Goat Kid- Eye Injury

[Tiss]

I went out to the barn yesterday morning to find 10-day old Cara Bleu's eye black and blue and swollen. She only had it open a crack. I rinsed it with saline and weak boric acid solution. I went to the feed store yesterday afternoon and picked up some livestock eye ointment and have cleaned and treated her once last night and twice so far today.

It's quite swollen today and I can't open it enough to see if there is anything stuck in the eye. It didn't look like it yesterday. Anything else I can be doing for her?

 

[Southern by choice]

Eye injuries can be very serious.
If you have a vet I'd get him in.
Poor baby, looks awful.

 

[M.L. McKnight]

You won't like this but, I'd grab her and lift her eyelids giving that eye a good flush to make sure that there wasn't a speck or something underneath irritating it. She won't like it anymore than you will, you just have to maintain the mindset that you are helping her and that'll help you get it done.
I had this happen to a little doe of mine and I washed it out, she bawled and screamed bloody murder but in two days her eye was wide open and she did just fine. I've used a greasy cream on one of my horses before and she hated that, but it worked too.
I'm pretty sure that you could treat this yourself but if it'd make you feel better call your vet, sometimes they can give you a home remedy of their own and save you from having to pay the cost of a visit.

 

[Tiss]

Thanks, I'll try to pry it open more today. I suspect she jammed it on remnants of a little cedar tree the big girls knocked down last year. It's little stump is over by the roots the kids like to play on. Sadly, there's nobody near here that knows a thing about goats. I'd have to drive her over to Auburn U.

 

[Tiss]

Cara Bleu took a trip to Auburn U. Large Animal Teaching Hospital today. The people there are so great, I highly recommend them. The fees are reasonable too.

They sedated her to check in her eye. There was nothing stuck in it and the cornea looked fine as far as they could see with the inflammation. They gave her a shot of Dex to the eyelid as well as a systemic steroid and antibiotic.

They'd like to see her back in a few days, but prognosis looks good.

 

[M.L. McKnight]

Well that's some good news. Give her some treats to spoil her a bit and breathe a nice sigh of relief.

 

[Farmin' Girl]

Glad to hear she is doing better!