20 day old Holland Lop kits with eyelids stuck shut

[jimmywalt]

We have a 20 day old Holland Lop and a 19 day old Lionhead that both have their eyelids sealed almost shut.

At day 18 and day 17 (2 days ago) we took some warm water on cotton-balls and were able to open the eyes carefully on both bunnies, but yesterday (day 19 and 18) they were sealed shut again.

Two questions -
1. What can we do to help them so that their eyelids will open without our help.
2. At how many days old should we be looking for open eyes (on new litters), and what do we do if they aren't?

Thank you!

 

[Zass]

Rabbits start opening their eyes at day 10. Eyes sealed shut at day 20 sounds like a serious problem. One that I have yet to experience, so I don't know what the procedure would be.

Gently cleaning and opening the eyes every day is probably where I'd start. Hopefully someone who has more experience with eye problems will chime in ?? :need-comments:

 

[jimmywalt]

Maybe because it's been so cold here in Michigan?? It's been averaging 45 degrees in our garage over the past 10 days since the weather got cold.

 

[MaggieJ]

What you are describing, Jimmy, sounds like what we call "nestbox eye". Another time, please don't wait so long. You did the right thing gently sponging the eyes to get them open, but at this stage they are quite possibly infected and will continue to produce "gunk" that sticks them shut again.

I've used Terramycin eye ointment, ordered through eBay on this problem, but it tends to be an ongoing battle. Some lines of rabbits seem more prone to it than others. I would recommend not keeping affected rabbits as breeders.

The ointment was similar to this product:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=9674

Edited to add:
Here is another thread about eye infections in rabbits.
how-to-treat-horrible-eye-infection-please-help-t23055.html

 

[jimmywalt]

What you are describing, Jimmy, sounds like what we call "nestbox eye". Another time, please don't wait so long. You did the right thing gently sponging the eyes to get them open, but at this stage they are quite possibly infected and will continue to produce "gunk" that sticks them shut again.

I've used Terramycin eye ointment, ordered through eBay on this problem, but it tends to be an ongoing battle. Some lines of rabbits seem more prone to it than others. I would recommend not keeping affected rabbits as breeders.

The ointment was similar to this product:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=9674

Edited to add:
Here is another thread about eye infections in rabbits.
how-to-treat-horrible-eye-infection-please-help-t23055.html

So do you think this is going to last forever in these 2 bunnies? We were hoping to sell them as pets.

What can you do to prevent "next box eyes"?

 

[MaggieJ]

No, I didn't mean that it will necessarily last forever, but the tendency can be genetic and you don't want to breed it into your line of rabbits. Some breeders seem to have almost eliminated the problem by removing such rabbits from their breeding program. If they are meat rabbits, the answer is simple. If not, a good pet home is an alternative--if you can get the eye problems cleared up.

One simple measure to guard against nestbox eye is to clean out the nest on Day 9, just before the eyes should open. Replace all the hay, straw, shavings or whatever you use and salvage only clean fur from their "blanket". This lowers the level of bacteria in the nest and so lessens the chance of infection.

If the eyes are not open by Day 12, be vigilant. I would not let them go past Day 14 without assisting.

 

[akane]

Using more absorbent materials in the box like a layer of pine pellets can help. I've never had to clean a box early but I layer the pine pellets, sometimes then shavings to even it out, and then the hay or straw. I also tend to use one size larger box than suggested but that can cause problems with small litters getting scattered. Even more of a problem in the cold. By 2 weeks mine are usually moving about the cage with full vision and I remove the box or turn it on its side for awhile in cool weather so they still have shelter.