Foal with enlarged pupil

[Letsdunit]

I had an option on a foal that is 600km away from my barn. She was checked over by the vet so she could be transported next month.

But the vetenarian said she had got enlarged pupils on both eyes. She could also see a change in the background of the eye.

To do more tests she would have to go to a special clinic. According to the breeder she has a good eye sight right now but the vetenary could not quarantee that she will be okay or even in future go blind.

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with eye problems ?

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

I had an option on a foal that is 600km away from my barn. She was checked over by the vet so she could be transported next month.

But the vetenarian said she had got enlarged pupils on both eyes. She could also see a change in the background of the eye.

To do more tests she would have to go to a special clinic. According to the breeder she has a good eye sight right now but the vetenary could not quarantee that she will be okay or even in future go blind.

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with eye problems ?

I assume this was a prepurchase exam that you paid for, if so then call the Vet and talk to them.

If, instead, this is a situation where a prepurchase was not done, but the sellers regular Vet was asked to 'just check the horse out'. Then understand that the seller paid the Vet and the Vet doesn't want to get in between the 2 of you. Rather a 3rd impartial Vet should be used, which is what the Vet apparently suggested. An exam by a Vet Ophthalmologist should be enough to diagnose the problem and the cost is probably <$250. Money well spent in my mind.

BTW, yes, both congenital and hereditary blindnesses do occur in horses. I would be cautious.

Dr Taylor

 

[kaykay]

Sounds a bit like ASD but you for sure need to get another opinion. Is the horse carrying the silver gene by chance? I know Lewella disagrees but I have only seen it in miniatures that are heavily silver dapple bred.

 

[funnyfarmnorth]

What is ASD?

 

[kaykay]

There is a lot of debate over whether it is link to silver (found a lot in rocky mountain horses that have a lot of silver genes)

ASD is Anterior Segment Dysgenesis

This link has some really good pictures of what it looks like. Once you see it you never forget it. Its so strange as its like you can look straight through their eye.

ASD article

 

[Minimor]

Unfortunately some people make it sound as though all silver horses will carry ASD--and therefore breeding silver to silver will cause ASD to show up. I've heard this many times in the 10 years I've had Minis. I don't believe this at all.

There is no evidence that all silver horses carry ASD, and therefore there is no evidence that breeding silver to silver will cause ASD. If ASD is carried only by silver horses, that does NOT mean that all silvers carry ASD. I just like to clarify that...

I thought that the latest research has shown that the eye problem seen in some Miniatures is not actually ASD, but something else? I never can remember what that other condition is though.

 

[Genie]

moon blindness???or is that something else again?

 

[kaykay]

Like I said there is a lot of debate but all I know is every mini I have seen with it was silver dapple. I have personally seen 4 minis with it. And to clarify -- the one that I got to see a pedigree on was from several generations of silver dapples on both sides of the pedigree.

I do NOT think all silver horses are carriers for ASD

I guess it could be a coincidence? For sure I am not a geneticist.

Moon blindness is different

 

[Letsdunit]

Yes she is a Silver ! I got some pictures from her eyes but all I can see is that they have a greyish look.

I will have a look at the article, thanks for that.

 

[Riverrose28]

I can only tell you from personal experience, here goes. Get another vet to exam the horse, one that is impartial, not the owners vet. My husband bought a so called show colt from a show barn, when the colt came to us he was not acclimating and acting very head shy. I noticed one of his eyes had a blue tint and a bridge over the retina. I had the vet out, we treated the eye with antibiotic ointment and a dialater, but eye did not improve. After a more extensive exam it was proven that the colt was blind in that eye and could not be shown as a colt. I made an appointment to have the colt gelded. It took five of us to hold him to sedate, this guy is crazy, I can't brush him, trim his feet without a tranquilizer, can't worm him with out putting it in his feed. Vet was back out and said he must have suffered a birth injury. Oh well we are taking a lose and having him put down this fall, as I can't feed him for another winter and I can't pass on this crazy horse. I've offered him for free to several people for a companion animal, but I've been honest, he will run through fences, kick at other horses, he will rear up and attack any human that tries to do something he doesn't want you to do, in a nut shell I wish hubby had not spent the money on this horse. My advice to you is as stated above, get another vet to examine the horse or look for another horse. You don't need a crazy one like I have, and beleive me I have several blind horses that are sane, but since you havn't bought this one yet I would avoid it.

 

[Minimor]

A greyish tint to the eye and an enlarged (dilated?) pupil could also mean glaucoma I think--it's rare in horses but can happen.

If this vet was doing to exam on your request than he/she should be able to answer any of your questions--though I don't think it sounds like this vet is refusing to answer your questions, he/she just doesn't have more details to give you. A problem has been detected, but no definite diagnosis was made? I presume a definite diagonsis would require further testing and more $$$.

If it were me I would say sorry, but I cannot buy this colt since this problem has been detected. I wouldn't put the extra money into a diagnosis on a horse I don't own--easier & cheaper to buy a different one.

If you've already bought this colt & the vet checked him only for the purpose of doing health papers then it is a different matter--hopefully the breeder/seller will refund your money if that is your wish. Some would give you a refund; others would likely say sorry, you bought the foal without asking for a prepurchase exam, that is your problem, the foal was sold as is. This will have to be something decided between you and the seller. How sad that this foal has this problem.

 

[Letsdunit]

I have let the breeder known that I will not buy the filly. She was very understanding and will keep the filly on her farm and see what happens in de future. I think it is the best decision for the filly also.

Her vet simply could nog give me more information because she was not an eye specialist, these people were more than happy to help.