Blind bunny, vet visit

[2babybuns]

My 4 year old bun has what looks like a bad cataract in her rt eye and another starting in her left.  I’m pretty sure she can’t see much at all and we are seeing the vet today.  She has a half brother that she is very bonded with and since she isn’t seeing much and is obviously a bit stressed from that I was thinking of bringing him with her for comfort.  Does anyone think that is a bad idea to help manage her stress?  Has anyone had a bunny that developed cataracts, what was your experiences?  I feel terrible for her, don’t know about surgery but she is still pretty young to live out her life blind.

[pinknfwuffy]

I don’t have experience with a rabbit who has vision issues but there are a number of forum users who have – I’m sure they will chime in. If it helps, much of what I have read has been positive in terms of rabbits coping and adapting to the loss of sight.

As for bringing both rabbits to the vet, I think that is a great idea. Many people suggest it so the sick rabbit can have comfort and the other rabbit won’t be at home wondering where they are or confused when they come home later smelling like the vet, other animals, or medication. I think it is a particularly helpful idea so your vision-impaired rabbit will have their partner there for support and familiarity.

Good luck!

[vanessa]

I’m sorry to hear that. It is stressful to watch cataracts develop. I’d bring her bonded pal with you for the vet visit. I think most people on the forum prefer to bring their bunny pals with.
As for the bunny developing the cataracts – they develop typically on young or old bunnies. 4 isn’t really old. My little guy Lancelot has a large cataract over each eye. You will be able to clearly see the white cloud. They can still see around the edge of the cataract, so you might notice her moving her head around like Stevie wonder, once she realizes she can catch glimpses from the periphery. Rabbits actually adapt just fine. In the beginning, they may be nervous at their loss of sight, but they do adapt. Lancelot had poor vision from scratches and divets and uveitis, and I could see that because he would sniff his food, where Guinevere would run right up to the salad plate. As his vision got worse, I would pick him up and put him in front of his salad plate, or he wouldn’t realize it was there. He would smell the veggies and move his head like Stevie Wonder trying to find me and the veggies. I realized that he realized he could see from the peripheral when I would walk into the room, he could smell that I was there and he could feel the vibration of my feet on the floor (he is also deaf), and instead of the wonder movement, he would turn his head ever so slightly – just enough for a peripheral glance. Since your bunny can hear – it might help to use sounds as signals/clues for what you are about to do next. With Lancelot, I have to use touch. So before you pick her up, handle her, etc, come up with a signal so that she isn’t startled. Keep her furniture/foor/water in the same spot so she learns where it is. And she will. Don’t move her things around. If she rearranges her furniture, that’s fine, because she’ll remember what she did – but she doesn’t know what you are doing. Even though Lancelot was deaf too, he as still fine with Guinevere. She never startled him – he could feel her movement on the floor, and smell her, and feel her approach with his whiskers. Some people like to put bells on their bunny’s pal, so the blind bunny can hear the other one approaching. Since Lancelot does so well deaf, I don’t think I would have needed to do that even if he could hear. Now that he is deaf and blind, and accustomed to it, I actually find he is extremely relaxed. There is nothing he can see or hear that causes him stress! I do have to be extra careful wit touch, so that I don’t ‘startle him. I steer him towards his food by touching his nose for front, and ears for port or starboard side. And I make sure I brush my hand past his whiskers before petting him. Head down to spine means I’m going to pick him up. And it’s different from a head to spine bunny massage – I just draw my hand down his back.

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