Case Studies

Smudge has a very itchy skin with severe dandruff along her spine and also suffers periodically from wet-eye. Wet-eye is a condition in rabbits which results from overactive or blocked tear ducts. They exude a clear fluid and when secondary bacterial infection occurs, a milky discharge is evident. If left untreated the fur around the eye is permanently wet, and the area becomes sore and often bald. Smudge had begun to exude a cloudy liquid so the Vet' gave his permission for the use of essential oils to treat the condition.

Sandalwood was offered to Smudge for its healing properties to the skin and also for its powerful but gentle effect for the treatment of infected eyes. She also had an interest in sea buckthorn but this only lasted for a day. Although Smudge only showed a moderate interest in the sandalwood, she maintained that interest for a about a week and a half. Each day after the oil was offered, three drops were put into a 200ml bowl of boiled water. When this had cooled, cotton wool was soaked in it and then wiped over the eyes. Each eye was wiped three to four times from the top to the bottom corner; after each wipe the cotton wool was discarded to prevent infection being returned to the eye.

The discharge stopped after four days, but it took about a week for the sore area around the eye to return to normal. In the four months since the treatment was given, the wet-eye has not returned, whereas before Smudge was suffering from this affliction every three to four weeks. She also stopped scratching herself soon after the treatment had begun.