Irritated eye??

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misty'smom

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I was just bringing Misty and Josie in for the night and I always look them over and I noticed Josie had a small piece of hay sticking out of the corner of her eye. I picked it out, it wasn't really stuck in deep but it was poking her and was causing her eye to tear. She had a small amount of pus in the corner of her eye and on her eye lashes. I wiped her eye with a moistened tissue. She just shut her eye and let me wipe, I think it felt good because her eye was irritated. She was acting fine, actually quite spunky tonight running and playing!! She ate her grain and then dove into her hay!! I thought it best not to mess too much with it tonight let nature take it's course with self cleansing. But I want to be prepared if it should still look irritated in the morning..... Is there a type of eye wash I can get especially made for horses? Should I try to treat first before I call the vet out?? I have treated my dogs for minor eye irritations over the years but never treated one of my horses!!
 
See my topic about my horse's eye. If it is still swollen in the morning, call the vet. If there is a piece of something embedded in the eye, it won't wash out.

The vet plucked a piece of hay out of my horse's eye. Once the eye swells, it's really difficult for an embedded object to flush out. Now I'm dealing with a corneal ulcer.

I've had another horse with a wheat beard embedded in his eye. I tried for a couple of days to flush it. Called the vet. We just escaped an ulcer. The barb of the wheat beard was the problem.
 
Eye injuries are no joke. A simple abrasion can lead to a corneal ulcer as Marsha said. Ulcers are not easy to treat and they are very uncomfortable for your horse. Any time you see debris or discharge in the eye, flush it out with saline and watch it closely. If tearing or discharge continues, call the vet out to check the eye with fluroscent dye to look for abrasions.
 
I don't wait long and eye issues are one of those things that I call the vet sooner rather than later. One time I had an eye issue I was thinking of giving a try treating, but I called the vet to ask what I could try myself. She said " I better come out". I said ok, but spent the better part of the day kicking myself about how much it was going to cost. The vet came and I am so glad she did, because we had the start of a corneal ulcer starting. It took up dye like crazy when she stained it. She also used the eye scope and said that the pupil was slammed shut (I think that is what she said) and that I need to be very diligent on treatment because eye issues can go south very quickly. I am so glad I didn't attempt to treat by myself. I may do one cleaning and put in a little non steroid eye ointment, but if a few hours later the horse is squinting or I think around the eye looks swollen, I call the vet. I don't want a horse of mine blinded by me trying to do self treatment. If I see yellow or green discharge, swelling, excessive tearing or squinting, I call the vet.

best wishes.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As others have stated eye issues do not wait. To your eye her eye may appear fine but in reality may have something wrong and the vet can stain the eye to make sure the eye is fine. I always keep saline solution on hand to flush the eye.
 
So sorry I did not give an update........Josie's eye was better the next morning only a little watery. It looked back to normal the following day! Thank you for the advice, at least know I know what some of you have experienced. If I run into anything again that appears to not clear up I will defiantly call my vet, although I hope that never happens!!! It just looked so uncomfortable when she had the peice of hay stuck in the corner of her eye!!! I am so glad I have gotten into the habit of grooming and checking them over once the are in for the night. If not she may have had a serious problem/ infection by morning.

Thank you again I take comfort in knowing I can always come here and get great advice and info from all you mini experts!!!!!!
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