Liz Buchanan BVSc
Keymaster
Hello and thankyou for telling us about your rabbit. Most species of animal have a tube draining tears from the corner of the eye, down the side of the nose. Rabbits aren't much different, but theirs passes very close to an array of dental infrastructure - tooth-roots and so on - especially in more flat-faces breeds such as lion-haired bunnies. Therefore, many dental problems can lead to weepy eyes in these animals, on account of an inability to drain properly. Foreign bodies rubbing against the eyes, inadequate tear film and all the ocular diseases that a dog or cat can get, may also occur. Rabbits, unlike many domestic species, are prone to getting eaten; they can therefore stand a lot of pain before looking remotely vulnerable through a predators eyes. Being potential predators, we are not as a species very good at identifying signs of pain in rabbits and often judge them to be normal when they are uncomfortable.
For all of these reasons, it is a good idea to get your rabbit checked out, ideally by a vet who has studied additional rabbit medicine - most practices have or know one.
Wishing you and your bunny all the best.
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