cataracts in rabbits - the unusual pet vets · cataracts in rabbits what is a cataract? a cataract...

www.unusualpetvets.com.au CATARACTS IN RABBITS What is a cataract? A cataract appears as a slightly hazy to white opacity within the pupil of the eye. This is caused by a change in the nature of the lens of the eye. The lens can often appear 'crystallized' on close inspection. As they progress cataracts cause a loss of vision, which may be gradual or sudden in onset. It can occur at any age and one or both eyes can be affected simultaneously. What can cause cataracts in rabbits? The main cause of cataracts in rabbits is in-utero (prior to birth) infection of Encephalitozoon cuniculi (EC), this is usually transmitted from the mother to baby. This is a single cell organism that affects a report 70-80% of rabbits in Australia. Serology testing for the presence of EC antibodies in a rabbit with cataracts can tell us if they have ever been exposed to this parasite. In other animals diabetes is a major cause of cataracts. Diabetes in rabbits is rare, however it can be diagnosed with blood tests. How do we treat cataracts? Currently no real medical cure for cataracts. Cataract surgery, which is performed by a veterinary eye specialist, is the best treatment. The specialists will, under anesthetic remove the changed lens and allow sight to return to the affected eye. More importantly it prevents glaucoma and uveitis (other problems that can affect the eye). If the rabbit has been exposed to, or tests positive to EC then there is an oral medication that will be started to treat this. What else could the lens changes be? The main alternative diagnosis to cataracts is nuclear sclerosis. This is an old age change that occurs slowly and is a mild grey/blue coloration to the lens. Nuclear sclerosis does not generally cause a very white pupil. A veterinary eye specialist can confirm changes to the lens are nuclear sclerosis or mild immature cataract. What can happen if I do not treat the cataracts?

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CATARACTSINRABBITSWhatisacataract?

Acataractappearsasaslightlyhazytowhiteopacitywithinthepupiloftheeye.Thisiscausedbyachangeinthenatureofthelensoftheeye.Thelenscanoftenappear'crystallized'oncloseinspection.Astheyprogresscataractscausealossofvision,whichmaybegradualorsuddeninonset.Itcanoccuratanyageandoneorbotheyescanbeaffectedsimultaneously.

Whatcancausecataractsinrabbits?

Themaincauseofcataractsinrabbitsisin-utero(priortobirth)infectionofEncephalitozooncuniculi(EC),thisisusuallytransmittedfromthemothertobaby.Thisisasinglecellorganismthataffectsareport70-80%ofrabbitsinAustralia.SerologytestingforthepresenceofECantibodiesinarabbitwithcataractscantellusiftheyhaveeverbeenexposedtothisparasite.

Inotheranimalsdiabetesisamajorcauseofcataracts.Diabetesinrabbitsisrare,howeveritcanbediagnosedwithbloodtests.

Howdowetreatcataracts?

Currentlynorealmedicalcureforcataracts.Cataractsurgery,whichisperformedbyaveterinaryeyespecialist,isthebesttreatment.Thespecialistswill,underanestheticremovethechangedlensandallowsighttoreturntotheaffectedeye.Moreimportantlyitpreventsglaucomaanduveitis(otherproblemsthatcanaffecttheeye).

Iftherabbithasbeenexposedto,ortestspositivetoECthenthereisanoralmedicationthatwillbestartedtotreatthis.

Whatelsecouldthelenschangesbe?

Themainalternativediagnosistocataractsisnuclearsclerosis.Thisisanoldagechangethatoccursslowlyandisamildgrey/bluecolorationtothelens.Nuclearsclerosisdoesnotgenerallycauseaverywhitepupil.Aveterinaryeyespecialistcanconfirmchangestothelensarenuclearsclerosisormildimmaturecataract.

WhatcanhappenifIdonottreatthecataracts?

Page 2: Cataracts in Rabbits - The Unusual Pet Vets · CATARACTS IN RABBITS What is a cataract? A cataract appears as a slightly hazy to white opacity within the pupil of the eye. This is

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Therearetwomajorproblemswhichcanoccurinuntreatedcataracts,onaveragetheseoccurin60%ofrabbitsdiagnosedwithcataracts.

Lensluxation-Asthelensisnotasflexibleafterformingacataractitcanbreakthefineattachmentsthatholditinplace.ThisLenscanthenfloatfreeandblockthedrainageoftheeyeball.Theeyeballitselfthenincreasesinsize.Thisconditioniscalledglaucomaandisoftenuntreatableinrabbits.Itisanextremelypainfulconditionandinsomecasesrequiresremovaloftheeye.

Uveitits-Thechangedlenscanruptureleakinglenstissueintotheeye.Thiscausesaseverereactionandtheentireeyebecomesinflamed.Thisconditionisalsoverypainfulanduncomfortableforyourrabbitandoftenrequireseyeremoval.

CanIpreventmyrabbitfromgettingcataracts?CanIpreventtheothereyefromformingacataract?

Thereisnothingwecandotopreventcataractsinrabbits.InfectionwithECinrabbitsisverycommonbutnotallrabbitsdevelopcataractsfromit.Onceoneeyeisaffectedthereisastrongpossibilitythattheothereyewillalsobeaffected.

Howquicklydocataractsdevelop?

Thereisnoaverageprogressionofcataracts.Theycanstaymildandimmature(greytohazypupil)foryearsortheycansuddenlyprogresstoseverematurecataracts(white)inamatterofdays.

Willcataractsreoccuraftersurgery?

No,cataractsareachangeinthelensandduringsurgerythelensisremovedallowingvisiontoreturn.

WhatelsecanECcause?Andcanthisaffectsurgery?

EChasalsobeenassociatedwithheadtilts(vestibulardisease)andrenal(kidney)disease.TheseconditionsdonotoccurineveryrabbitinfectedwithEC.Itisreportedthatupto80%ofrabbitsinAustraliacanbeinfectedwithEC.Ifsurgeryisbeingconsidereditmaybeworthwhiletoruleoutrenaldiseasewithbloodtests.Ifrenaldiseaseispresentitcanaffecttheanestheticrequiredforthesurgery.

Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorareatallworriedaboutyourrabbitpleasedon’thesitatetogetintouchwithus.

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