Ill bunny?

[Dennis Bunny]

Like I said, his eyes are weeping which I have googled and people tell to go to the vet. I am not so near here to the vet and it doesn’t only depend on me if we can get there, so I would like to treat it at home. The other bigger issue is that some weeks ago when he was in his cage it suddenly started to come out a LOT of slime of his nose. It was like he was spraying it out but it seemed thick. First I thought he was puking but then I saw it came from his nose and he didn’t understand either, he started to jump around and got stressed. I was watching a little bit till he got stressed and then I called my mother who took him out and tried to calm him. He also gave deep sounds when this happened and my mom was thinking something maybe got stuck in his throat so she squeezed his belly a little bit. After a little he started opening his mouth very widely like he really wanted to spit something out but he didn’t and mom couldn’t see in his throat. He also was pulling his neck back but I guess that was because of the stress. After a while he slowed down and acted like normal again but his nose was very wet. Please tell me what could have happened someone because I am still worried it will happen again or if it’s a sign for something bad.

[Asriel and Bombur]

I’m sorry but you do absolutely need to get him to a vet. It sounds like pasturella, which can be deadly if not treated. Bunnies only breathe out their nose, and any discharge coming from it can hinder their breathing. So yes, a vet is essential at this moment in time.

[Bam]

Weepy eyes can be caused by dental problems, although that is more commonly seen when one eye is affected, not both. You can try flushing his eyes with normal saline eye wash for humans. Do you see redness and irritation? In many places eyedrops with fucididine can be bought prescription free. They can be used with rabbits. If flushing the eyes or using antibiotic drops doesn’t take care of the problem, you do need to take him to a vet.

From your description, I think your bun had a choking episode when slime started coming out of his nose. It’s extremely lucky that it ended well. It could have ended very badly. That he pulled his head back was most likely because he was gasping for air. The best thing you can do to prevent future such episodes is to serve his food scattered around his living area instead of in a bowl. Many buns are greedy for food and they can happen to inhale pellets. Any way you can slow his eating down is good. All bun owners should also be aware of how to perform a rabbit “Heimlich”, which is not done the same way as in humans: http://rabbit.org/the-heimlich-maneuver/

After a choking episode, buns can get airway problems, because the mucosa of the airways has been compromized by whatever foreign obejct was aspirated. Bacteria that naturally occur in the airways but are harmless when the mucosa is intact can get a “foot hold” and start causing trouble. It is very possible that your bun’s weepy eyes are due to an airway infection, because everything is connected in there – the eyes, the nose, the mouth and lungs and even the ears via the ear trumpet. An airway infection in a rabbit calls for oral antibiotics, most commonly Baytril. You’ll ned to see a vet to get a prescription. You should try to get treatment as soon as you can, to prevent this from getting worse. 

[Wick & Fable]

I’m glad you were able to post Dennis. I understand rabbit vets are not very common, but considering the circumstances, it is essential for your rabbit’s health to see one, even if it’s a long drive.

If you’re able to wipe away some of that discharge so he doesn’t sniff it back up, that can help him deal with it, though it won’t cure what’s causing it. As mentioned, that sounded like choking which is very distressful and often times fatal for rabbits because of their breathing capabilities.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Bunny House]

I also wanted to add that bunnies can’t throw up so if you see something odd coming out of their mouth, that needs and immediate vet visit

[Dennis Bunny]

Thank you. That can very much be possible that the two things are connected and it makes me even more worried, I will try to see a wet to be sure he gets ok. No, when his eyes are weeping there has never been redness there, only wetness from his eyes and he hasn’t shown discomfort when it has been like that. But it has happened before when he was even younger but seldom, now I see it’s wet around his eyes almost all the time and the choking and slime coming from nose happened not so long ago so I hope it’s a coincidence and not an infection. I’ll take your advice, thanks for helping.

[Dennis Bunny]

Thanks, we will.

[Author]

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