A trip to the eye hospital reveals hidden ulcer

[Reacher]

In case this is interesting/ helpful to anyone, a couple of days ago I took Retired Mare to the eye hospital.

She had surgery a few years ago for non healing ulcers in the same eye and recently has been having symptoms (slightly dribbly eye, not as wide open compared to the other eye).

She has been examined by the local vet a few times and not much wrong found and given a few courses of drops. The last examination was on Monday, staining drops showed up hardly anything. I opted for referral rather than more courses of drops.

At the hospital the vet examined her for a good hour, then came outside to speak to me and said he hadn’t really found anything, the stain wasn’t showing up anything. He wanted to check he was looking at the correct eye.

He went back and came out an hour later saying he finally spotted a pinprick of staining and while investigating a layer of healthy tissue came away revealing a huge ulcer underneath (showed me the photo).

I had the option of more drops etc but as we haven’t had much success with them in the past I opted for surgery to remove the ulcer back to healthy tissue.

It brought home to me how a big problem can be invisible/ not showing much in the way of symptoms and be put down to flies etc , and be difficult to detect by a vet or even a specialist.

She wasn’t allowed hay in the trailer so by the time we got home she was furious, ravenous and very sorry for herself!

She has a tube fitted to make inserting her drops less traumatic .
She is wearing a fly mask day and night to protect the tube (and has an eye patch to keep off the glare during the day).

Specialist also mentioned she has a cyst in the “good” eye though this does not appear to be causing issues with sight or head shaking so is being left untreated.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Gosh. Well done you for getting her referred. That's very interesting.

I hope that she heals quickly and well.

Lol at her being cross at being deprived of hay on the way home in the trailer - my IDx knocks seven bells out of the trailer if for some veterinary reason she is not allowed a hay net when travelling home !

 

[Reacher]

Gosh. Well done you for getting her referred. That's very interesting.

I hope that she heals quickly and well.

Lol at her being cross at being deprived of hay on the way home in the trailer - my IDx knocks seven bells out of the trailer if for some veterinary reason she is not allowed a hay net when travelling home !

Thanks TP.
Hopefully now it will heal properly.

Vet was disappointed that the ulcer breached the scar tissue from the previous op - normally it acts as a barrier to the ulcer spreading. Apparently more scar tissue is best hope of preventing future recurrence.

Yes, hell hath no fury like a sore and hungry horse!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Well done in being dogged and getting the referral, hope she heals well x

 

[Reacher]

Well done in being dogged and getting the referral, hope she heals well x

Thanks TFF

Looking for treats (essential for speedy healing!)

 

[Tiddlypom]

Was this a specialist veterinary eye hospital? Not an eye specialist based at a horsepital?

As in, I've not heard of a veterinary eye hospital.

 

[TPO]

Wishing her a speedy recovery. I hope that you're going OK too, you've been through the mill recently x

 

[Reacher]

Was this a specialist veterinary eye hospital? Not an eye specialist based at a horsepital?

As in, I've not heard of a veterinary eye hospital.

Specialist veterinary eye hospital- Veterinary Vision. There seem to be 3 in northern England and 1 in Scotland

Ophthalmology referral service for the treatment of ocular disease

Veterinary Vision offers a dedicated ophthalmology referral service for cases referred throughout the UK, with three sites in Charnock, Penrith and Sunderland.

www.veterinaryvision.co.uk

 

[Reacher]

Wishing her a speedy recovery. I hope that you're going OK too, you've been through the mill recently x

Thanks TPO (nothing compared to what you have been through! X)

 

[DabDab]

That's interesting (if a little traumatic), well done on getting her referred and a procedure to give her the best chance. Will she go back to hospital to have the tube removed in time, or can it be done at the yard/local vets?

Sending vibes for a speedy recovery x

 

[Reacher]

That's interesting (if a little traumatic), well done on getting her referred and a procedure to give her the best chance. Will she go back to hospital to have the tube removed in time, or can it be done at the yard/local vets?

Sending vibes for a speedy recovery x

Thanks DabDab x
- I’m hoping it can be removed by the local vets - I’m to ring the eye hospital after a week and update them, then I think they want the local vet to check her progress and hopefully remove tube.

It’s a bit of a drive for us (1 hour 45 min - though half as far as to a university horsepital which I guess is one reason local vet refers there)

 

[Reacher]

Update… I’m finding it a bit tricky with the eye drops. You are meant to extract 0.2 ml using the syringe (and needle) in photo. First I struggle to get any into the syringe - I have been jabbing a hole in the bottle as going in through the top of the bottle, the needle isn’t reaching the liquid. These bottles must be only a quarter full.

I seemed to use up the first bottle in less than 3 day’s applications (3 doses per day). But if it is a 5 ml bottle it should last 25 applications .

I’ve been trying to draw the liquid up to the 0.2 line in the photo (yellow arrow). This seems like a large volume compared to the couple of drops applied direct to the eye?

I’m going to ring the horsepital later - they said there would be someone available at all times

 

[Tiddlypom]

I wonder if the needles supplied are simply not long enough? I hope that someone at the hospital can troubleshoot your issue and put you on the right track. You could pick up different needles from your local vets or maybe a human pharmacy.

It must be very worrying for you. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Reacher]

I wonder if the needles supplied are simply not long enough? I hope that someone at the hospital can troubleshoot your issue and put you on the right track. You could pick up different needles from your local vets or maybe a human pharmacy.

It must be very worrying for you. Let us know how you get on.

Even with the atrophine vials which are transparent I’m struggling to suck up the liquid. I’ve tried a new syringe. (I’ve been provided with 10 syringes but only 3 needles!)

 

[Tiddlypom]

How frustrating. Needles too thin a bore to pick up a viscous liquid?
Hope it gets sorted soon.

 

[misst]

Try injecting some air in before you withdraw eg 0.5 of air then turn the bottle upside down to put all available liquid at/in the lid. Then you should get some. increasing the pressure inside the bottle makes it easier to draw up.

 

[Redders]

You can sometimes take the dropper off the bottle so you can see in, or yes, turn the bottle upside down to draw up. It might be a higher volume in order to make it through the tube after flushing, to ensure enough makes it to the eye and doesn’t flush out? But also when aggressively treating eyes, I’ve been advised by specialists to flood the eye with the drops, so could be that too. Fingers crossed for speedy resolution!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Double check with vet asap, I'm pretty sure the amount would be to the 2nd line in from top, which would work out at 25 doses to the bottle.

 

[Reacher]

thanks everyone - spoken to the on call vet - told to take the top off the bottle as @Redders said - the syringe then fits into the bottle.

It is the 0,2 mark on the syringe. Maybe I’ve spilled some of the first bottle.

It looks like I probably damaged the needle as with a new needle it is drawing a lot better. Have practiced with a teaspoon of water!

 

[ester]

yup I was gong to say that's not a bottle top to go through.

Thanks for posting, definitely an interesting case!

 

[Reacher]

S

yup I was gong to say that's not a bottle top to go through.

Thanks for posting, definitely an interesting case!

Sorry I meant take off the dropper. Have to admit I didn’t realise it could be removed.

Retired Mare seems more cheerful in herself. Amusingly, the referring vet, the on-call vet and retired mare herself all have the same first name

 

[ycbm]

You did so well to realise this needed a referral. I hope it all heals up ok.
.

 

[SEL]

Oh that's interesting - I've been convinced for years my Appy doesn't have full vision in one eye and it does sound like it's completely possible a normal vet could have missed something. Well done for persevering. I had no idea horses had specialist eye hospitals

 

[Reacher]

You did so well to realise this needed a referral. I hope it all heals up ok.
.

That’s very kind, I’d had the experience from 2019 of her recurrent / non healing ulcer so I had a feeling a trip to the eye horsepital was imminent .

I asked specialist if anything can be done to minimise the risk of recurrence in the future but apparently not, it’s just a weakness.

Oh that's interesting - I've been convinced for years my Appy doesn't have full vision in one eye and it does sound like it's completely possible a normal vet could have missed something. Well done for persevering. I had no idea horses had specialist eye hospitals

Thanks , there are only 4 of this particular company (veterinary vision) (according to their website) but possibly other companies exist.
Actually they do small animals too, not just horses.

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes , which are appreciated.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks , there are only 4 of this particular company (veterinary vision) (according to their website) but possibly other companies exist.
Actually they do small animals too, not just horses.

Having said earlier that I didn't realise that there were specialist eye hospitals, I now recall that Hovis was treated at one - a branch of veterinary vision.

Cataracts: Hovis' story, plus all you need to know about the condition

Find out how to spot if your horse has cataracts, as well as how they can be treated, plus methods of prevention.

www.yourhorse.co.uk

 

[twofatladies88]

That looks painful- hope it heals soon.

 

[Reacher]

Having said earlier that I didn't realise that there were specialist eye hospitals, I now recall that Hovis was treated at one - a branch of veterinary vision.

Cataracts: Hovis' story, plus all you need to know about the condition

Find out how to spot if your horse has cataracts, as well as how they can be treated, plus methods of prevention.

www.yourhorse.co.uk

That’s interesting .
(I’ve a relative who has just had a cataract op and is thrilled with it - vision is better than it ever was and no longer needs glasses for distance !)

 

[ycbm]

That’s interesting .
(I’ve a relative who has just had a cataract op and is thrilled with it - vision is better than it ever was and no longer needs glasses for distance !)

My eyes were done in my fifties, we have a family trait for early cataracts. I still remember seeing the colours properly for the first time, it was almost miraculous. It was a huge bonus to have corrected vision as well.
.

 

[Reacher]

My eyes were done in my fifties, we have a family trait for early cataracts. I still remember seeing the colours properly for the first time, it was almost miraculous. It was a huge bonus to have corrected vision as well.
.

Did the colours stay vivid or did the brain mute them down after a while?

 

[ycbm]

Did the colours stay vivid or did the brain mute them down after a while?

Sadly my brain muted them within days but I still remember the moment I saw in full colour again.
.