# Blocked tear duct advice please



## farhana (Mar 15, 2014)

So Charlie has at least one blocked tear duct due to his teeth. I've always associated his weepy eyes with his teeth and I noticed that whilst eating the tears tend to gather in his eyes. Additionally, at the last trip to the vet he had a dental and eye flush that wasn't very successful so I've been researching it all.

The antibiotic drops Charlie was prescribed after the vet trip also didn't help at all. After the week of using them was up I researchsd and saw online that Chamomile tea cooled and mixed with a drop of honey was an effective remedy. It's been working quite well so far. To begin with I used a syringe but the problem was that he wanted to drink it. (On the plus side hes not trained to eat/drink from a syringe willingly) Recently I got some empty eye drop bottles ordered in from eBay and the camomile tea and honey mixture works a lot better this way - both for storage in the fridge and because it's easier to use.

His eyes rarely get too weepy now that I've been using the camomile mix 1-2 times a day but I was wondering if anyone on the forum had any other advice. I'm hesitant about another flush because the previous one didn't help at all. In my opinion it made things worse somehow because his eyes get weepy-er faster than they used to - maybe scar tissue has formed? Also I'd rather not have him under anaesthetic unnecessarily.

So yes, advice would be appreciated. It seems that there's no long term solution for this. But I'm happy for short term solutions that may be more helpful than what I'm doing now.

Here's a picture of him with his dinner. This is a recent picture of his 'bad' eye just before the eye drop bottles arrived. Doesn't look too bad atm since the chamomile tea is working it's magic.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Flushing has always been a permanent solution when I've had it done. But they weren't knocked out for it. Have you had xrays on the head? If the teeth roots are involved then it's possible that flushing will not resolve the problem.


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

I'd be requesting x-rays so that I could see what was causing the tear ducts to block.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Lopside said:


> Flushing has always been a permanent solution when I've had it done. But they weren't knocked out for it. Have you had xrays on the head? If the teeth roots are involved then it's possible that flushing will not resolve the problem.





StormyThai said:


> I'd be requesting x-rays so that I could see what was causing the tear ducts to block.


Exactly my thought too, to find out the underlying problem - perhaps when he has his next dental? (assuming he is a dental bun).


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## farhana (Mar 15, 2014)

Summersky said:


> Exactly my thought too, to find out the underlying problem - perhaps when he has his next dental? (assuming he is a dental bun).


I'll have to get the xray done in January once I get paid properly. How much does an X ray cost roughly anyway? 

He is a dental bun for sure. Charlie was knocked out for his flush cause he was having teeth done. I assumed that they would need anesthetic for it considering it seems quite intrusive. I know I wouldn't want to be awake whilst someone was shoving an (albeit small) pipe/tube thing down my tear duct. Do they not need anesthetic for a flush?

My vet told me when she did the flush she met with a lot of resistance so it was only half successful. She told me it was cause of the teeth and I didn't argue with her.

I'm thinking of switching vets anyway because my current vet seems to be only interested in money. :glare: She'd charge me for breathing their oxygen in if she could! What do you guys think of this one Veterinary Crew | Animal Ark Veterinary Centre Gives you a bit of info on each vet they have. I have a few other options for vets around, but this one seems quite good imo.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

My George always had 1 blocked tear duct his brother was apparently the same. The vets tried to flush his duct at least 3 times but it was pointless. I paid for X-rays of his jaw his teeth and roots were good. He never had any teeth issues but was always fed a hay based diet. 

I washed his eye daily with homemade saline, 1tsp salt to a pint of boiled water left to cool until Luke warm. The salts good as it mirrors the natural salinity of eyes. The most important thing is drying around the eyes and the cheeks to prevent sores. George had long fur on his cheeks so this was trimmed a little, washed and dried with cotton wool then combed through to stop it matting. Me and George developed and close bond as he would chatter while I washed and brushed him.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

The thing with X-rays is they are unlikely to tell you what you don't already know. If his roots are really bad would you be prepared to put him to sleep? 

What you need to focus on is his best possible care. A super diet of plenty of coarse hay, just a few pellets and veggies. Check on him at least twice a day to make sure he's eating and pooing. Check both eyes twice a day, eye infections can be more common wih blocked ducts. Check for dribbling a sign of teeth troubles. Any changes get him to the vets ASAP.

They used local anesthetic to flush tear ducts a few eye drops, a lot less risk for rabbits. 

Vet choice is always tricky, I find experience combined with personality the most important.

Also I found George's second wife a great help washing his eye for me


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

If his skin gets sore around his eye from being permanently damp you can smear a bit of Vaseline on the skin. Not too close to the eye though.


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## Crystal butterfly (Nov 2, 2014)

Sorry no real advice but I used to have a rabbit who had a constant weepy eye since being a baby he needed his ducts flushed every 2 weeks, It wasn't part of his teeth though as his teeth were fine, the frequent flushes used to help keep on top of it but his was a permanent on going problem so I think a bit different to yours.


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## farhana (Mar 15, 2014)

Thanks for all the advice! I hadn't realised people had continued to reply.



emzybabe said:


> The thing with X-rays is they are unlikely to tell you what you don't already know. If his roots are really bad would you be prepared to put him to sleep?
> 
> What you need to focus on is his best possible care. A super diet of plenty of coarse hay, just a few pellets and veggies. Check on him at least twice a day to make sure he's eating and pooing. Check both eyes twice a day, eye infections can be more common wih blocked ducts. Check for dribbling a sign of teeth troubles. Any changes get him to the vets ASAP.
> 
> ...


He seems happy with life and the only real problems he has are eating slower than his greedy partner Holly and the weepy eyes. I don't think he's at a stage where he needs to be put to sleep at all. If he stopped eating, was in constant pain etc. I would consider it but that's just not the case.

He doesn't eat hay much and I've made threads about this before. I've tried tons of different types in the past few years and he's just not that interested. I'm going to try a few more but I'm sure he's just not a hay eater. I separate him at meal times to make sure he eats enough and during that time he gets checked over. Are there any specific signs I should look for re: eye infections?

His eyes don't seem to get sore if I wash them with camomile tea (and I'm pretty sure Holly does a better job at grooming him when he's camomile flavoured) but I'll keep the vaseline trick in mind.

Luckily for me I've just been made permanent at my part time job. More money for these type of issues to be resolved properly!


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Have you tried Dust Free Hay Company American Timothy hay.?


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Lopside said:


> Have you tried Dust Free Hay Company American Timothy hay.?


This is a great company and a great hay - it is keeping one of our very ill crew alive, who can't eat any other hay, including their other dust free hays without coughing and spluttering.

The other option is to grow some fresh grass in tubs. You have to grow a lot though, if it is successful. See if that tempts him; and give him other things to chew. Without that he will bounce from dental to dental.


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## farhana (Mar 15, 2014)

Lopside said:


> Have you tried Dust Free Hay Company American Timothy hay.?


They're next on my list 



Summersky said:


> This is a great company and a great hay - it is keeping one of our very ill crew alive, who can't eat any other hay, including their other dust free hays without coughing and spluttering.
> 
> The other option is to grow some fresh grass in tubs. You have to grow a lot though, if it is successful. See if that tempts him; and give him other things to chew. Without that he will bounce from dental to dental.


I've got a garden with fresh grass. He's not that interested in it although last summer I found a random patch of timothy grass in the garden which they both really loved. After a few lawn mows it became non-existent unfortunately.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

farhana said:


> They're next on my list
> 
> I've got a garden with fresh grass. He's not that interested in it although last summer I found a random patch of timothy grass in the garden which they both really loved. After a few lawn mows it became non-existent unfortunately.


I couldn't get Timothy grass to grow very well. A few years ago, I had two dozen tubs of *wheat* grass (seeds from ebay) on the go for an elderly, poorly rabbit who couldn't eat hay of any sort. I was out there "harvesting" twice a day for months - he absolutely loved it, combined with the dandelions, apple leaves and other grasses in the garden. Interestingly, on top of everything else, he was a dental bun; but once on grass, rather than hay, he didn't need another dental.

Hint - never cut grass in a hurry - fingers tend to get in the way - often (I have the scars to prove it).

Re Dust Free Hay co - they deliver quickly. We buy the Timothy Hay in the boxes. You either need to be in, or to tell them where to leave it (they give you a delivery day).


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I've heard rabbits kept on grass who never see hay do ok!

Now would be a good time to revamp your lawn for the bunnies if you not too precious about having a perfect green lawn. Rake out all the moss, and overseed areas in mid spring with timothy, plantain etc.


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## farhana (Mar 15, 2014)

Summersky said:


> I couldn't get Timothy grass to grow very well. A few years ago, I had two dozen tubs of *wheat* grass (seeds from ebay) on the go for an elderly, poorly rabbit who couldn't eat hay of any sort. I was out there "harvesting" twice a day for months - he absolutely loved it, combined with the dandelions, apple leaves and other grasses in the garden. Interestingly, on top of everything else, he was a dental bun; but once on grass, rather than hay, he didn't need another dental.
> 
> Hint - never cut grass in a hurry - fingers tend to get in the way - often (I have the scars to prove it).
> 
> Re Dust Free Hay co - they deliver quickly. We buy the Timothy Hay in the boxes. You either need to be in, or to tell them where to leave it (they give you a delivery day).


We always have people home luckily  I'll be putting an order in on Monday. Just need to get myself a container big enough to keep it in.

I'll look into wheat grass! I'll have to try and grow a lot since my greedy girl will be eating it with him.



emzybabe said:


> I've heard rabbits kept on grass who never see hay do ok!
> 
> Now would be a good time to revamp your lawn for the bunnies if you not too precious about having a perfect green lawn. Rake out all the moss, and overseed areas in mid spring with timothy, plantain etc.


We have plantain and a little timothy that grows in the summer naturally. The bunnies get it all during the summer months  will try and get some more seeds in for spring though!

I grew them carrots (for the tops) and parsley last year and the parsley is still going strong in this weather! Hopefully this year will be productive too.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Growing carrots for the tops is a great idea.  Might try that myself.


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