Dacryocystitis – Rabbit

Description

Dacryocystitis is one of the most common conditions encountered in practice and can be one of the most difficult to treat due to the persistence of the organism involved and the tendency of the condition to recur. It is very important to examine the teeth and both nasolacrimal ducts of every rabbit irrespective of the reason for which the animal is presented for clinical examination.

Clinical Signs

Clinical signs of dacryocystitis include a milky discolouration of the precorneal tear film, epiphora, crust formation along the affected eyelid margins and a caseous discharge from the nostril. The condition can be unilateral or bilateral. The clinician may have to apply digital pressure on the lacrimal sac to observe a milky discharge from the lacrimal punctum. Keratitis and conjunctivitis are sometimes observed. A white crust on medial canthus is a frequent early clinical sign.

Aetiology

The prime agent of aetiological significance is dental malocclusion. The constant growth of the teeth combined with the low bone density of the rabbit skull results in the migration of the roots of the teeth leading to:

1. Occlusion of the naso-lacrimal duct by the roots of the incisors (welling of the milky discharge up the lacrimal apparatus results in epiphora).
2. Invasion of the eye socket by the roots of the molars leading to retrobulbar infection, buphthalmos or simply ocular irritation and epiphora.