Cloudy Blue Eye

[Charlie Horse Acres]

I just bought this little A size mare a couple of weeks ago. Sunday I noticed that she had the start of cloudy blue coming in her eye. My experience with quarter horses is once you see that it never goes away and eventually will encompass the entire eye and the horse looses the sight in that eye. I was looking at it again on Tuesday and the Blue was gone??? I have never seen a horse start to cloud up then it just goes away. I have not checked her yet today as I have not made it home yet but has anyone ever seen that before? Do I assume it will come back? Is there something else going on that I am not familiar with? Is this a mini thing? There was absolutely no damage around the eye but her eye was watering a bit. She is stalled so she could not have been kicked because she is not with other horses but she does like to stick her head through the bars and of course if she gets surprised she will jerk her head back as she is still getting used to her new home. I orginally assumed she damaged it that way or already had damaged it before I got her and it was just slowly spreading and I had not noticed. She was in a pasture with a full size horse when I bought her. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I will also check tonight and see if there are any new signs.

I am adding her pic just also to say HEY I got a new horse!!!

But I have no pics of her eye with the clouding.

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She is normally darker but I had JUST shaved her. My FIRST buckskin!!! No one told me they are light when you first shave them!!! Glad I found out BEFORE I went to pinto world!!!

Thanks!!

 

[albahurst]

Please consider checking with a vet or equine opthalmologist. Someone needs to check the pressure in your horse's eye, along with a thorough eye exam. (JMO from experience)

Good luck-

Peggy

 

[dgrminis]

I have had that happen before and the horse ended up having an ulcer in the eye -- the vet thought the wind had possibly blown something into his eye which scratched it or inflamed it and caused the ulcer but the blue color appeard and then disappeared and then reappeared and stayed until it was treated for several days and then it cleared up

Good Luck...

 

[Charlie Horse Acres]

I checked last night and it is there again. My son says I am blind and it never went away. (He is probably right, I don't always go out to the barn with my glasses on because they fog up on me.) The vet is coming to get her coggins and I was having him take a look at the eye anyways. Keep your fingures crossed that it is not serious. I bought her specificly for my son to show at world in June because this is his last year as a JR and the mare he shows was pregnant. It was a quicky thing but I would hate for it to all fall through. He is moving to TX at the end of the summer so this was our last hurrah together.

 

[Flaxenacres]

Dont wait around get the vet to check her if it isnt to bad meds. can heal it to normal! Lorie

 

[lilmiraclesfarm]

Deffinently get that check out. I just had to put one of my geldings down becuase of an ulcer that got out of control too quickly. It was starting to look better and so I went on vacation. Left someone in charge of the medication. Came back and it was worse. Ended up having to put him down. There was a 50/50 chance of the fungus/infection spreading to his brain and we would of had to put him down anyways.

 

[Charlie Horse Acres]

The vet looked at her Saturday. He said that at some time in her past she had an ulcuer that is not currently active and this is the scar tissue from it. He said she looks real good and just to watch it and let him know if there are any changes. Got her shots and coggins so we will be ready to go for Pinto World.

YEAH!!!

Now can someone tell me what causes this and should this keep me from breeding her?

Thanks

 

[Sillylil'filly]

The vet looked at her Saturday. He said that at some time in her past she had an ulcuer that is not currently active and this is the scar tissue from it. He said she looks real good and just to watch it and let him know if there are any changes. Got her shots and coggins so we will be ready to go for Pinto World.

YEAH!!!

Now can someone tell me what causes this and should this keep me from breeding her?

Thanks

Ulcerations in the eye are not genetic. They are just small lesions that are caused by a trauma to the cornea (the 'skin' on the eye) It is just like a scratch and can heal to normal! This is GREAT news! Good to hear it wasn't something more serious!!!

 

[Charlie Horse Acres]

She must have really got hurt at some point to leave so much scaring in the eye but there are absolutely no visible scars on her head or around the eye. She did loose her front tooth when she was young from being kicked in the mouth and surprisingly there are no visible scars from that either. I was also surprised that the vet could look at it and dismiss it so quickly. He seemed really sure of himself so I hope he was right. (not my normal vet but in the same clinic, mine was out that day) I have a friend that shows with us I will be seeing in less than two weeks. I will have her look at it also. (second opinion can't hurt)

 

[albahurst]

Did your vet stain the eye for the exam or just look at it with his bare eyes? A stain with a strong pinlight is used to check for eye problems. Has anyone tested the pressure in your horse's eye? I would be really concerned if the eye has a blue tint. I would certainly seek out another opinion asap!

Just speaking from experience here.

Also, there is a really good article on Equine Eye Issues in the Oct/Nov 2005 issue of Miniature Horse World. It is entitled Equine Opthalmology for Horse Owners. Starts on pg 55.

Time is a very important factor in treating eye issues.

Good luck-

Peggy