Eye issue-Any ideas what this is?

[macksmom98]

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Just noticed this in an 8 week old kit, eye looks irritated and has a cloudy spot on it. What is it and how do I treat it? Thanks!

 

[Miss M]

I know Pasteurella can affect the eye and cause something like a cataract. I'm not sure what else can cause it.

 

[MaggieJ]

Could be wrong, but I think E. Cuniculi (wry neck) can also do it.

https://barbibrownsbunnies.com/wryneck/

 

[macksmom98]

Both of you seem to possibly be correct, any ideas how to treat either one or both, or how to tell the difference? I do not see any other signs, no snuffles or nose discharge at all.

 

[Rainey]

With one of our early litters this spring when the weather was so changeable we had our first experience of kits with nest box eye. A couple were crusty and late opening and we just wiped them off and then they were fine. One kept crusting back up and had that kind of opaque stuff over the eye when we could get it open. We treated it with terramycin twice a day until it cleared up. It did completely clear and that kit was indistinguishable from the rest of the litter except for the mark we'd made in its ear. Didn't have sniffles or anything else we noticed except for the eye problem. Don't know if its the same thing--we saw it just short of 2 weeks and your kit is older, but thought I'd share our experience for what it's worth. Your pic looks very much like what we were seeing. Guess we just perceived it as aggravated nest box eye, since we'd never encountered that before.

 

[MaggieJ]

If it's caused by e. cuniculi, there are instructions on the site I posted.

If it's caused by pasteurella, there is no cure, only treatment for symptoms.

If it were mine, I'd probably euthanize it. Another option is to isolate it and grow it out to butchering size. Either way, this is not something you want in your herd.

 

[ladysown]

e. cuniculli... I"ve had success in treating rescue rabbits with ivermectin at a somewhat stronger dose than would be given for mites.

The cloudiness does not look like what you get from nestbox eye, but from cuniculi.

Personally... I'd be growing out the kit, isolated from others, until hits "i'm going to eat you weight". Toss the head (garbage), and cook the rest thoroughly.

 

[michaels4gardens]

"eye irritation" is not normally associated with EC. But- sometimes , because the rabbit is blind in the eye affected by EC it can bump into things and cause irritation. -- If the eye appears irritated, I would suggest some broad spectrum antibiotic eye meds,[meds effective against pinkeye as well as bacterial infections] and a very close look at the eye and under the lids, to see if it has been scratched or has some debris under the lid... in a young rabbit, EC eye will "usually" appear opaque and the pupil will "usually" be unresponsive to light stimulation.

-----------Have you had any other EC symptoms in your rabbits? [circling , listing,head tilt, front or rear end mobility or weakness issues.] if you have had and bred your rabbits for a while and not brought in new stock lately, or exposed your rabbits to the urine, or feces of outside rabbits -- it would be less likely to suspect EC...

[ but the disclaimer is--- most rabbits tested for EC titer had been exposed to EC-- so it is a very common, and widespread disease... that can exist in a rabbit herd without showing any symptoms for a long time- some rabbits will live a normal healthy life and never exhibit any symptoms-- often, it is just pet rabbits that show symptoms because they are kept well beyond their healthy and productive years, ]

 

[macksmom98]

I do not see any other signs yet. It does look like a coudy spot, more than just pick eye. I have some pen G on hand, do you think trying to treat the eye directly would maybe help? Other than the eye issue, I see no other signs of anything right now. Ill bring her in and check her out later to see if I notice anything more today....

 

[michaels4gardens]

I do not see any other signs yet. It does look like a coudy spot, more than just pick eye. I have some pen G on hand, do you think trying to treat the eye directly would maybe help? Other than the eye issue, I see no other signs of anything right now. Ill bring her in and check her out later to see if I notice anything more today....

I would not put Pen G in the eye.....

 

[ladysown]

IF the eye is weepy you can put a drop of pen G on the eye. DO NOT inject it, just one drop one the eye ball. If it is not weepy, no point treating with pen G.

if the eye is cloudy on the surface it could be residual from a bad case of nestbox eye (but in my experience that usually involves the whole eye).

if the cloudiness is like a patch behind the surface of the eye, be thinking E.cunnniculi infection.

 

[michaels4gardens]

having accidentally got Pen G in my eye--[from trying to inject it through a small gauge needle, and having the needle blow off the syringe ] I found it very irritating -- I personally would not want to repeat this experience, -- nor would I want to put it in an animals eye... JMHO...

 

[macksmom98]

That would not be pleasant. Although, I don't think any eye drops or ear drops are, for that matter, but sometimes they do help and are the best thing. I don't believe I need to put her through that though. I am not going to take her to the vet to differentiate between E.C. or Pasturella. I wish that I knew more but I don't see it getting any better, in fact the cloudy spot is growing. I separated her from the group and she has been enjoying hopping around, but I think the best option is to cull her. If anyone has a good place to start treating her that does not require me taking her to the vet, please advise I am comfortable giving injections. I just don't know where to start. Is E.C. contagious? I know Pasturella is!

 

[ladysown]

E.C. is spread through urine.

and yes, it is contagious (if other rabbits ingest the urine)

The fact that it is growing speaks to E.C.
Culling is the best option as EC can be "cured"
but from what I understand repeated treatment needs to be done throughout life of rabbit to make sure it doesn't come back.

 

[macksmom98]

Agreed, its just hard when shes acting so well in every other way. But I understand its a downhill battle and dont want her suffering, and I wasnt planning to keep her. I wont sell a sick animal so there really isnt any other choice but to cull...