Cat Scratched Rabbit's eye

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MattTren

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I'm not 100% sure if this is the case, but I'm pretty sure Bucky went after the cat, and she swatted him.

Yesterday morning I woke up and noticed he wasn't as active as he usually is. When I looked at him, his eye was closed. I pried it open a little and it didn't look good, I made calls to various vets, I found a vet that said they specialize in rabbits, and took him down there. He has a starched cornea. He said he was going to give us some gel that would make it better but turns out it wasn't in stock, so he gave us Neo-Poly-Gram and said put it in his eyes 4 to 6 times a day. As loyal, I put it in at 8 last night, 12 midnight. This morning I put it in at 9, 1, and 6. When I got home, around 10 I noticed, he was slowing down even more than he did before. As soon as we got out of the vet he was opening his eye a little bit more, then all day today it seemed to have gotten better. However when I got home at 10 he is keeping it almost shut completely, and when we looked at his eye, it seems to be getting cloudy or like some membrane is forming. Doctor said he was confident it was going to get better, and assured me he wasn't going to go blind.

I feel so bad for him, he is in a lot of pain and isn't eating like he usually does.

I'm surprised he seemed to get better for a while and now he's doing worse.

What can I do? Did the doctor lie? Is he going to go blind? What can I do to stop the pain? Should I continue with the Neo-Poly-Gram? what kind of gel was the doctor talking about, that he didn't have?

Gosh I hate holidays cause I feel like I'm stuck until Tuesday.
 
Unfortunately cat scratches can be dangerous. He really needs to have an oral antibiotic as well as a different antibiotic for his eye, seeing as the one you have isn't working.

And he's going to need pain relief. The vet didn't give you anything?

If its serious, you may have to go to an emergency clinic.

A few questions... does there seem to be a lot of pus around it? Does he seem to be running a fever, where he seems hot? Can you take his temperature? I think a fever might indicate whether the scratch has an infection that is traveling through his body.

It could be the pain making him lethargic, and/or it could be the natural progress of the injury, they do often seem worse before they seem better. And/or that particular antibiotic can be useless against that bacteria. Eye medications are notoriously fickle. I've have to try three before finding one that works for my bunnies with minor infections.

If you don't have Metacam or another rabbit pain relief med, do you have anything there like Baby Motrin?


sas :clover:
 
I agree with Pipp. He needs pain meds and an antibiotic both topical and oral.

I would take your bun to the nearest emergency clinic. I know there are two in Langhorne and The University of Penn in West Philly.


 
A cat scratch (or bite) transfers a lot of bacteria. In baby wildlife, it usually causes death within 72 hours. In adult animals (including humans), it can cause some serious infections. In this case, I really think this should be treated more aggressively. NPG comes in either a drop or ointment and contains three different antibiotics. I don't like using the term "stronger" or "weaker" in talking about antibiotics since it is medically incorrect....but if I were to label NPG, it would be one of the weaker drugs. If a corneal abrasion isn't properly treated, it can ulcerate and that takes the problem to a much higher level. It normally takes up to 72 hours for most antibiotics to get to working levels. He was better after the vet visit because I suspect the vet flushed they eye.

I would continue with the NPG but would try to get into the vet (or another vet) in order to step up the treatment. I would suggest asking about either Tobramycin or Gentamicin drops. DO NOT use any drops/ointmentthat contain steroids. Very few vets know this one, but a human drug called Acetylcysteine can be used as an eye drop (in conjunction with the abx) to help heal any scratch or ulcer. Using a lubricant gel in-between abx drops would also be helpful. This condition is also quite painful and something like Metacam would also be appreciated. In this case, if your rabbit has never been given Baytril, this might be the rare time I would suggest it. If Baytril has been used before, I would suggest using Convenia (safe only as an injectable). And keep the light levels low.

Randy
 
Agreed with above. The treatment of the cat scratch needs to be more aggressive, and a systemic (oral or injected) antibiotic should be used in addition to the one applied directly to the eye. The stuff the vet put on the eye to see if it's scratched was a dye to help diagnose what was going on, not a treatment. I would keep up the ointment but try to get him some systemic antibiotics and pain medication.
 
Umm.....OK, Cipro is the human version of Baytril. Usually dosed twice a day but ideally should be done once a day. This is one of those times that this drug might do the job. Meloxicam is the human version of Metacam. Dosing is interesting since it is usually dosed once a day for a max of 4 days. Great drug for moderate pain and as an NSAID will reduce swelling. Of the NSAIDs, it is the besttolerated in rabbits. Was there an explanation of why atropine is being used? Inquiring minds want to know.

Randy
 
I have no idea i read through the specific instructions and it gave us no reasoning to why Atropine was prescribed. Should I not use it, from what I read it looks like it is to dilate the pupils or something but I am not a doctor. What is it?
 
Well....I am not a professional....just been doing advanced medical treatments for years. While I am not a vet, I do train vets on exotics and wildlife. I would follow your vet's instructions but it is always good for you to ask questions.

As far as the Cipro, I rarely use Flouroquinolones and when I do, it's Zeniquin. When I did use Baytril (same family)....I always injected it sub-q. Seems to be more effective and you lessen the risk of GI upset. I generally dose it once a day....no more than twice....depending on the situation. There may be a perfectly good explanation as far as your vet's protocol. Again, the more educated you are (by asking questions)....the better you can make things for your rabbit. Meloxicam is generally dosed once a day. We generally use a "loading" dose the first time (twice the normal dosing) and then normal dosing for the following three doses. We generally limit NSAIDs to a max of 4 days to protect the liver. I'm not really sure why your vet is using Atropine....again maybe he/she has good reason. Another question to ask. I use Acetylcysteine in eyes and most vets have absolutely no idea that this drug works in eyes....but it does.

My point in all of this is to encourage you to ask questions. I do the same thing with my personal doctors. I want to know the "whys" in everything. You will be amazed at what you learn by asking the proper questions. And a side benefit, most doctors appreciate someone that is willing to learn....makes their job easier.

Randy
 
It is injected under the skin.

Also most of the vets at the University of Penn ER are residents. They are trained to handle anything that walks, crawls or is carried into the clinic. Did they give you a phone number to call if you had any questions?
 
Very possible that the Cipro is the eye drops. I don't use them because they are not that effective. Also the article mentioned is quite dated as we have learned quite a bit in the past couple of years regarding treating ulcers and abrasions. As I have mentioned, I use a very specific protocol in dealing with this type of issue. An appropriate eye drop....usually Tobramycin or Gentamicin. An appropriate systemic antbiotic....Zeniquin, Convenia or Penicillin would be possible choices. Instead of Atropine, I use Acetylcysteine. It's a human drug used to break up mucus in the lungs and protect the liver in certain drug overdoses....but used as an eye drop....it is an excellent healer for ulcers...although very few vets are aware of this. I have experienced no problems in healing abrasions/ulcers and have used it in both domestic and wild rabbits. Andappropriate pain meds. Just something I have had success with.

Randy
 
MattTren wrote:
Let's just be honest, chances are Bucky is going to go blind right? After a severe eye injure?
Click to expand...
How did they classify the injury as severe? Is it the infection? The depth of the scratch?

Some nasty looking injuries clear up just fine once the infection is gone, but some deep lacerations can cause permanent damage, but I think its more common to have the eye removed completely than to have it recover and be sightless.

The usual down sides in my experience with rabbits and other animals have been the eye at some point collapsing (or expected to collapse) warranting removal, infected tissue going 'necrotic' (dying), or the the infection getting into the blood stream.

Most of the time with the rabbits I've heard about, a cornea scratch hasn't affected vision.

Are they sure the cause of the eye issue was a cat scratch btw? There are many other ways this can happen. I've seen it occur from a piece of hay, a genetic eyelid issue and other things. (Unrelated to this, but I think my cat ended up with a corneal ulcer as a secondary effect from high blood pressure). My rabbits have had the cats take a swipe at them (in self-defense) but the only injuries have been to the third eyelid, not the cornea. They're usually pretty quick to protect their eyes.

PS: My vet prescribes ChlorPalm for eye injuries.


sas :clover:
 
Don't give up hope. I really think you need to be agressive with this situation. Make calls.

I'm not sure how close you are to the Wayne/Radnor area but there is an excellent vet at Radnor Vet Hospital.

Dr. Len Donato
Radnor Veterinary Hospital
610-687-1550
112 N. Aberdeen Ave.
Wayne, PA 19087

You can also go back to Penn through the clinic. They have a special species department run by Dr. Karen Rosenthal one of the top exotic specialists in the US. They also have eye specialists on staff.
 
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