14 week old rabbit with a teary eye?

[FurryFiasco]

For the last several days, I've noticed that my 14-week-old Holland Lop bunny has been "crying" in one eye. The fur around/beneath her eye is wet, and I think I can detect a bit of redness on the lower rim. As far as I can tell, it's a completely clear, watery discharge from her eye. I thought at first that she must have gotten a piece of dust in her eye and was flushing it out, but after several days I'm suspecting it could be something more serious?

She's been acting pretty much the same lately apart from that, except for a one-day "sickness" (two days ago) when I think I must have gone a bit too quickly with introducing clover sprouts to her, as she drank and peed a lot that day. After that, with no sprouts, that seemed to be all better. The only other thing that I've noticed in the last few days, is that she's been dropping a few cecetropes every day on her hutch floor and squishing them when she hops around. She's in an all-wood hutch with wire sides at the moment, which is a temporary situation until I finish building a larger hutch with a wire floor. She has a litter box in one corner (which she is pretty good about using), and a wooden box in another corner, lined with hay for sleeping. I wonder if the hay could have caused an allergic reaction? Also, I have some apple branches in the hutch from my tree, for her to chew on. Could she have poked her eye on the end of a twig or something?

I'll try to get some pictures of her eye, and I will be adding them as soon as I do!

I can try to take her to the vet if need be, but I'd prefer to try and diagnose & treat her issue myself if possible. I'd appreciate any advice! Thanks in advance

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

Is this the same rabbit that had the runny nose? If so, again, I would say could just be allergies. If not, weepy eyes can be caused by a lot of things: allergy, moldy hay, teeth issues, ear mites, etc.

 

[FurryFiasco]

Is this the same rabbit that had the runny nose? If so, again, I would say could just be allergies. If not, weepy eyes can be caused by a lot of things: allergy, moldy hay, teeth issues, ear mites, etc.

Yes it is! I forgot to mention that. Come to think of it, her runny nose disappeared just about the same time that her eye started looking odd. If it is allergies, what kind of allergy could it be? I'd love to know what I can do about it, it doesn't look very comfortable. Also, is it normal for an allergic reaction to only affect one eye? Her right eye is running, but her left looks completely normal.

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

Yes it is! I forgot to mention that. Come to think of it, her runny nose disappeared just about the same time that her eye started looking odd. If it is allergies, what kind of allergy could it be? I'd love to know what I can do about it, it doesn't look very comfortable. Also, is it normal for an allergic reaction to only affect one eye? Her right eye is running, but her left looks completely normal.

I have only had one buck with the problem and mostly on one side. He had a problem when his hay would just start to get moldy and he also had a weepy eyes with ear mites...and he was the ONLY rabbit we ever had get them at all in all the 7+ years we have had rabbits, but he got them twice several months apart.

 

[FurryFiasco]

I have only had one buck with the problem and mostly on one side. He had a problem when his hay would just start to get moldy and he also had a weepy eyes with ear mites...and he was the ONLY rabbit we ever had get them at all in all the 7+ years we have had rabbits, but he got them twice several months apart.

Moldy hay might make sense. Her nest box seems dry and she keeps it so pristine that I haven't thought I'd need to change it for a few weeks! But we've had some rainy, wet weather lately and it could totally have dampened her hay. I'll change it first thing tomorrow! Here's hoping that does the trick. I've checked her ears and they seem fine so far, but I'll definitely keep a closer eye on that now too! Thanks for the advice!

 

[mystang89]

Good catch Tale!

 

[FurryFiasco]

Good catch Tale!

It really was! T of T got it....but here I am and couldn't put 2 and 2 together. Awesome detective work!

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

I have my moments, however few. I am very glad you found the cause. Just a few hours of humidity can cause hay, straw, and even feed pellets to start up those mold spores. Some rabbits are more sensitive to mold than others, actually that is true of all animals with hay and feed. I have seen a lot with horses too.

 

[Bunnylady]

I assume you checked the eye to make sure the eyelashes weren't turned inward (entropion). 14 weeks is a little old for that to show up due to genetics, but it can pop up due to other causes at any age.

It's also possible that what you are dealing with here is a chronic, low-grade infection by Pasteurella or another bacterium. Rabbits have the ability to wall off infections; only showing symptoms when some stress reduces their immune function and allows the bacteria to gain a foothold. With rabbits, everything is "stress," from changes in the weather to changes in food or housing to (of course) pregnancy or injury.

 

[FurryFiasco]

I assume you checked the eye to make sure the eyelashes weren't turned inward (entropion). 14 weeks is a little old for that to show up due to genetics, but it can pop up due to other causes at any age.

It's also possible that what you are dealing with here is a chronic, low-grade infection by Pasteurella or another bacterium. Rabbits have the ability to wall off infections; only showing symptoms when some stress reduces their immune function and allows the bacteria to gain a foothold. With rabbits, everything is "stress," from changes in the weather to changes in food or housing to (of course) pregnancy or injury.

No, I actually hadn't, but I did as soon as I noticed your reply. Her eyelashes look good to me, so I don't think that's the issue.

I changed her hay right away, but I suspected that the bale I'd bought had gotten wet too, so I got some dry stuff on Saturday and replaced the lining with that. So far, her eye looks about the same. I keep on forgetting to take pictures! I'll run out and get some right after I'm done typing this.

Now, I just read an article online and it makes me feel like a huge dum-dum. It said that straw is way better than hay for bedding for two main reasons: 1, it's warmer (somehow, I didn't quite get why) and 2, it doesn't mold easily! It said that hay molds quickly and can cause respiratory diseases. I really hope that's not what she has! I bought hay instead of straw because it's cheaper at my local feed store, but obviously if it gives me sick rabbits, it's not going to work out any cheaper in the long run! Until now, I had no idea that there was such a stark difference in their performance as bedding. As soon as I can get to the feed store again, I'm going to buy some straw and hopefully that will help her get better!

I'll add some pictures in a few minutes. I'd love to get your opinion on what's wrong with her...right now, it seems the likely options are allergies or infection? Maybe the pictures will shed some light on that!

Thanks!