picture. Yes, for abscesses, it isn’t unusual to prescribe an injection and an oral antibiotic at the same time.

[maxmo]

Thanks for your reply. That definitely makes me feel better knowing that it’s a usual thing.

[Author]

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