My bunny has hay in her eye, what should I do for a new mom?

You should not need to flush your bunny's eyes, as a healthy bunny should not have a discharge from his eye. If you think there is a lot of dust that is bothering your rabbit and you want to remove that you can gently flush the eyes with some 0.9% saline solution available from your pharmacy. If there is a discharge of pus or if you think there is a bigger foreign body that needs to be removed, your bunny needs to be seen by a veterinarian, as your bunni could be suffering from an upper respiratory infection, or a nasty abscess, or tooth problems.

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.

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.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Gunky discharge from the eye may be a sign of an eye infection. I would recommend having Honey assessed by a vet within the next 24 hours, as eye problems can worsen quickly if untreated. In the meantime, if you are comfortable with it you can try gently flushing the eye out with a sterile saline solution in case there is any foreign material such as dirt or hay stuck under the eyelid, causing the eye infection. If you notice the eye is getting worse or if she is scratching at it, I would recommend getting her seen by the vet as soon as possible! I hope this helps, and that Honey is feeling better soon!

Thanks for reaching out about Shila. There is suspect that trauma or infection is affecting the eye. Try gently wiping with a warm wetted washcloth to determine if any thick white discharge is noted. This is an infection. Since rabbit eyes are large and situated laterally on the head, it is not uncommon that the eyes become scratched or worse while sticking their heads into bushes, etc. Any chance of a predator (cat, other) encounter? A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. They should be able to examine the eye and present a treatment plan. Good luck.

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.

If your bunny has an eye ulcer and an actual puncture to her eye, that is unlikely to heal on it's own and she could lose the eye if it gets infected inside the eye or the eye perforates. She needs to see a vet to get some meds into the eye and probably oral meds as well. They can do a test to see how deep the scratch on the eye is to help get her better.