Like any pets, rabbits are susceptible to standard diseases, which include increased tearing of the pet's eyes. There are many reasons why rabbits have watery eyes. It can be garbage, a draft, or an infectious disease. Straw and hay very often contain many trace elements, which can also cause inflammation. What to do if the rabbit has watery eyes? And why exactly does a rabbit have a watery eye?
The rabbit has watery eyes
The easiest way to help your pet is to rinse the damaged organ with tea or a decoction of chamomile. If the rabbit has a watery eye after first aid, the conditions of its maintenance should be reviewed and a veterinarian should be consulted. Let's take a closer look at the reasons why a rabbit has watery eyes.
Causes of eyeball inflammation and increased tearing
The eyes of a rodent very often begin to watery from debris and dust.
Rabbits are herbivores and should always have hay or straw in their diet. Alas, this lure contains a lot of microparticles that become the cause of the disease. An eared pet can accidentally scratch its cornea with a sharp blade of grass. Usually, if this happens, the animal begins to comb its paws in the face, injuring itself even more. It is necessary to closely monitor the animal and try to prevent this, otherwise a serious infection can get into the eye and the treatment will be greatly delayed. In some cases, you should even purchase a special collar for the rabbit to prevent this. It is better to get timely and simple help than to put the rabbit at risk of being left without an eye. Here is a list of the main signs that a rabbit has eye inflammation:
- The animal has apathy and no appetite.
- The pet furiously scratches its face with its front paws.
- Swollen eyelids, reddened cornea and peeling fur in the corners of the animal's eyes.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the connective membrane of the eye.
A disease can occur for many reasons, among which mechanical injuries, drafts or infections stand out. Very often, a decorative rabbit can catch this sore after catching a cold. Try to keep the cage away from the aisles between balconies and windows. Also, you cannot treat the pet's house with aggressive chemicals and spray aerosol air fresheners near the animal. These simple measures will help prevent conjunctivitis.
Conjunctivitis is treated exclusively with medication. If a cloudy liquid is flowing from the rabbit's eyes and the cornea is inflamed, it is important to see a specialist immediately.
Keratitis
Keratitis primarily affects the cornea and most often occurs in a rabbit that has conjunctivitis.
Also, the cause of the occurrence can be mechanical damage to the structure of the eye or infection. The first signs are tears, cloudy discharge, and mucus. If such symptoms are observed in your pet, it is extremely important to consult a doctor immediately! Keratitis is treated only with antibiotics, washing will not help here. A neglected disease can develop into an ulcer in just a couple of days. If the disease is already at this stage, then only a surgical intervention will help the rabbit.
The most unpleasant consequence of keratitis is considered a thorn. It is a dense, white body on the cornea that limits the view. So that such a disease does not affect the pet, it is necessary to carefully examine its eyes and carry out preventive actions.
Cold
If the rabbit's health worsens, he is lethargic and often sneezes, perhaps he was bleeding. With a cold, there is also increased tearing, but this is usually associated with a runny nose and the general condition of the pet.
If the fluid released from the eyes is clear, you should concentrate on treating a cold. Usually, after recovery, the eyes of the animal stop watering.
Myxomatosis in rabbits - treatment, symptoms, vaccination.
How to treat eyes in rabbits.
Is the little rabbit sick with MYXOMATOSIS or CONJUNCTIVIT?
The rabbit is teething
It is known that the incisors of an ornamental rabbit grow throughout its life, and the animal needs to grind them down, otherwise the tooth can go crooked and hurt the lacrimal canal. This is the most common cause of watery eyes in rabbits.
It is important to examine the gums of the rodent. If they are inflamed, and the rabbit is gnawing at the bars of the cage, it would be useful to consult a veterinarian and review the pet's diet.
In the feed should increase the rate of corn, dry peas and other hard cereals. There should always be a log or twigs in the cage. You can also give solid vegetables and fruits: carrots or apples.
Garbage in the tear duct
This problem occurs among those owners who neglect the sanitary standards of maintenance. The rabbit must be isolated from tobacco smoke, caustic chemicals or dusty places.
If the house is being renovated, the rabbit should be kept in the farthest room or given to other hands for a while. Whitewashing and plaster can also contaminate the tear duct.
If such a nuisance has already occurred, then the eyes of the animal should be washed with boiled water or a decoction of herbs. Chamomile or calendula will cope with this task.
Vitamin deficiency and food allergies
If the rabbit's eyelids are swollen, the eyes do not open fully, lethargy and a runny nose appear, then the reason is probably an unbalanced diet or food allergies. The rodent menu should be reviewed with a specialist. Depending on the decision of the veterinarian, the rabbit must either be put on a diet or diversify his food. A young rodent needs a lot of green food and various mineral supplements. If he receives a monotonous meal, his body ceases to function properly and health problems appear, including with the organs of vision.
Sometimes the cause of tears may be intolerance to certain vegetables and fruits. In this case, tearing is accompanied by a runny nose, the animal rubs not only the eye, but also the nose. Such rabbits are put on a diet and samples are taken for food in the laboratory to find out which ones can be fed. Sometimes allergies are caused by poor quality hay. Before drying the grass should be carefully sorted, it should not be poisonous specimens. It is also important to rinse the future workpiece with water: sometimes the leaves and stem can be covered with the pollen of a poisonous neighbor.
Medical methods for treating rabbit eye diseases
There are many ways to treat a pet while the disease is in its early stages. Some of them are possible at home and without a doctor's prescription:
- saline sodium chloride up to 1%;
- furacilin;
- decoction of chamomile;
- tea;
- ordinary boiled water.
These funds can be found at home or purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription. However, if the disease continues to progress, then you can use the following list of medications:
- Albucite;
- Tsiprovet (Tsiprolet);
- Futsitalmik;
- Tetracycline ointment;
- Levomycetin.
To treat the sick eye of a rabbit with a solution or decoction, you need to use cotton swabs. They must be moistened in a solution and gently wipe the eye from ear to nose. This should be done until the cloudy mucus is removed from the cornea and from the corner of the eyes.
In order to use the drops, the lower eyelid should be pulled off and the medicine should be instilled there according to the dosage.
Prevention of eye diseases in rabbits
Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat. To do this, it is enough to follow a number of rules and sanitary standards for keeping a rabbit. The cage should be in a quiet and warm place. There should be no drafts and strong odors near the pet's home. The house should be cleaned twice a day. If you want to make repairs, you need to think in advance about where to put your pet for this time.
Don't forget about a balanced diet and good hay. The decorative rabbit has a weak gastrointestinal tract, and therefore it is important to carefully sort out the herbs to avoid allergies or poisoning. You should check your pet at least once a week. Such simple rules will help to warn the rabbit from conjunctivitis and tearing of the eyes. Being able to save the animal, hoping for a chance, will not work, and if at least one risk factor is present, it can negatively affect the health of the pet.