Bloodshot eyes??

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Overgrown Pony

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Hi guys

A friend of mine bought a youngster around 3 months ago. It's an apaloosa (spelling?) colt. Since he's had him he's had bloodshot eyes. The vet is stumped...

He's living out 24/7. It's been the same when he was stabled in the winter as it is now that he's out in the warmer weather.

Any ideas?
 
Hi Scotsmare

Yes he's been like that since they got him about 3 months ago. They thought it may be the hay/straw but it's the same now that he's out 24/7. There is nothing else that may suggest it's an allergy (i.e. sneezing, running nose, scratching...). He's otherwise in perfect health.

Kim x
 
My little appaloosa colt has also got bloodshot eyes! hes perfectly normal!! no third eyelid nothing in great health! and full of life!! i thought it could of been dust seeds from hay but no! sometimes you look at them they are normal next second they look really red!!

Its very strange!!
confused.gif
 
Hi 1Kimmy. I wouldn't be happy with bloodshot eyes at all, unless maybe the colt is a true albino that has no pigment at all in his irises and is struggling with daylight. Bloodshot = the body's response to a perceived attack so bloodshot eyes after standing at a bonfire party all evening (or a smoky pub!) is smoke damage to the sensitive membranes covering the eye. A puffy, red finger after you've accidentally smashed it with a hammer ... etc etc etc. We all know this stuff. So, the question for the vets is what - if anything - is the perceived attack on the colt's eyes? Not sure how old the youngster is but unlikely to be a newborn so trauma associated with the birth is unlikely. But it could be ingrowing eyelashes. Or lack of tear production or poor tear drainage. It could be a problem with pressure INSIDE the eye (like glaucoma in humans) or uveitis (moon blindness). It could be superficial keratitis which is an inflammation of the membrane covering the eye or even an autoimmune disease where the body THINKS there is some sort of infection going on (which there may have been at some point) but in fact there is nothing there any longer. But the body starts to attack it's own eye tissue. None of these things are good news. I'm guessing that the vets have put fluoroscene in the eye to check for ulcers. This should also have shown if the tear ducts are patent. TBH - because eyes are so fragile and so precious - I'd ask for a referral to a specialist horse eye vet and get it resolved before it gets worse. Even if it just turns out that wee ned is allergic to something, your friend will at least know how to help her boy. I bought my veteran with 2 gungy eyes that his previous owners had done nothing about for years and years. They said oh we just bathe in cold tea every so often (yeah, like once a year) - he's fine...it's nothing. Despite having his eyes checked by my local vet immediately I bought him, within 3 weeks he developed superficial keratitis (a terrible eye problem) and after a 6 month battle to save it, his eye was removed 2 years ago. I have nightmares about the other eye going the same way. Please let us know how ned does - hope this has been of some help. PM me if I can help further. Depending on where you are in the UK, I can give you the contact details for a truly superb specialist equine clinic in Gloucs x
 
Can you post a picture? Would be interested to see. As Box of Frogs says, do tell her to take it further with vet just in case it is serious.

Does he have normal brown eyes, with bloodshot whites, or is he blue-eyed/wall-eyed? I have a cremello with blue eyes, you can certainly see veins round the edge, but I wouldn't say they were bloodshot.
 
Guys

Thanks so much for the info. I've emailed all your replies to him. We're down in Aberdeen so he's going to call in the horse specialist vets here.

Cheers

Kim x
 
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