Rabbit Eye and Ear Health Checks: What's Normal

Routine eye and ear checks should be part of every grooming session. The eyes and ears are among the first places where early signs of health problems appear — from dental disease (which causes eye problems in rabbits in a way that surprises many owners) to ear mite infestations that can be caught before they become established. Spending sixty seconds examining these areas twice a week is time very well invested.

Eye Health Checks

What Healthy Rabbit Eyes Look Like

• Clear and bright with no discharge
• Whites of the eye (where visible) are white, not red or yellow
• Eyelids are not swollen, crusted, or stuck together
• No obvious bulging or cloudiness of the cornea
• Eyes are equal in size and appearance
• No wetness or staining on the fur below the eye

Common Eye Problems to Watch For

Weepy Eye (Epiphora)

A continuous wet discharge running down from one or both eyes is among the most common rabbit eye problems. It is often confused with an eye infection but is frequently caused by a completely different problem: dental disease.

The root of the upper molar teeth sits directly adjacent to the nasolacrimal (tear) duct. When dental root problems develop — extremely common in domestic rabbits — the inflamed tissue can compress the duct, causing overflow of tears. The fur below the eye stays permanently wet, leading to skin scalding and secondary bacterial infection.

A single weepy eye in a rabbit warrants a vet check. Do not assume it’s just conjunctivitis — dental X-rays may be needed.

Conjunctivitis

Bacterial conjunctivitis presents as sticky, yellow-green discharge. Both eyes affected suggests an upper respiratory infection (Pasteurella multocida or similar). One eye suggests a local problem (foreign body, blocked duct, trauma). Requires veterinary diagnosis and antibiotic eye drops.

E. cuniculi (Encephalitozoon cuniculi)

A microsporidian parasite that can cause cataracts in younger rabbits — appearing as a white opacity within the lens. If you notice a white spot or cloudiness inside your rabbit’s eye, a vet check is essential.

Cleaning Around the Eyes

If there is mild discharge or crusty buildup around the eye, clean gently using a cotton pad dampened with sterile saline (contact lens saline works). Wipe from the inner corner outward. Use a fresh cotton pad for each wipe. Never use cotton buds near the eye.

Do not clean away discharge without noting what it looks like and how much there is — this information is useful for your vet.

Ear Health Checks

What Healthy Rabbit Ears Look Like

• Clean inside — a small amount of light-coloured wax is normal
• No dark brown, rust-coloured, or crusty deposits
• No strong or unusual odour
• Skin inside the ear is pink and smooth, not red or inflamed
• No excessive scratching at the ears
• No head shaking or head tilt

The Ear Mite Check

Ear mites (Psoroptes cuniculi) are extremely common in rabbits, particularly those in contact with other rabbits or those with outdoor access. The characteristic signs are:

• Dark brown to black, thick crusty deposits inside one or both ears
• Intense scratching at the ears
• Shaking the head
• In severe cases: drooping ear, extreme distress, and secondary bacterial infection

If you see dark crusty material that looks like coffee grounds inside your rabbit’s ear, assume ear mites until proven otherwise and contact your vet. Do not attempt to remove the crusts yourself — the skin underneath is raw and inflamed, and pulling the crusts causes pain and bleeding. Ear mites are treated with prescription parasiticide (typically selamectin/Revolution or ivermectin drops).

Ear Cleaning

Healthy ears with normal, small amounts of light wax do not require cleaning. Attempting to clean healthy ears can introduce bacteria and damage the delicate ear canal lining.

If there is visible wax accumulation (not crusts — soft wax), the outer portion of the ear canal can be gently cleaned with a cotton pad (not a cotton bud — never insert anything into the ear canal). Apply no cleaning solutions unless prescribed by your vet.

The RabbitCare App

The RabbitCare App (free on Android) includes a health check log where you can record observations from routine eye and ear checks — noting changes, timing of onset, and progression — which makes the information much more useful when you do need to speak to a vet.

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References & Sources

1. RWAF — “Rabbit Eye and Ear Health” — rabbitwelfare.co.uk
2. Harcourt-Brown, F. (2002) — Textbook of Rabbit Medicine, Butterworth-Heinemann
3. Meredith, A. & Lord, B. (Eds.) (2014) — BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Medicine, BSAVA
4. PDSA — “Rabbit Eye Problems” — pdsa.org.uk
5. House Rabbit Society (HRS) — “Health Checks” — rabbit.org