Holland Lops in Ohio at Hot Cross Buns
About HCB - Holland Lops in Ohio
Hot Cross Buns Holland Lops' Mission
How to Find Us - Holland Lops for Sale in Ohio
Available Bunnies
Meet the Hot Cross Buns
Baby Holland Lops
Rabbitry Updates
Rabbit Supplies
Before You Buy a Cage
Selecting an Exercise Pen
Water: Crock or Bottle
Selecting a Food Bowl
Indoors Vs. Outdoors
Bunny Behavior & Health Blog
Bunny Savvy Vet Recommendations
Bunny Banter: Glossary of Terms
The Happy Results!
New Bunny Questionnaire
Placement and Spay/Neuter Contract
HCB's Pet Buns
Bunny Behavior & Health
bunny behavior
Bunny behavior and health issues are addressed in the Hot Cross Buns Blog. Check back frequently, as we plan to post information on diet, treats, exercise, spaying/neutering, and much more.
Eye Removal Surgery
This post contains images which may be disturbing.
The bunny pictured above, Blackberry, was one of the rabbits we wrote about in our post about e. cuniculi. Following her recuperation, Blackberry was placed with a very loving young woman as her emotional support bunny. They enjoyed nearly four wonderful years together when things started to go badly, health-wise, for both of them. Blackberry's Bun-Mom developed severe hay allergies and some other things she needed to deal with, while Blackberry was diagnosed with an entropion eye by her vet in their home state of California. An entropion eye means that the eyelid is curling in and the eyelashes irritate the eye and can cause all sorts of nasty discharge and eye infections. She had been on special eyedrops to clear up the infections but, while they served their purpose, the problem was never able to be cured.
(Entropion can affect humans as well as most animal species. We had a cat with this diagnosis, and the problem was easily cured by a simple surgical procedure. This is not an option, for rabbits, however.)
Blackberry came back to live at Hot Cross Buns in November 2022 following unsuccessful attempts to find a good home for her in California when it was deemed necessary for her human mom's health that re-homing would be necessary. We welcomed her back with open arms and set out to learn what could be done to help fix her eye problem. Her Bun-Mom was devastated about being parted from her, but knew that we would do right by Blackberry and keep her in apprised of decisions and treatments regarding her care. Blackberry was and is a very beloved little girl.
She came back to us with an infection and drops to treat it, but, after seeing her discomfort and the inevitability of more recurring infection on the horizon, we knew something more drastic needed to be done. She could only look at the world through one eye and her neck was perpetually crooked so her infected eye was down and her good eye was looking upwards. This was very reminiscent of the way she held her head as a young rabbit, while she was being treated for e. cuniculi.
We have a wonderful client who volunteers at the Cleveland Metro Parks Zoo and she urged us to consult her bunny savvy vet about Blackberry's care. Dr. Mike Selig is one of the many wonderful vets at the zoo and he works one day each month at a practice in Euclid, OH. We were able to get an appointment the following week and nervously awaited the appointment that would determine the best course of action for treating Blackberry's eye, once and for all.
Upon examining her, Dr. Selig discovered that all of her problems most likely arose from a blocked tear duct that could have potentially been cured by having it flushed thoroughly the first time she developed an infection. Had she been diagnosed properly, she had a very good chance of living a normal life with two healthy eyes. Because she had repeated infections, scar tissue developed in the tear duct and flushing was no longer an option. It was chronically inflamed and the recommended course of treatment was to have her eye removed. Very thankfully, Dr. Selig was able to perform the surgery that day. The eye was removed and the eyelids were sewn shut. She went home with five days worth of pain medication/antibiotics and we were told that she would most likely always have an exaggerated head-tilt, to help her adapt to the lack of vision on one side of her body, which has dramatically affected her depth-perception.
Two weeks following her surgery, we're still cleaning up a bit of drainage from the affected area. We're very hopeful that her fur will grow back and cover most of the eye area, so she looks more approachable and whole. Blackberry is doing well and is as lovable and sweetly spunky as ever. We are careful to be noisy before entering her room, so she knows we're coming, and we make certain she can see us before approaching her. We never want to alarm her with concerns that there could be a predator nearby. Ideally, her exercise pen will be placed in an alcove, where there are three walls around her, so she will never be startled by someone approaching from behind.
Once Blackberry has adjusted to life with one healthy eye, we hope to place her in a wonderful home where she will be adored. She may not look like other bunnies, but she is as special and loving as can be.
Amy, the Big Bunny at Hot Cross Buns, enjoys raising the Buns (of course!), writing, crafting, woodworking, Bible studies, reading, gardening, being a wife and mom of five. Does she really have time to do it all? No, but she tries her best and drives her husband crazy in the process. She wishes to point out that she never said she enjoyed interior decorating (hopeless!) and organizing (that's her younger daughter's gift). Please don't expect a home worthy of a spread in House Beautiful when you arrive to pick up your Hot Cross Bun.
E. Cuniculi
Indoor Or Outdoor Rabbit?
Rabbit Diet
Rabbit Digestion
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease
Navigation Menu:
Available Bunnies Rabbitry Updates Bunny Behavior & Health Blog Updates from HCB Clients Before You Apply
Our Mission Meet the Hot Cross Buns Recommended Rabbit Supplies FAQ HCB Sales Policy
How to Find Us Baby Holland Lops Cage, Exercise Pen, Water Bottle Vet Recommendations Placement Agreement
Additional Resources New Bunny Questionnaire Food Bowl Glossary of Terminology
Hot Cross Buns Holland Lops is a small-scale, family-run breeder located in Oberlin, Ohio. ARBA (#D6175) & HLRSC members.
© Hot Cross Buns Holland Lops, A.A.J. the owner & operator of this site and Hot Cross Hoppenings, 2017-present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Hot Cross Buns Holland Lops and Hot Cross Hoppenings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by Namecheap