Medirabbit

Differential diagnosis for corneal ulcers in rabbits

Left: Rabbit eye with a corneal ulcer as seen with normal light

Right: Same eye, seen with black light (Wood's light), after application of the fluorescein dye.

Differential diagnosis

Traumatic causes:	Bedding, e.g. straw dust in the eye
	Fighting
	Excessive rubbing

Viral causes:

Secondary to bacterial causes:	Presence of bacteria
	Blepharoconjunctivitis, or an inflammatory infection of the eyelash and oil glands of the eyelids, accompanied by the inflammation of the membrane covering the surface of the eyeball. This disease can related to the presence of bacteria or viruses (e.g. Mixoma virus).
	Chronic inflammation of the naso-lacrimal duct, in that case, the ulcers are typically ventral or superficial.

Eyelid disease:	Entropion, or edge of the eyelid that turns inward toward the eye.
	Distichiasis, or abnormal growth of an eyelash from the meibomian glands along the eyelid margin.
	Trichiasis (acquired condition in which the eyelashes are misdirected and grow inwards towards the globe).
	Crenated eyelid