Weepy Eye Woes & Are these eyedrops safe?

[MissGabbster]

Ox has been suffering from a weepy eye since Wednesday night. I took him to my usual vet on Friday and was prescribed Gentocin Durafilm. If BB has taught me anything it’s that I should always research any medications for rabbits that I don’t recognize. I also decided to contact a second exotic vet so that I could get a second opinion on the GD and she said that I should stop that medication immediately because they were dangerous to give to rabbits. I contacted my usual vet to ask him about the things that the 2nd vet said and he claimed that he’s been using GD for years with no problems and copy & pasted an excerpt from an out-dated “study”.

So today, I took Ox in to this 2nd vet where they diagnosed him with a blocked tear duct. They tried flushing his eye but couldn’t flush out the blockage so they prescribed flurbiprofen sodium and ofloxacin ophthalmic eye drops. I’m supposed to treat him with these drops for a week.

 My question is, does anyone know if flurbiprofen sodium and ofloxacin ophthalmic eye drops are safe for rabbits? After the scare with Gentocin Durafilm I’m feeling extra wary.

[LBJ10]

You are correct that gentamicin has been used for rabbits before in the past, but more recently it has been recommended that it be avoided.

As far as I know, the new drops are okay to use. It looks like other members have used one or both of the ingredients for their bunnies.

[MissGabbster]

Thanks, LBJ!

I did a search myself on these new eyedrops and I couldn’t find anything negative but I always like to hear the input of others as well.

I’m quite impressed with this new vet office. They were very thorough in their exam and even had a husbandry evaluation for new patients to make sure that the rabbits they see are taken care of at home as well. The vet I spoke to through email wasn’t in today so I was seen by the intern and the associate vet, who both agreed upon the diagnosis and treatment of Ox’s blocked tear duct. They both agreed with the vet I emailed about GD. I was also impressed with the fact that they talked me through their thoughts when they were examining Ox and their reasoning for doing the treatments that they chose.

[LBJ10]

MissG – Google searches turn up studies about their effectiveness in rabbits. Unfortunately, most you can only read the abstracts. It sounds like this new vet will be a good place to bring Ox in the future. Now I have to ask, does the vet talk baby talk to the bunnies? You know you have a winner if they do. LOL I always think it’s so funny when my vet talks baby talk to the buns. She has done it a ton with Wooly and she has even promised him treats when he gets home!

[MissGabbster]

Haha, yes! Ox was baby talked through the whole checkup. Every time she had to do something she’d talk to him and tell him what she was about to do and how he was being such a good boy. When she checked for sore hocks he started acting up and she apologized for tickling his footsies.

[jerseygirl]

Kudos for double checking about the meds.
I actually was given gentomycin ointment for Maples eye ulcer and wasn’t aware of precautions. I had thought it in the safe list. :/

The ofloxacun is in same family of meds as baytril, just newer generation I think.

I’m not familiar with flurbiprofen. I wonder if related to carprofen (aka rimadyl) ??

Great that you are happy with the vets you’ve found. Hope things clear up for Ox soon!

[jerseygirl]

Posted By LBJ10 on 8/10/2015 6:53 PM
You are correct that gentamicin has been used for rabbits before in the past, but more recently it has been recommended that it be avoided.

LBJ, do you know how recent by any chance?

[jerseygirl]

Miss Gabster, I found an old post of BB’s She was given ofloxacin for Vivian when she was treating an eye ulcer. Her vet is very rabbit savvy, as is BB herself.

[LBJ10]

Jersey – I believe it has been within the last few years. Dana Krempels recommended it in one of her post s a few years ago, but Medirabbit now has a note on it in their rabbit antibiotics table.

Flurbiprofen is related to ibuprofen.

[LBJ10]

Lol MissG, it sounds like they are very nice there.

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