Like any pets, rabbits are prone to standard diseases, which include increased tearing of the eyes of the pet. There are a lot of reasons why watery eyes in rabbits are. It can be rubbish, 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?
Causes of eyeball inflammation and increased tearing
The eyes of a rodent very often begin to water from debris and dust.Rabbits are herbivores, there should always be hay or straw in their diet. Alas, this complementary food contains many 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 carefully monitor the animal and try to prevent this, otherwise a serious infection can get into the eye and the treatment will be dragged out too much. In some cases, you should even purchase a special rabbit collar to prevent this from happening. Better to find timely and easy help than to put the rabbit at risk of losing his eyes. Here is a list of the main signs that the rabbit has inflammation of the eyes:
- The animal has apathy and no appetite.
- The pet furiously combes the muzzle with its front paws.
- Swollen eyelids , reddened cornea and shabby hair 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 are mechanical injuries, drafts or infections. Very often, a decorative rabbit can catch this sore by catching a cold. We must try to keep the cage away from the aisles between balconies and windows. Also, it is impossible to treat the pet's house with aggressive chemistry and spray aerosol air fresheners near the animal. Such simple measures will help prevent conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is treated exclusively with the medication. If a rabbit has a cloudy liquid from the eyes and the cornea becomes inflamed, it is important to consult a specialist immediately.
Keratitis
Keratitis primarily affects the cornea and most often appears in a rabbit that has conjunctivitis.Also The cause of the occurrence may be a 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, rinsing will not help here. Running a disease in just a couple of days can develop into an ulcer. If the disease is already at this stage, then only surgical intervention will help the rabbit. The most unpleasant consequence of keratitis is considered to be a thorn. This is a dense white body on the cornea that limits vision. To prevent such a disease from affecting the pet, it is necessary to carefully examine its eyes and carry out preventive actions.
Colds
If the rabbit is feeling ill, he is lethargic and often sneezes, possibly it blew. With colds, 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 clean, you should concentrate on treating the common cold. Usually, after recovery, the animal’s eyes stop watering.The rabbit’s teeth are being cut
It’s known that the incisors of a decorative rabbit grow throughout life, and the animal needs to grind them, otherwise the tooth can go crooked in growth and touch the lacrimal canal. This is the most common cause of watery eyes in rabbits.
It is important to examine the rodent’s gums. 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.
Trash in the tear canal
This is a problem encountered by owners who neglect sanitary standards. The rabbit should be isolated from tobacco smoke, corrosive 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 plastering can also cause pollution of the lacrimal canal.
If such a nuisance has already occurred, rinse the animal’s eyes with boiled water or a decoction of herbs. Chamomile or calendula will cope with this task.
Lack of vitamins and allergies to food
If the rabbit has eyelids swollen, his eyes do not open completely, lethargy and runny nose appeared, then, this is probably due to an unbalanced diet or food allergies. You should review the rodent’s menu 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 uniform meal, his body ceases to function properly and health problems appear, including with his organs of vision.
Sometimes the cause of tears may be intolerance to certain fruits and vegetables. 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 made for products in the laboratory to find out which of them can be introduced into complementary foods. Sometimes allergies happen due to poor-quality hay. The grass before drying should be carefully sorted, it should not be poisonous specimens. It is also important to rinse the future harvest with water: sometimes the leaves and the stalk can be covered with pollen from a poisonous neighbor.
Medicinal methods for treating eye diseases in a rabbit
There are many ways to treat a pet while the disease is in the early stages. Some of them are possible at home and without a doctor’s prescription:
- saline sodium chloride up to 1%;
- furatsilin;
- chamomile broth;
- tea;
- plain boiled water.
These funds can be found in the house or bought at a pharmacy without a prescription. However, if the disease continues to progress, then the following list of medications can be used:
- Albucit;
- Ciprovet (ciprolet);
- Futsitalmik;
- Tetracycline ointment;
- Levomycetin.
To treat the sick eye of a rabbit with a solution or decoction, cotton swabs are required. They must be moistened in a solution and gently rub the eye from the ear to the nose.This must be done until the cloudy mucus is removed from the cornea and from the corner of the eyes.
In order to use the drops, pull the lower eyelid and drip the medicine there in accordance with 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 or pungent odors near the pet’s dwelling. You should clean the house twice a day. If you want to make repairs, you need to think in advance where to put your pet at this time.
Do not forget about a balanced diet and good hay. The ornamental rabbit has a weak gastrointestinal tract, and therefore it is important to carefully sort the herbs to avoid allergies or poisoning. A pet should be examined at least once a week. Such simple rules will help to warn the rabbit from conjunctivitis and tearing of the eyes. It’s impossible to save the animal, hoping for a chance, and if at least one risk factor is present, it can negatively affect the health of the pet.
