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Treatment

The course of treatment will depend on the underlying cause and final diagnosis. If excessive fat pads are present behind the eyes, for example, weight reduction will be recommended. Meanwhile, antibiotics will be used for bacterial infections. And if the infection has resulted in the formation of abscesses surgery is needed, which in turn will require pain relievers (usually in the form of analgesics), along with lubricating gels for the eye-region to prevent drying of the tissue. Cancer may also be discovered in rabbits with orbital diseases; in these cases, your veterinarian will recommend consulting an oncologist.

Living and Management

It is imperative that your rabbit continue to eat during and following treatment. Softer foods that are easier to chew should be offered until your rabbit has recovered enough strength to eat harder to chew solids. In the interim, you can continue to offer your rabbit its usual pelleted diet to encourage it to eat.

Keep the fur around the face clean and dry, and allow your rabbit plenty of time to rest in a quiet space after surgery. If your rabbit is debilitated or anorectic, you will need to provide it with assisted feeding and fluid therapy. Usually, a gruel meal fed by feeding syringe is sufficient. In addition, do not feed your rabbit high-carbohydrate foods or high-fat nutritional supplements unless your veterinarian specifically advises it.

Re-evaluation will be scheduled by your doctor 7 to 10 days after surgery, and then every one to three months. In some cases, damage to the eye of eye socket can occur, resulting in loss of the eye. If pain is debilitating or chronic, your veterinarian may also recommend euthanizing the rabbit. Otherwise, lifelong treatment for underlying tooth disease is typicaly, and regular tooth trimming is indicated to avoid further complications due to overgrown teeth.