What to do for a wild rabbit with swollen eyes and myxomatosis?

Swollen eyelid can be a sign of a fatal disease called myxomatosis (rare in the US but possible). it could also be a sign of an eye infection or blocked tear duct. you need to take Ember to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked and treated.

Hi, and thanks for your question. That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thank you for the picture, and I hope that we can get Sophie feeling better soon! I like your idea of taking her into the vet on Monday when they open, as swollen eyes can be painful, and eye injuries can be serious. Until then, I would recommend keeping the area clean, and trying to keep hair from going into the eye, as it can scratch the cornea (front of the eye). You can also apply an over the counter tear gel (such as GenTeal or Optixcare) 3-4 times daily. Please try to get one of these two brands, and make sure they are just the year gel without any additives in them. This will help to keep the eye lubricated until Monday. Please do not apply any other medications to the eye, and don’t give any human medications to your rabbit, as many of them are harmful to them. If you feel that the eye is worsening tonight or tomorrow, I would recommend trying to find an emergency clinic that see rabbits.

Myxomatosis causes lumpy lesions around the eyes and genitals so it seems unlikely. I think it is likely the rabbit has a response infection which is fairly common. They get pasturella in their lungs which needs to be treated with antibiotics. I would make her a vet appointment asap.

I am so sorry to hear that Max has been infected with Myxomatosis Myxomatosis refers to an often fatal disease that affects domestic and wild rabbit populations. This disease is caused by the myxoma virus. I would start off my taking Max to the vet to ensure he is properly diagnosed and immediate supportive treatment such as fluids can be provided. Unfortunately this disease is very often fatal. I would try to make Max as comfortable as possible with pain relief medication from the veterinarian, providing his favourite foods. Most importantly providing as much of your time and love as you can through the process. I am so terribly sorry and my heart goes out to both you and Max.

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear that your rabbits have been ill. As you probably know, myxomatosis is a very deadly virus that is spread by blood-consuming insects, and sometimes from rabbit-to-rabbit. Up to 90 percent of rabbits that contract myxomatosis do not survive. If they were diagnosed on September 11, it sounds like they may be in the late acute stage of the disease, and if they truly are eating and improving at this point, they may very well recover, and this is lucky indeed. The next two weeks will be very important for them. Be sure to keep giving their medications as prescribed, as they will still be susceptible to secondary bacterial infection during the chronic stage of the disease (which can last for 30 days after they have recovered from the initial symptoms). During this time, they may develop myxomas (lump-like swellings) on the face, neck, or body. They may also become blind due to swelling and infection in the eyes, so be sure to keep in close contact with your vet during this time. Their chances of survival increase with each day that passes at this point, but that could change at any time. If any new symptoms develop (seizure, staggering) or if their breathing deteriorates, please get them back to the vet ASAP. Good luck, and I hope that your bunnies keep hopping down the path to recovery from this terrible disease!

Hello, sorry to hear about Artemis. He could indeed have an infection on that eye, or he could have an ulcer since his eye appears to be shut. You can continue to clean the eye and apply the drops, but make sure the drops do not contain any steroids (dexamethasone, etc.). If this does not improve within 5 days, then Artemis may need to ultimately eye evaluated by his veterinarian. Hope this helps and best of luck.