What are Conjunctivitis?
This condition is common in pet rabbits and while there can be a cause for it, there is also the possibility of there being no cause. You may notice your rabbit begin to rub his eyes with his front feet, and he may have watery eyes. This condition can mimic many possible underlying conditions (such as dental issues) since the symptoms can be somewhat generalized. Treatment will very depending on the cause.
Conjunctivitis in your rabbit is also known as weepy eye and is quite common. It is believed up to 30% of pet rabbits develop conjunctivitis without there being a cause for it. Your rabbit may experience irritation, redness, discharge and more.
Symptoms of Conjunctivitis in Rabbits
Symptoms will vary depending on the reason for your rabbit’s conjunctivitis.
- Rubbing of eyes – Your rabbit may rub his eyes with his front paws
- Water eyes – You may notice that your rabbit’s eyes appear to be watery and runny
- Matted fur – Your rabbit may have matted fur around his eyes
Causes of Conjunctivitis in Rabbits
There are several possible causes of your dog’s conjunctivitis concerns. Some of the causes are possible allergies, infection or bacteria, other underlying conditions, tooth concerns and genetics.
Idiopathic
- There may be no cause for your rabbit’s conjunctivitis
- Up to 36% of rabbits who have conjunctivitis do not have an explanation
Allergies
- May be caused by an irritation to hay dust
- This can lead to an infection if left untreated
Infection and Bacteria
- Can result from untreated constant irritation from allergens
- Often the conjunctivitis is the only symptom of an infection
- Myxomatosis – An upper respiratory infection that has conjunctivitis as a symptom
- Enterovirus 70 – This causes tearing, redness, swelling of your dog’s eyelids, and more possible symptoms
Other
- Staphylococus
- Micrococcus
- Bacillus
- Bordetella
- Stomatococcus
- Neisseria
- Pasteurella
- Corynebacterium
- Streptococcus
- Moraxella
Tooth concerns
- Swollen roots – Rabbits have been known to have ongoing watery eyes due to their cheek teeth pressing on their tear duct when they are swollen
- Dental disease
- Root elongation of your rabbit’s incisors in a common cause of conjunctivitis
- Dental abscesses
Genetic
- Entropion – A condition in which your rabbit’s eyelid rolls in and his eyelashes constantly irritate his eye causing watery eyes
Diagnosis of Conjunctivitis in Rabbits
If you notice your rabbit begin to experience any of the symptoms discussed above, it will be important to bring him to his veterinarian. You will want to discuss with your veterinarian any other possible changes you have noticed and when. It will be important to share if your rabbit appears to have encountered any other animals or rabbits that could have been sick.
Your veterinarian will want to test him for infections and bacterial causes of his symptoms. This can be done by taking blood or samples of the discharge from his eyes. These tests will help to rule out any other underlying causes of your rabbit’s symptoms.
Treatment of Conjunctivitis in Rabbits
Treatment will be dependent on the cause of your rabbit’s symptoms. Your veterinarian will discuss with you what options there are for the different underlying causes of his symptoms.
Idiopathic or Allergies
If there is no known cause, your veterinarian may suggest changing where his hay is kept to reduce the possibility of hay dust irritating his eyes. Hydrocortisone ointment and neomycin may be trialed and has had some success in treating conjunctivitis.
Infection or Bacteria
If your rabbit is found to have an infection, your veterinarian will suggest an antibiotic to treat the infection and symptoms. There are some medications that may be used which are chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, or gentamicin alongside broad spectrum antibiotics. A saline solution may be used to wash his eyes as well.
Tooth Concerns
These may have to be treated with surgery to remove any abscesses, infected teeth or roots that are causing the ongoing conjunctivitis symptoms. Your veterinarian will discuss the necessity of this with you.
Genetics
Depending on the nature of the problem, once again surgery may be necessary to correct any ongoing issues.
Recovery of Conjunctivitis in Rabbits
Follow up appointments will probably not be necessary unless your rabbit goes through surgery. It will be discussed with you at the time of treatment if you will need to return for a follow up. Continuing to monitor your rabbit’s condition and symptoms will be important for ongoing care, as well as possibly making changes.
If there are no other causes for your rabbit’s symptoms, changes may need to be made to his environment in regards to how his hay is stored and his contact with it. Feeding changes may be necessary in the event any teeth are removed or he had dental surgery. Full recovery is likely if the underlying conditions are treated and if his symptoms are treated appropriately.
Conjunctivitis Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
My rabbit has discharge that mats the fur around his eyes and causes absesses. This has been going on for at least 3-4 weeks or more. It's causing me to worry lots. Is this conjunctivitis?
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My rabbit just got a dental done at the vet about 2 weeks ago. Not long after his eye starting running. He doesn’t seem to be in much discomfort, he’s a very picky, slow eater and always has been so not too concerned about him turning away from some food. His fur under his eye is all wet but I clean it was warm water every day. My other rabbit got a runny eye not long after he did, so I’m assuming he’s probably passed an infection on? Does it sound like conjunctivitis or does it sound tooth related? A little worried about my little man. :(
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My brother noticed some eye boogers or some discharge in his eye and grabbed a paper towel to wipe it off. He just now mentioned it and we went to go check on the bunny and his fur is matted, raw around the eye, keeps rubbing it and it is slightly swollen shut. We think it looks like pink eye but we're not sure. He also has diarrhea, he's had this for a long time but it seems because he refuses to eat his hay. He is still happy and jumping around but we're still extremely concerned about his eye.
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My bunny's fur and skin is very light, and he has pink ears and had blue eyes until just recently, when his siblings had brown eyes from very early on. He seems to have a very pink line around his eyes, they look clean, but very pink. Mainly on one side than the other. I was wondering if this might be the start of conjunctivitis or something else, or if it's just natural, like with the pink ears and blue eyes. Should I take him into the vet, or should it go away? I also have noticed that he sort of tilts his head on an angle, with the pinker eye facing upwards.
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My rabbit is less energized and has white gooey stuff all over his eyes he gets this alot during spring is there anything I stop this for good? I noticed he eats alot less aswell. I would like a reasponse as soon as posible please.
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My rabbit keeps scratching her right eye and a small red spot will appear in the very corner of the eye on the skin. I’m assuming she’s scratching and causing it to bleed very slightly. This has been happening for what seems like months now. A small crust will appear over the scratched part. She has no other symptoms such as discharge or anything. I’m assuming it’s her back nails causing the scratch. Should I go to the vet? Does it sound like conjunctivitis or is there a way to file her nails? Thanks.
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Dear Dr. Callum Turner: Cinnabun started with a slight head tilt towards the eye that was infected on May 7. Was given penicillin, baytril, metacam, BNP and tobramycin. Taken off penicillin the next day because we realized it was an eye infection not head tilt. Kept her on the other meds until May 17 when we saw her eye wasn’t getting better and was now inflamed from the bottom and thick pus was coming out. Took her to our vet and was told to put our bun to sleep because she was probably in a lot of pain and surgery (removing pus) wouldn’t help much. She’d only have a 5-10% chance of survival. I took her the same day to another vet for a 2nd opinion and he gassed her, checked her teeth (they were fine) and extracted a very smelly pus. He raised the dose and strength of the metacam, gave Zithromax, removed the baytril and kept the BNP & tobramycin. He took a culture which I’ll know the result of hopefully by Monday 5/21. He said I’d see an improvement of her eye in 24 hours with the Zithromax. But I haven’t. The pus is a bit less but the inflammation under her eye is back (it went down when he expressed it). She bunches over and looks in pain. It’s killing me to keep her this way and wondering if the 1st vet was right about putting her down. I will do anything to get her better. I read a study that said penicillin cured bunny eye infections 95-100% of the time. Could changing the med be more effective? Should I give it another day to see improvement? She has been eating less but she still drinks a lot of water. She still will come to me for her treat. Have been feeding her critical care in the morning & at night. Her poops were good before she got gassed but have been irregular and off-size since then. I am thinking of getting her some sub-Q fluids. She’s an inside, free roam bunny and is paired with Bumble. I am keeping her separate from him for now so he doesn’t lick her eye. At night she gets cold ears so I put a little portable heater nearby and she comes close to it to warm up. The other bunny has warm ears and the house temp is about 70 degrees F so I don’t know why she gets so cold. Any help or suggestions is appreciated. Thank you. 🙏🏼❤️
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I have 2 rabbits w issues, one has sneezed constantly since i got him in april of this year. He went to the vet and she said allergies. No respiratory issues, eyes clear, appetite, poos & pee normal. He improved sonewhat after a round of meds but a week later.. sneezing again. The other dosent sneeze or have any nasal discharge but her eyes ooz a think sticky yellowish mucus that glues her eyes shut. I have cleaned her eyes daily when possible but sometimes every other day since i got her july this year. It was just one eye till a week ago when suddenly it was BOTH eyes. She sits still for her eye cleanings but this week she has started grinding her teeth a bit. I use organic chamomile tea bags as a compress and use a small syringe to gently flush out the eye w the tea w a bit of organic honey mixed in. I should mention that both these rabbits came from the same breeder in texas and they are now in SC. I am maxed on rabbit vet bills so what else can i try to ease these two babies issues?
Read more at: https://wagwalking.com/rabbit/condition/conjunctivitis#_=_
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Thank you Dr King. I’ll get them both in to the vet ASAP. I’ve been hoping its not pasturella, but they have both had these issues for so long i’m still hopeful its not as they dont get sick, or off feed. Just constant gunky eyes w Gret & sneezing w Hans.
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My bunny Huck has had some watering of one eye. Some days it is hardly any and other days it is a little more. It is not thick ( has been white at times) but will sometimes mat his fur below the eye. I have been cleaning it with warm water on a cloth. He does not seem to clean his eyes too much with his paws but will on occasion. This has gone on for a few weeks. He has been staying inside because of the cold weather but it started just before I have kept him in. He seems to have usual energy, bathroom, etc.
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I have 2 rabbits w issues, one sneezes constantly. He went to the vet and she said allergies. No respiratory issues, eyes clear, appetite, poos & pee normal. He improved sonewhat after a round of meds but a week later.. sneezing again. The other dosent sneeze or have any nasal discharge but her eyes ooz a think sticky yellowish mucus that glues her eyes shut. I have cleaned her eyes daily when possible but sometimes every other day since i got her july this year. It was just one eye till a week ago when suddenly it was BOTH eyes. She sits still for her eye cleanings but this week she has started grinding her teeth a bit. I use organic chamomile tea bags as a compress and use a small syringe to gently flush out the eye w the tea w a bit of organic honey mixed in. I should mention that both these rabbits came from the same breeder in texas and they are now in SC. I am maxed on rabbit vet bills so what else can i try to ease this girls miserable eye condition?