nasolacrimal duct opening

Re: nasolacrimal duct opening

Alan Tevendale — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:05:58 GMT

My experience of these tends to indicate that epiphora usually indicates an underlying dental problem. Although not always easy to convince clients that this may be the case. I try to point out to them how much the procedure will cost vs how much it will cost if more hospitalisation and nursing care if required.

I also try to point out to them that it is almost impossible to perform a proper dental examination on a concious rabbit.

I agree that this is likely not just a cosmetic problem.

Re: nasolacrimal duct opening

Mark Holmes — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:16:48 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Chilton"]

Sitting on the table so head held normally- which normally produces the fluid to exit the nose in my experience.

Dacryocystography sounds great fun, I would love to do that but can you justify the cost to the owner when the rabbit is fine clinically except for unilateral epiphora, which is only a cosmetic problem?

[/quote] Simple a rabbit shouldn't have unilateral epiphora. It is very likely to indicate the start of chronic problems which are the most common cause of malaise morbidity and ill health in rabbits. It's not just cosmetic it may be the reaper knocking at the door. (or the black rabbit if you like watership down)

Re: nasolacrimal duct opening

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:33:32 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Chilton"]Dacryocystography sounds great fun, I would love to do that but can you justify the cost to the owner when the rabbit is fine clinically except for unilateral epiphora, which is only a cosmetic problem? [/quote]

As has been said, tear duct issues and resulting epiphora can (and usually is) an early warning sign for dental issues. Checking out why this is happening, and if necessary treating dental disease early, may save them a lot of money in the long term!

Re: nasolacrimal duct opening

Richard Fox — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:35:01 GMT

Only a suggestion - but unless it has dental disease or chronic infection etc not worth it :) Sorry didn't know the context the flush was undertaken.

Re: nasolacrimal duct opening

HMC — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:20:03 GMT

Sitting on the table so head held normally- which normally produces the fluid to exit the nose in my experience.

Re: nasolacrimal duct opening

Richard Fox — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:01:49 GMT

Silly question but Head down or up - as if the head is up it will of course run into the nasopharynx? if not then it maybe worth performing dacryocystography?If you get bulging of the globe then the duct has ruptured and the saline has leaked into the retrobulbar space?

This is an excerpt from Rabbit medicine abou the anatomy but I have found no mention of alternative anatomy?

"The nasolacrimal duct exits the lacrimal sac via a small hole (lacrimal foramen) in the lacrimal bone into the maxilla where the duct is encased in the bony lacrimal canal and runs rostroventrally and medially until it comes to the root of the primary maxillary incisor. Here it makes an abrupt mediodorsal bend and becomes smaller in diameter (decreases from around 2 mm to 1 mm). The duct is compressed between the nasal cartilage and the alveolar bone that surrounds the root of the primary maxillary incisor and so it can easily be occluded at this point if the root of the incisor becomes elongated. The duct then runs medially alongside the incisor tooth root, emerging at the ventromedial aspect of the alar fold in the nasal cavity just inside the mucocutaneous junction."