Blocked tear ducts

[Pilib]

My horse has a blocked tear duct the vet has been out and said it can be unblocked using a small catheter but it is likely to block again.

The vet said sometimes they unblock themselves and advised to see how it goes and just keep wiping the area. I also use a bit of oil around the eye to stop the tears from going crusty and taking the hair off.

I turn out in a fly mask so no worries about flys being attracted to the area.

Has anyone any experience of blocked tear ducts, did you have them unblocked? Did they block again?

Thanks in advance.

Pilib X

 

[JenHunt]

Ron has one that is blocked. It was worse in the winter (the wind i guess). I just do as you are already, wipe it regularly, and use a bit of cream to stop it getting sore. Aloe vera gel is great, and I'm told it can help the duct to unblock itself, but I've not seen that yet.

my instructor said that you can massage the area gently with your fingers and that might help break up the blockage so that it clears. I've not tried it yet as Ron was being too silly last night about everything!

 

[Alibear]

Wind can cause this with mine so on windy days he wears his fly mask.
Before I discovered mask his ducts did get blocked and I had them flushed out, no re-occurrences since.

 

[cronkmooar]

I have recently lost an old mare that had a blocked duct.

My vet recommended to do nothing unless she developed reoccuring infection.

She had the blocked duct for approx 7/8 years and never developed an infection. I used to wipe with damp cotton wool as and when necessary and use a mask in summer when needed.

Ditto worse in winter with wind

 

[Kenzo]

Iused the wipes from Gold Label, ''Non-sting isotonic formulation with Witch Hazel and normal Saline''

I used my own saline soloution to dampen the wipes even more, so they were wetter, to flush over the eye twice a day, cleared up lovely.

 

[wilsha]

how do you know if your horses tear ducts are blocked?

 

[shellonabeach]

Ross gets mucky eyes, esp in the summer with the flies. Vet flushed his tear ducts about 4 years ago when he came to do routine jabs, he was done without sedation and was very good about the whole thing! He had anti-biotic eye ointment for a week after.

TBH the mucky eyes were back the next summer and come back every summer, I clean his eyes with damp cotton wool and keep a fly mask on him pretty much 24/7. They are never really bad and don't cause him any problems I haven't had them flushed again and won't unless they look infected.