Question from the Audience: Eye Health

A question from Michelle A. in Quincy, MA:
Q: Our rabbit is a Siamese, sable dwarf-chocolate brown 4 year old. Buddie is a great rabbit and eats a good balanced diet. Occasionally his right eye has a wet discharge and can be a bit goopy. I bath it w/clean warm water and it seems to clear up. Have you seen this before?

A: As with all health concerns, the wisest course of action is to see a rabbit-savvy vet to rule out any serious medical complications. While the discharge could be relatively harmless (allergies or a temporarily lodged particle), it could also indicate a more serious problem such as an infection, which would require antibiotics, a blocked tear duct or congenital defect which might require preventative or therapeutic treatment. Ocular discharge is a fairly frequent, and oftentimes innocuous, concern among rabbit owners, but it's best to be safe and get Buddie checked out. In the meantime, experiment with new types of litter and try shaking out his hay. Certain types of litter (see HRS's Litter Comparisons chart for specifics) can not only irritate the liver and respiratory system, but the eyes, nose, and mouth.

In the case that the discharge has a harmless source, be sure to check that the cheek area under the eye isn't perpetually wet and therefore becoming irritated. Continue wiping under his eye with a warm, damp washcloth and drying off with a soft paper towel. Conversely, consider adopting a buddy for Buddie-- pairs of rabbits groom each other and could counter some such skin problems.