Eye injury, cataracts, corneal ulcers, blindness in horses??

[dianneS]

I should put a flymask on her. One without ears for this time of year! And lots of soft fuzzies so that it doesn't rub her face!

 

[dianneS]

Grrrr.... just when it seemed like it was going to be all better, today her eye is swollen!

She hasn't had much discharge at all since I flushed her with saline, so I thought she was going to be fine. She doesn't have much discharge today either, but swelling for the first time. Pretty significant swelling, but no where near swollen shut.

I took her temp. She normally runs a lower temp and its a little higher than normal today, not sure if that's connected to the eye thing or not??

I called the vet, gave the report to the receptionist and she will be calling back. Don't know if the vet will be coming out to see her or not. Since she's already blind in that eye, we don't have to worry about possible blindness. But I don't want her to have something that could spread to the other eye. So far, that eye is completely fine.

I've been trying to track down some antibiotic ointment. I've checked everywhere, and no one seems to have any. Hopefully the vet will have something that I can pick up at the office. I've read bad things about steroidal anti-inflammitories?? I'll have to read up on that some more.

Fly mask is even more necessary now, we're having Indian summer here and we actually have flies again!

 

[kimmyh]

I would have the vet look at it, once that is done there is a series of they ointments you can used, and you really want to stay the course. One first, steriods once an injury is healed, never in the beginning. The picture you posted looks like an injury to me, but pictures are hard to read online, and I'm not a vet. The vet can better direct you.

 

[dianneS]

I'm really thinking that it is an injury too. Since its in her bad eye to begin with, it just makes sense that she is vulnerable to injury in that eye.

I flushed it out with more saline today while I'm waiting to hear back from the vet. My vet doesn't work today or tomorrow, but they are able to contact him. He won't be able to come out until Wednesday or later. I hope they call back soon!

I did flush some more discharge out from under her eyelid. It looks clean now, just swollen, not really red either. The swelling seems to be diminishing somewhat too.

I had a dog with a swollen eye like this. It was an injury. His sister scratched his eye. He never had any discharge though? Just minor swelling.

Still waiting for the vet...

 

[dianneS]

Vet just called. They want me to start her on meds and see how she does. If she's not better by Wednesday, the vet will come out to see her! Off to the vets office...

Antibiotic ointment and Banamine for a few days, if its not better the vet will come out. The vet thinks it sounds like an injury too.

 

[kimmyh]

Excellent.

 

[dianneS]

A few days of triple antibiotic ointment from the vet, only one dose of Banamine to reduce swelling and I would flush the eye with saline three times a day before applying antibiotic ointment.

Her eye is all better! Yay! Must have been an injury, I'm just glad its not related to her pre-exsisting condition, like her eye beginning to atrophy or something like that!

 

[ksalvagno]

That is great. I bet you are relieved.

 

[helmstead]

Yay!

I know it sounds extreme, but it's not a bad idea to have the eye permanently sewn shut or even removed. Blind eyes are MUCH more prone to injury, obviously, because they get bumped into pretty often. These days you can even have a prosthetic globe inserted under the lid after eye removal so there's not a gruesome hole left there. (that was always the grossest part!)

The shorter measure is the fly mask, always a great idea with any chronic eye issue like moonblindness or cataracts to offer a barrier. Having always been an Appy lover and owner, I'm too familiar with eye issues.

 

[dianneS]

Oh no, I couldn't have her eye sewn shut! I'll do the fly mask. She still has partial vision in that eye. I think she can see light and dark. I leave her whiskers long and of course her lashes and that helps.

I think she can see out of that eye more than she lets on. Her previous owner really babied her and never made her use that eye. Since I've been making her rely on what vision she has left in it, she is much better. Much less spooky and you'd barely know she is blind in that eye. I only have to inform visitors not to "sneak up" on her on that side.

She used to constantly tip her head to see with her good eye, now she rarely does that. She was even really stiff on her blind side too and now she's much more supple.

I think if I keep a fly mask on her when she's in the pasture with the wooded area, she'll be fine. Its her little buddy that has been luring her down into the woods! If she had lashes as long as that little mini horse, I wouldn't have to worry about her eyes at all! His eyes are beautiful with the perpetual "what?? I didn't do it!!" look in them, no matter what mischevious thing he just did! He's such a stinker, but so cute.