Poor Smudge has runny eyes

[Jess]

On Wednesday, I noticed his little eyes where really weepy, and only one eye got a little better, so I took him to the vets today. Haha, I love my vet... They didnt even charge me!
But anyways, he is probably either allergic to something or one of his back teeth are overgrown. I didnt want to sedate him today to see though, but if it doesnt get better, we might have to to see those back teeth.
Im a little worried, because Im leaving for North Dakota on Monday and he will be staying with my friend, so I wont be able to keep an eye on him :[ Ill give her my vets number and everything, but its really bothering me that I dont know for sure whats wrong with him!
Hes acting as hyper and obnoxious as ever, and he is eating and drinking and everything, so I guess thats a good sign. But poor thing... I just hope that nothings wrong with his teeth!

[moonchild]

Sorry about Smudge. Chamomile tea and black tea are a natural remedy for eye infections. You could make a strong cup of tea, let it cool and wash his eyes with it, and maybe it will help him feel better. I hope it isn't his teeth.


If he has allergies, you could give him children's liquid Benadryl. I once had a guinea pig with allergies, and I had to give him Benadryl. Check with your vet on what the dosage should be.

[Carlee]

Ahh poor baby. I hope it just environmental
( maybe perfume, hair spray, paint or cooking fumes or dust)

[marmalade]

I hope he's alright!! I'm sure he will be fine as long as your friend has your vet's number! It's a really good sign that he's active and eating, too. Try not to stress too much and enjoy your trip. How do his eyes look otherwise?

[Jess]

Thanks guys!
Im pretty careful about not spraying perfume and stuff in my room, because of all the animals in there, so I dont think it is that.
And his acual eyes look just fine- There is nothing in them, they arent bloodshot or anything, and the stuff coming from his eyes is just clear and watery and not yellow or brown or any nasty color. So Im hoping its nothing serious!

[Carlee]

How's Smudge's eyes today?

[Jess]

Theyre the same :\
Im starting to really worry that its his teeth- I noticed that he pretty much always chews on the left side on his mouth, so Im worried that his right side is hurting... But now that I think about it, he has always done that, so I dont know. And Im a little confused, because 3 weeks ago when he was fixed, all of his teeth where perfectly fine. Could they really be overgrown all ready? And he eats a ton of hay, so I would think that would keep them worn down. *sigh* All this worrying and thinking is making my head hurt...

[Carlee]

I honestly don't think it's his teeth from what you said.
I keep thinking allergies.
Nothing has changed in his cage? Maybe new detergent on his bedding?
A new toy?
I notice this timothy hay is dusty.
I know it's worrying - try to relax.

[moonchild]

Animals, like people can develope allergies to thing they were never allergic to before. Maybe you could ask your vet about treating for allergy symptoms, and if the treatment works, you will know that is it, and if it doesn't work, you will know to take a better look at his teeth. I would think that if his teeth are hurting, he most likely would be eating less and losing weight.

[Jess]

Nothing in his enviorment has changed at all, and the only thing I could think of his being allergic to is his litter. I have those compressed kiln-dried pine sawdust pellets, and the arent dusty or anything. But if he doesnt get better by the time I get home, Ill try switching to Yesterdays News for a week and see if that helps.
Im leaving tomarrow... I feel like a bad mommy for not knowing whats wrong with him.

[Dragonrain]

Zeus had issues with overgrown teeth, and the first time I had the vet look at his teeth she told me they looked fine. He still wasn't acting normal so I took him back and turns out that he had a molar spur that the vet had missed the first time. It was a pretty small, but I guess big enough to bother him. So I don't want to make you worry more, but it is possable that there is something going on there that the vet missed last time.

When Zeus had teeth problems he had diffrent symptoms. He started drooling and he would pick up food but then drop it again, and he wasn't eating as much hay and salad.

I also had problems with allergies. When we first moved here Barnaby's eyes started watering and so did Ziggy's. It was a clear watery discharge. I took them both to the vet, thinking they where sick, but we eventually found out that they were both allergic to a cleaner I was using in their room. I stopped using it and they both went back to normal.

If he's still eating a normal amount I would start eliminating things from the area you keep him in to try to see if you can find what might be triggering allergies. Is there anything new you started using in your room or his cage? Even if you don't spray perfumes or anything, it could be something like a cleaner or detergent that you use in your room, or in his cage. Mabye something like a certain laundry detergent you use to clean his bedding or something you use to clean in general. If he doesn't inprove you can have the vet check his teeth again just to be sure. But it's a good sign that he's still eating and acting normal.

Also allergies and teeth arn't the only things that cause watery eyes. Infections, dry eyes, or eye trama can also cause it. Did your vet already rule those out?
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-8/eye-problems.html

Good luck! I hope you find out whats going on with Smudge soon!

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Edit to add: I always read that rabbits don't get allergies to paper litters. However, Carefresh is a paper litter and Barnaby had problems with it. I'm not sure about the product you use, but when it breaks apart is it dusty or powdery at all? I would definatly try using a diffrent litter and see if that helps. Maybe the pine bothers him even though it's kiln dried. Did you just start using it?

[Jess]

Thanks Michelle!
Since I line his floor with a rug and vinyl runner (I think thats what its called... Its the stuff that has spikes on the bottom) I dont wash it- I just sweep it off. The only think that I have washed is an onld tie blanket. But it was a few months ago that I washed it, and its not in his cage. He has an old dog bed too that I washed a while ago, but I dont keep that in his cage either. Those pellets do dissolve when they are wet, but I dont leave them in his letter box long enough for them to dry out and get dusty. Ive been using those for well over a year, so they are nothing new.
And both of his eyes started watering at the same time, so it most likely isnt an infection or trauma.

[Carlee]

Your sure NOT a bad mommy Jess Your doing the very best you can!
I use that litter "Yesterday News" it sure is absorbent.

Hope he's better by the time you get back,
Have a safe trip!

[Dragonrain]

Just thought I would add that it doesn't necessarily have to be something that you use directly in his cage. The cleaner that bothered my two boys I didn't use in their cage, just in part of the room that their cage was in.

Also, infections can be in both eyes. We had a rabbit at the shelter with an infection in both eyes and it started in both at the same time as far as we could tell. I wouldn't rule it out just because it started in both eyes at the same time, just to be safe. Eye infections can be caused by sinus infections that spread to the eyes. It's important to treat because I believe if left untreated the infection can eventually spread to the brain.

But hopefully it's just allergies, that's easiest to deal with

[Purple-Hops]

If he grinds his teeth alot it could be a sign he's in physical pain, check it out .. I think your a wonderful mommy and I know your doing your best!! Hope all is well