Results from Eye Specialist

[Bernard2020]

So I just got back from the eye specialist with Bernard and I have a few questions about what everything means. I attached a pic of basically everything the doctor said. He said she will be tested for EC. I heard the normal way of doing that is taking liquid from the eyes but he said he’s going to do a blood test to see if she has any antibodies for it. Has anyone heard of them testing for EC that way? This isn’t my normal vet and I think they mostly treat dogs and cats so Im not sure how much they know about rabbits.
Also every once and a while one of her ears will droop (kind of like helicopter ears) but it alternates ears. He said that could be a sign of EC. Is that true? Thanks for reading! -Marissa

[DanaNM]

Hi Marissa,

It’s hard to read the the report in the pic you posted. PM me and I can help with inserting it!

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

Yeah, I can’t read it either.

[Bernard2020]

Oops sorry. I PM’ed you Dana but I don’t mind typing up the info. Here’s what it says:

”We noted a cataract of the left eye, which was classified as immature at this point. Immature signifies that she is still able to see around the cataract. We also noted sheets of inflammatory material between the iris and lens, telling us that there has been some severe inflammation in the past.
The cataract and inflammation could have been caused by E. Cuniculi, Pasteurella, or trauma. Today we submitted a blood panel to identify antibodies against E. Cuniculi which would confirm a previous or current infection.
In the meantime, we recommend treating with a topical anti-inflammatory and dilating medication to reduce inflammation and help prevent the pupil from sticking down to the iris and causing glaucoma, respectively.”

Under diagnosis he put:

”Cataract Immature: anterior uveitis, severe (inactive/ chronic, sheets of fibrous tissue between pupillary margin and anterior lens capsule)”

and the meds he gave me are Ketorolac and Tropicamide

 

[LBJ10]

Thanks! OK, so what’s the question then? What they found doesn’t surprise me at all considering it was clear she had uveitis in that eye. There are several potential causes. The most common cause of uveitis (and cataracts) in young bunnies is EC, especially if there is no known traumatic injury to the eye. Since Bernard is not displaying any symptoms at the moment, the EC is probably isn’t active at the moment. EC infections often go into remission.

The chances that she has EC are high. Can they do a blood test? Yes, they can. Will it always detect an EC infection? No, it doesn’t always detect it. The test is notorious for yielding false negatives.

The medications prescribed are consistent with what the vet said they were trying to accomplish. They aren’t really known for being used in rabbits, but I’m not finding anything that would suggest they are inappropriate.

[Bam]

I agree with LBJ, the most common cause of uveitis and cataracts are EC. EC is very common in rabbits, and cataracts in young rabbits often mean the bun has contracted the parasite in its mother’s womb.

A blood test is the most common way to test for EC. The EC parasite is shed in the urine for only a short period of time, so a urine sample is not a good diagnostic tool. A very high titre of EC-antibodies suggests an ongoing infection, whereas a low titre means the buns has been exposed or have overcome an earlier infection. As LBJ says, the test can also produce false negatives.

Some vets choose to initiate treatment for EC before test results come back, and some vets treat on suspicion only. Panacur (fenbendazole) targets the EC parasite itself, metcam is often used to reduce inflammation caused by the ec. Baytril, an antibiotic, has some effect against the parasite. Other than those meds, treatment is targeted at the organ system unvolved, in your case the eyes.

The alternately droopy ears could be related to ec, because ec can affect all nervous tissue including the nerves that control the ears and the face.

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