Your rabbit’s eye just doesn’t look quite right. Maybe it’s red, or your rabbit’s eye has some kind of discharge. What could it be and should you pick up the phone and call a rabbit-knowledgeable veterinarian or is this something you can handle on your own? “Because eye disease can progress rapidly,” says Leticia Materi, PhD, DVM, of the Calgary Avian & Exotic Pet Clinic of Alberta, Canada. “An owner should bring their rabbit into the veterinary clinic within 24 hours of noticing the signs.” A red or irritated eye, an eye with discharge, or a swollen eye can all be indications of a variety of health issues. This is not something that a rabbit owner will be able to diagnose and treat at home. “If you note redness of the eyes, squinting, pawing or rubbing the eye, or excessive discharge, this could indicate a problem,” says Jennifer Blair, DVM of St. Francis Animal & Bird Hospital in Roseville, Minnesota. “Rabbits can get scratches or ulcerations of their cornea from trauma or irritation from hay or bedding. A protozoal parasite, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, can lead to cataract formation and secondary inflammation of the eye, called uveitis.” Jennifer Graham, DVM, DABVP (Avian/Exotic Companion Mammal), DACZM, Assistant Professor of Zoological Companion Animal Medicine Department of Clinical Sciences, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine explains, “Rabbits can have chronic eye discharge associated with dacryocystitis—inflammation of the tear duct that drains the eye—and also with dental disease, so be aware that in these conditions the eye itself may be normal. “Rabbits can also have eye discharge or squinting associated with eye infection, trauma, glaucoma or a corneal ulcer,” she continues. “This is a very important condition to address immediately because it is possible for a rabbit to lose vision fairly quickly if untreated disease causes damage to the delicate tissues of the eye.” Eye discharge is often due to infection of the conjunctiva and/or the nasolacrimal duct, according to Dr. Materi. The conjunctiva is the lining of the inner surface of the eyelids and the nasolacrimal duct is a duct that normally drains tears from the eyes to the nose. “This can be due to opportunistic infections by bacteria or trauma to the eye, i.e., scratches or bite wounds,” she says. “The rabbits may keep the affected eyes partially or fully closed and the eyes may have sticky discharge, swollen eyelids or appear red.”
