My rabbit has chronic weepy eyes. How can I stop them from returning?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is my pleasure to answer your question as well as possible. I will do my best to give you the clearest and most current information I can. If you need to follow up with further questions or need a more in-depth discussion, please do not hesitate to request a consultation and we can help you further. Cute bunny, and congratulations on your new family member. Yes, it is pretty common for bunnies to get eye infections but there are a number of different reasons for them. The most common of those include a blocked tear duct that would normal drain extra tears from the eye into the nose, an abrasion or scratch, or an E. Cuniculi infection. A blocked tear duct can be caused by something as simple as a dusty brand of hay to something as complex as a chronic tooth issue. In a bunny as young as yours the chronic condition is less likely. Unfortunately, the only good way to tell if there is a blockage is for a vet to stain the eye and see if the colored stain drains into the nose as it should. If it is blocked, the vet can flush it out. They could also get a very superficial look at the teeth to see if they appear normal. The vet would be likely to give you some medication to help the irritated skin in front of the eye heal faster as well, for now please keep that area as clean and dry as possible.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Blocked tear ducts in rabbits are usually due to a problem with the teeth, either an infected tooth root or a tooth not growing properly. Other causes include infections in the eye or in the region of the tear duct, as well as obesity or inflammation as contributing factors. If your rabbit has seeping eyes, especially if it is just one eye, then getting some x-rays done of your bunny's head to see if a tooth needs to be removed is a good idea. Best of luck with Dylan!

This is usually cause by an eye infection that in turn causes blockage of the tear duct. you will need to take her to the vet to get it treated with antibiotics and antibiotic eye drops, in some cases flushing of the tear duct is also needed.

You can take a warm damp cloth and hold it over the eye to loosen the discharge, then gently wipe it away. Do this as as often as needed. Please don’t put anything in the eye unless you get an exam with your veterinarian. They will examine the eye and once they have a diagnosis then they can prescribe eye ointment if needed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your rabbit.

\unfortunately we cannot prescribe any medications through this service. your rabbit seems to be suffering from a blocked tear duct, probably due to an upper respiratory infection (pasteurelosis), you need to take him to the vet as he needs a course of antibiotics, he will also likely need to have his tear duct deblocked/flushed under a very short general anesthesia.

Thanks for reaching out about Fluffy and including a photo. Ocular secretions can become thicker and not drain through the lacrimal duct, when certain conditions arise. This could be an infection, dental disease (affecting drainage), stress and other problems. Continue to wipe the eye area with a moistened clear wash cloth. If worsens, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Remember, having your rabbit spayed is very important as rabbits have a high incidence of uterine neoplasia. Good luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could have been a birth defect perhaps if it has been going on this entire time. Diarrhea can be observed with gastrointestinal parasites for example. I highly recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check on the possible cause of the diarrhea so that it can be treated and why his eyes are not apparent. Good luck!