# Bad case of blocked tear ducts can i do anything?



## grumpybabies (Apr 3, 2010)

I'm just wondering if there is anything i can do to make life more bearable for my rabbit and myself, when it comes to blocked tear ducts, she is 3 and a half years old, has had a weeping eye most of her life, but now it is ridiculous and i'm at my wits end, it keeps being flushed by the vets, but even by the next morning there is crust all around her eye which i have to pull off and i just don't see that is sensible carrying on like this. Apparently most tear duct flushes cure the problem for a few months, but 3 days is the longest it has been for her with no problems in the last year, it must be painful to have the crust there, but it most also be painful for me to remove it, is there any long term cure? I've tried eye drops and anti-biotics, but it never gets any better. 

Also she very often gets a hugely messy bottom, not stuck on ordinary mess, but like a fist sized lump of just smelly mush, which i'm sure will get her fly strike one of these days, but we've tried wormer and gut treatment to balance her bacteria but nothing seems to help. She is also prone to cage aggression, so with all these things i feel ready to give up, she's suffering and i'm suffering spending so much time just on her, cleaning her up all the time, its not pleasant for either of us i've even considered her being PTS because she can't be happy like this, she sure doesn't act happy, any opinions and help greatly received!


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## tonyshuman (Apr 3, 2010)

I encourage you to have a head x-ray done. Continually blocked tear ducts can be caused by the roots of the teeth growing up into the face and blocking the tear ducts. Another possibility is an infection in the eye that is continually blocking them. Without treating it, the blockage can come back.

Is the messy bottom due to mushy fecal poos, or uneaten cecal poos? If it's cecals, her diet may just be too rich.


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## jamesedwardwaller (Apr 3, 2010)

*grumpybabies wrote: *


> I'm just wondering if there is anything i can do to make life more bearable for my rabbit and myself, when it comes to blocked tear ducts, she is 3 and a half years old, has had a weeping eye most of her life, but now it is ridiculous and i'm at my wits end, it keeps being flushed by the vets, but even by the next morning there is crust all around her eye which i have to pull off and i just don't see that is sensible carrying on like this. Apparently most tear duct flushes cure the problem for a few months, but 3 days is the longest it has been for her with no problems in the last year, it must be painful to have the crust there, but it most also be painful for me to remove it, is there any long term cure? I've tried eye drops and anti-biotics, but it never gets any better.
> 
> Also she very often gets a hugely messy bottom, not stuck on ordinary mess, but like a fist sized lump of just smelly mush, which i'm sure will get her fly strike one of these days, but we've tried wormer and gut treatment to balance her bacteria but nothing seems to help. She is also prone to cage aggression, so with all these things i feel ready to give up, she's suffering and i'm suffering spending so much time just on her, cleaning her up all the time, its not pleasant for either of us i've even considered her being PTS because she can't be happy like this, she sure doesn't act happy, any opinions and help greatly received!


if the issue is teeth,,a facial radiogragh will identify the the blockage of tear ducts.,misaligned teeth,spurs,etc.-//.but the diet must get under control also,,the gi tract is in distress,..daily a rabbits dietmust have 70%-nondigestible fiber-ie.timothy/orchard grasses,,and a small amount of-quality lowfat-pellets,then a treat,,fruit tree braches/twigs(plum,apple,pear) are great to chew on,and for the teeth,and gitract./consult the safe plant list on medirabbit.com-/.when giving oral antibiotics,also offer probiotics,either critical care or benebac.//.the poopy butt should clear up,,but the mouth sounds like the big issue.//.everything starts in the mouth and must go all the through--use a stethescope to monitor the gi tract,too.//.-send me a pm if you like for any more info...sincerely james waller:wave::rose:


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## grumpybabies (Apr 7, 2010)

thanks for the well informed replies. I had assumed that even if it was teeth roots causing the problems with the tear ducts, the roots can't be removed anyway, but is this not the case, could the teeth and roots be removed to solve the problem? and the poopy butt, she's not a big hay lover, but i give her minimal pellets to try and make her eat the hay. The poop isn't uneaten soft poops it is totally different, it's yellower in colour, very smelly and is just like a thick sludge, that's the best way to describe it, i my take a photo next time it happens, luckily she's had a few good day, which is great because i've just had another rabbit do something to her spine, torn a joint out of position or something and she's a lot of work! New post about that i think!


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## tonyshuman (Apr 7, 2010)

Yes, removing teeth and tooth roots can be done. It's a pretty serious surgery, and you'd want to try to find a vet dental specialist if possible.

This is our Library link on teeth:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11901&forum_id=10
There's a good video on there about why you might want to have teeth removed, and actually shows part of the surgery (you can skip that part if you're squeamish.


Are you sure that this sludgy poop is actually poop, and not bladder sludge?

Here's a pic showing the difference between normal urine and bladder sludge.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/generalities/Sludge.htm


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## grumpybabies (Apr 8, 2010)

The poop is definitely not that, i will just have to take a picture, but it is definitely just mushy poop, sometimes more yellow that other times i guess. I will get her xrayed then and asked the vets opinion on who should do the tooth removal thanks.


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## jamesedwardwaller (Apr 8, 2010)

*grumpybabies wrote: *


> thanks for the well informed replies. I had assumed that even if it was teeth roots causing the problems with the tear ducts, the roots can't be removed anyway, but is this not the case, could the teeth and roots be removed to solve the problem? and the poopy butt, she's not a big hay lover, but i give her minimal pellets to try and make her eat the hay. The poop isn't uneaten soft poops it is totally different, it's yellower in colour, very smelly and is just like a thick sludge, that's the best way to describe it, i my take a photo next time it happens, luckily she's had a few good day, which is great because i've just had another rabbit do something to her spine, torn a joint out of position or something and she's a lot of work! New post about that i think!


the gi tract is in distress,,inflamation,,,if she is not a big grass eater,,grind it up-(coffee bean grinder)-and syringe feed her.,,do you have a product called (oxbow)-critical-care-,,feed that ,,it has probotics in it as well--these nondigestible grasses.ie timothy/orchard grass are essential for teeth,and gi tract maintenance--a poop culture will identify the types of bacteria that need to get under control from antibiotics....check out this link it is full of info::the mystery of rabbit poop http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html --baby food -vegy,s pumpkin-can be fed also,..sincerely james waller:wave::rose:


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## cheryl (Apr 8, 2010)

Poor little girl..i really hope you can get this all sorted out..

My Charlie was just at the vet last week...she has been having watering eyes...the Dr flushed them but one eye was more blocked than the other...so it's back to the vet tomorrow for another flushing....Charlie was also prescribed two differen't kind ofeye drops.

All the best for your little girl


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## tonyshuman (Apr 8, 2010)

Yeah, that poop doesn't sound good. I can't tell you what it is, except probably a bacterial imbalance. Since it seems to come and go, it could be from coccidia, which is a parasite that has a proscribed life cycle that controls when flare-ups occur. A probiotic might help, but a fecal test might help too.


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## Mousemommy (Nov 15, 2011)




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## Mousemommy (Nov 15, 2011)

TO Grumpybabies
Are you still getting messages from this forum? Because the issues your bunny has I am familiar with and can help
Judie


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## Nancy McClelland (Nov 15, 2011)

ray:


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