Please reply quickly- runny eyes and sneezing

[jcottonl02]

Benji is about 3 and a half years old. His diet consists of Excel pellets for junior and dwarf rabbits, with fresh veggies and maybe a little fruit every day.

Yesterday I noticed one of his eyes had been watering and so around his eye was crusty, but his eye was clear and fine, and he was eating well. I also noticed while I was feeding him that he either coughed or sneezed 3 times in a row- I can't tell the difference because I've never heard either of them I don't think before.
This eye has been crusty before, so I wasn't too worried- I just gave gim eye drops before which didnt work but it went away by itself.
Anyway, I made a note to keep an eye on it, and checked him again today- now both his eyes are watery, and he has crusty fur all round his eyes and down, as if the tears fell downwards. I haven't heard him sneeze again though.
Normal behaviour- eating well, enthusiastic, cleaning and grooming (both me and him), kisses and cuddles, chin-scent-marking, bounding around quite full of beans.

BUT

is this something that will very rapidly deteriorate? Already his spread in a day to his other eye.

I want to take him straight to the vet but its a bank holiday so it will cost me about £80 and I don't have that money to pay if I don't need to. I want to take him tomorow but if needed I will have to take him today and just live on bread for a few weeks.

Does this sound like I should rush him to the vets? If you think yes then tell me straight away and I won't hesitate to make the appointment.

If you think it can wait until tomorrow then I'd like to know to.

Please help. I am so worried. Rabbits shouldn't get colds etc. should they? I've heard they are bad.

Thank you so much in advance- I really need your advice.

Jen

 

[jcottonl02]

Btw I want to add that his eyes are clear and bright, and there is no goo or anything.

 

[jcottonl02]

Again I want to add- I have just listened to his breathing, and it is not loud or sounding snorty or anything. It's completely smooth and silent.
Also he has no nasal discharge at all.

 

[nicolevins]

You bunny may have pasturella.This is what happened to my bunny Jenni, when it turned out she has pasturella

Jenni was and still is on a diet of Excel pellets, fruit and veggies. She caught the snuffles off my other bun George (RIP). When we brought Jenni to the vet she was seen by an exotic animal vet (this vet was like an SPCA, it cost 20euro for a needle & meds for one week), she was diagnosed with pasturella or the snuffles (though vets shouldnt really use this term). Jenni was sneezing and had discharge from her nose, but there was no crust on her eyes (most bunnies get a small round bit of crust, like a dog - this is normal). She was givin a needle and baytril. Also we were givin eye drops.

Anyway, vets can do a culture and sensitivity test on rabbits but I never heard of it being done in Ireland or the UK.

Is there a change of bedding? Sometimes this can be the case, the bedding could be dusty.

Is Benji living with Pippin? If so please seperate them! Sneezing can become deadly.

Please call your vet.. Wait until tomorrow if you must. If it is that expensive, call your local SPCA and tell them your story. Explain that you dont have alot of money atm.

http://www.bluecross.org.uk/web/site/Hospitals/Merton.asp
The Blue Cross helps many different kinds of animals and is relatively cheap. I know somebody who got their 8 bunnies spayed for 80 euro here (In Ireland obviously ).

Hope I helped, maybe someone could give you some more info about it

 

[Pipp]

It usually progresses pretty slowly, it's not an emergency.

It actually could be good news that the other eye is now involved, it makes it more likely a mild infection than a tooth root and/or abscess issue. Regardless, it does have to be dealt with.

A lot of vets will just throw an antibiotic at it right away and see if it works, and if it does, great, cheap visit. If it doesn't, then they do cultures, diagnostics and the like.

I have no problem with that.

I haven't had a lot of luck with the eye drops, but that's also something you have to experiment with. My vet tried three different ones before one worked enough to use.


sas :goodluck

 

[jcottonl02]

Thanks for your replies.

I've been checking up on him and he still doesn't have any nasal discharge at all so can it be Pasturella?

I am definately taking him tomorrow but I just couldnt live with myself if something happened overnight or....well I can't even think it let alone type it.

Ah thanks Pipp- that is good news I guess because infections can be relatively easily cured.

No, Pippin and Benji do not live together. I am currently bonding them but obviously the bonding is on hold right now due to the eye issue.

So this isn't a rush-to-the-vets right now incident?

Yes I do have the money- I can always scrape the money together even if I have to borrow off my parents etc. or go into my overdraft, but I have such a low budget as a student I live n 14p beans and toast lol so I try and avoid expensive emergency visits, mainly because I know what a worrier I am and from all emergency visits it has never been anything more than a case of leaving it fora few days and checking it lol.

But if needs be needs be. I'd pay anything for my rabbits. Hell I'd leave uni and use my loan for them if I had to.

If anyone has any input I'd really like to hear that too. Thanku both for ur advice- Pipp as u said it's not an emergency, I'll watch him all night and take him tomorrow morning.

I hate the fact I worry so much- it gives me such bad chest pain but I really dont know what to do about it.

Thanks again and Ill keep u posted.

 

[nicolevins]

No, you dont have to rush to the vet, but the sooner the better you know ?

 

[tonyshuman]

I think you've gotten good advice so far. I agree that it doesn't require an emergency vet visit, but getting in soon would be good. Pasturella is a bacterium that can infect any part, and can be only in the eyes.

 

[nicolevins]

How is your bunny doing today?

 

[jcottonl02]

Hey Everyone

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days.

I've been to the vets with Benji twice in the past week- even through the horrible snow! I went first and the vet checked his back molars, and said they seemed fine, so gave Benji eye drops for his runny eyes. She said that if it doesn't clear up in a week then it may be an infection in the roots of his teeth or something, so will have to sort that out if the eyes don't clear up. She also clipped his incisors, and is sending Benji to this specialist rabbit dentist at another vets to realign his front teeth, so they wont have to keep clipping them. Eek I don't know how much it will cost but its worth it, instead of poor Benji being taken to the vets all the time to have them clipped. This Vet he is being sent to has apparently specialised in rabbit dentistry, so that is great. I love it when I know the vet knows what they are doing with my bunnies- my normal vet, Ben, is so bunny savvy and I'm so glad I found him.

Normally the vet I see lets me come out the back with him and hold Benji myself etc. when he clips his teeth because I used to work there for 3 years, but this was an oncall Vet from the closest practice of the same branch because of the snow, and she didn't know, so she took my Benji out the back. She wanted to wrap him in a towell just to look at his teeth, but I told her 'no'. He is quite fine with having his teeth looked at and it is stressful enough for him. I know he would HATE to be wrapped in a towel. He's such a good boy so I said we should try it without the towell first.
And of course he was a very good boy.

But I hated her taking him from me. It was so stupid but all I wanted to do was be able to stroke him while he had the big metal thing in his mouth and the loud clipping sound .

He always clings to me when we are at the vets, and snuggles as close as he can, licking my hand all the time so i know he feels safe with me, but I can't exactly ask this Vet who doesn't know me if I can please come out the back...

I will let you know how the teeth realigning goes. Thanks for all your help guys!

Jen x

 

[Maureen Las]

I'm glad that you are going to a dentist ; he will most likely x-ray the mouth and that is really the only way you will know what kinds of problems are going on there.
let us know ....

 

[jcottonl02]

I really hope there's nothing wrong.

We are trying the eye drops for until next thursday. If the problems go by then, the Vet will just realign his front teeth, but if they don't go then we'll move onto xrays etc.

It can be easily sorted right?? Just a vast amount of money, yeah? Teeth problems are nothing....sinister...?