Treating Baby Rabbit Eye Infections

by Josée

Most of our kits are over two weeks old now. They’ve grown fur and have entered the cute phase. Around the ten day mark the kits open their eyes so for the last few days I’ve been making sure that this has happened. A couple kits in each litter have an eye (or two) that has been pasted shut. This indicates an eye infection which can lead to blindness if not properly treated.

The kits eye is pasted shut.

Treatment is simple. Take a soft cloth or cotton balls and soak it in warm water. Gently wipe the kits affected eye until the crust is removed and then carefully separate the eye. Some books suggest putting in a drop of over-the-counter human eyedrops, like Visine. Repeat this process each day until the kit recovers, most do. However, if there is pus in the kit’s eye once if has been opened this can indicate a serious infection and may warrant antibiotic eyedrops. If the rabbit has cloudy eyes after a serious eye infection this means that the rabbit is partially or totally blind.

Checking the kits everyday will ensure that eye infections are detected early on.

So each day, sometimes more than once, I go out and check the kits eyes. The oldest litter has no more affected kits but two of 1AR’s kits are still afflicted.

Back in the nest box, eyes wide open.

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5 comments

Chelsea Rae April 7, 2011 - 2:07 pm

Too bad you can't milk a rabbit hey? I bet some rabbit milk would clear that right up! 😉

Reply
Mike Mattjews February 3, 2020 - 2:12 pm

It’s funny you should say that, as most people do not know the healing properties of breast milk (in humans). I’ll bet you are right. It would work.

Reply
Martha April 6, 2023 - 12:16 pm

I bought a 4 week old bunny mostly because we bonded but also the man that was selling them said the bunny’s eye didn’t open so he forced it open and started putting vinegar in her little eye. I think her little eye has been damaged from this is there anything I can do to help her

Reply
Michelle May 15, 2020 - 4:33 pm

How do I get antibiotic eye drops for baby bunnies?

Reply
Nevada Goans December 27, 2021 - 1:12 pm

Have a baby rabbit that is very small and has bumps and scabs on her, her litter mates are MUCH larger then her. She’s eating,drinking and getting around. I’m jst concerned about the sores.

Reply

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