Hazel's eye

[Hazel]

Well, I almost feel like this is a repeat of time to waste's post.

I posted in questions about behavior that Flopsy was grooming Hazel's right eye a ton and someone suggested that she may have an eye infection. Well last night I accidentally left the light on in the bedroom, so I felt bad when I got home at almost 5am and was going to give them a treat to make up for it. Well, I grabbed Hazel when she was eating her treat to just look her over because of what was suggested. And there it was. A little bit of crustiness in the corner of her eye. Today I picked her up to check again and there was a little bit of ooziness. So I start calling vets. And it seems that all of the rabbit vets are gone today, sick, family's sick, maternity leave, etc. So now I'm calling around trying to find a vet to see her today because I can't bring her in tom because I have classes I CAN'T miss, >.<

I don't know what to do about this. I mean, when I think about Flopsy's grooming, this has been going on since Christmas. And I don't get how I never saw anything, I mean I check her eye all the time because I was worried the grooming was hurting her. I think I may have seen a little gunk, but I just thought it was like human eye gunk.

What can I do if I can't get her in this week? Any tips for stuff to help until then? Now I really have something to worry about...

 

[ra7751]

Check your PM....I live in the "neighborhood" and I can get you in to see a vet today just by making a phone call if you can make it to North Raleigh. My phone number is in the PM in case you need to call me for help.

Randy

 

[Basil]

Hi Hazel,

As you might know, rabbits have eye problems more frequently than other pets - because they only have one tear drain, as opposed to 2 that humans and other animals have. That being said, if they produce more tears than normal (dust in the air, etc) their ducts can't handle it all, and some of it will drain on the outside.

One of our bunnies has a permently scarred duct, and will always have tears on the outside, because that's the only way it will drain. They are a white oozy consistancy, but that is because it is condensed tears, not infection. We have taken him to animal eye specialists, there is a procedure they can do to flush the duct, to clear out any stuck things.

BUT that doesn't mean that you shouldn't get it checked out! I'm just trying to keep you from panicking like I normally do.

 

[Hazel]

Thank you soo much, that actually did make me feel better. I got her in to see a specialists, so I'm going to go get her and Flopsy packed up and get ready to take them over. And Randy gave me a name and number to call if I need a second opinion or anything else, so I'm really really happy about that as well.

I just wanted to say thank you to the mods, admins, members, everyone on this site for coming together and pooling so much rabbit knowledge. This site is amazing, and everyone on it is wonderful.

 

[Hazel]

Ok, well we all went to the vet, Hazel, Flops, and I. Flopsy is 3.3 lbs and very healthy with a david letterman type gap on her bottom teeth. It's not bad though.

Hazel is 2.46 lbs. The vet thought maybe it was a blockage first, but we did the flush and it went through just fine. He thinks it's a small infection so he put her on eye drops: Gentamicin Opthalmic Solution. He said we could put her on this one and try it out and they would do a culture to check for pasturella. The drop goes in every 12 hours for 10 days. I don't know how I didn't notice, her eyelid was a little pinker then the other one

Both bunnies did so well, I was sooo proud. They acted like sweethearts and let the vet man-handle them, haha. They also got their sexes checked and I got them right! I didn't realize you were supposed to stretch the skin so much though! :O

I was also able to finally get some oxbow pellets!! I've been planning on ordering them so I could do the gradual switch.

After the trip, I bought them a new grassy mat and a new shredbox as treats because I felt so bad, but was so happy they did so well. They're happy about that.



BTW: Does anyone know anything about Gentamicin?

 

[ra7751]

Gentamicin is a "big gun". It is the ultimate in ocular drops. Gentamicin is very effective against most gram negative bacteria....and pasteurella is gram negative. I would suspect if the culture comes back positivie for pasteurella that they most likely will prescribe Zithromax. It is the "in" drug against pasteurella now and has always worked well here. Been using it for years.

Randy

 

[Hazel]

Is Zithromax a human antibiotic as well? I fell like I've been on that before and I have a sample of Zmax which I believe is the one dosage thing of Zithromax.

 

[ra7751]

Yep...same stuff. But don't use the Z Max since it is much too concentrated for a rabbit.

 

[Hazel]

Hahaha! No, I definitely wouldn't!! Would I be able to use the other stuff though? Or is there a special type for animals?

 

[timetowaste]

hazel!

see my thread posted in here called "nemo's eye infection".

story of my life with the nimmers.

tracy

edit: just noticed your very first sentence.

good luck with this. i am confident that with randy on your side this will go away real quick. keep me up to date, whatever helps you i am sure will help me! the nimmers and i are going to be paying a visit to the vet in another week when all the baytril is gone. will pull up my thread and request the z-pack.

thanks randy for everything you do.

thank you EVERYONE on this forum for everything you do!

tracy

 

[Hazel]

Hahaha, yeah, I was actually really glad I had read your post, because I knew what to look for!

And I feel the same way about thanking everyone on the forum, it's so amazing to know you have some kind of safety net to go to when you're worried and don't know what to do. I know there's the vet, but having a huge grp of rabbit lovers and owners with years of knowledge makes it feel so much more personal.

 

[ra7751]

I use the basic powder that is made for human'ssuspensions.I can mix it into pumpkin or a small piece of banana and my buns will eat it right down. And if I need a suspension....it is very stable in lactated ringers but it can be mixed in Pedialyte or plain water for immediate use. There is also an infusion version available now. I am studying it to see if we can use it as an injectable. Of course Pfizer won't comment on it's use in animals....and their veterinary division won't comment since it has not been certified for use in rabbits. But we have found the drug to be very effective....I just prefer to inject medications.

Randy