Cataracts Found at Vetting!!

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mollymurphy

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Sorry if this should be in veterinary, but it's busier in here!

We've had a mare on loan since 1st July '06. The owner has since asked if we would like to buy her. We would! So today, the vet came out to do a vetting. We were expecting a couple of problems with her joints (she's done a lot of affiliated SJ in the past and now has windgalls, gets stiff, etc), but that was all we were expecting.

As soon as the vet looked at her eyes, she said "oh dear, we have a problem"!!! She has quite obvious (to the vet) cataracts in both eyes. The vet said there are no treatments for cataracts in horses. But i thought laser surgery was common for this prob? She said she will almost certainly end up blind, but she couldn't say how long.

She said it was most likely conjenital and not a result of uveitis, but she wasn't really sure.

Anyway, the owner of the mare is a recently qualified vet herself, so we're taking the mare to see a doctor at Leahurst next week.

I was just wondering if anyone has ever had experience of a horse with cataracts? And if so, did they treat it?

Also, has anyone ever had a blind horse?! I've known them to be blind in 1 eye, but never both.
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The mare is sooo lovely and we REALLY want to buy her, but to knowingly go into something that we know may lead to her being pts prematurely is questionable (our gelding was put to sleep last May, and we really dont want to go through that again any time soon).
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Thank you in advance.
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Lou. x
 
did have a lady along time ago on our yard that bought a horse that had failed the vet through this, she bought him purely because she knew him well and loved him( very cheap) she had 4 years of hunting and competing him, at one point the vet gave him 25% vision and couldnt believe he was still jumping and winning, he obviously really trusted her, she did have him pts a year or so after as he was then starting to bang into things
 
Firstly, I am so sorry to hear that your mare has this problem.
Secondly, if you are feeling a little guilty for not having noticed, don't, it happens an awful lot more than people realise.

Honestly? Don't buy yourself heartache.
This exact scenario happened to me last year before I moved, I had sold my arab, subject to vetting to an endurance home, he was vetted by the British National Endurance Team Vet who found that he was almost totally blind, possibly could differentiate light and dark.He suspected it may have been caused by a trauma to the head. He did say that what treatment there was available was costly and not guaranteed successful.
It did explain a few things, but the horse was such a grumpy git anyway that no-one really thought anything much of it. It would not have been fair to re-home him anywhere, so I had a fit (and otherwise healthy) 14 year old pts. It was horrendous enough having to sell him in the first place, making that last decision was not an easy one, but I am quite convinced in my own mind that it was the right one in our situation. I am completely paranoid about eyes now, and add that to the list of "must do" health checks.

Hopefully further tests will give you some good news, I sincerely hope so.

Good Luck.
 
I have no experience of horses having eye problems but have found these websites that may help. I too an paranoid about eyes having lost one myself.
Dr Knottenbelt does the cataract surgery at Leahurst. He is one of the nicest people you can meet and will do everything to help your pony
Cataract surgery

Good luck and keep us updated.

And another website with people in similar situations

Blind horses
 
Thank you all for your input. I guess i'm just hoping someone will say "oh, it's fine - it will stay like that for ever and wont progress..." Wishful thinking i suppose.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what the sugeon at Leahurst says, but i really hope it's operable. It would be such a waste. It's not about the money - we'd practically be getting a free horse anyway with the amount of stuff the owner has given us with her, and she is insured.

I hate not knowing!! If someone had a definate "yes it will progress in 'X' amount of years", or "no, it's fine", it'd make it all a hell of a lot easier!
I'd be really peed off if we said we didnt want her, she went to someone else, and nothing ever happened. Would be just our luck though!!!

Anyhoo's, enough of my moaning!

Thank you all again, and i'll keep you updated.

Fingers crossed for Leahurst next week.........

Lou. x
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have no experience of horses having eye problems but have found these websites that may help. I too an paranoid about eyes having lost one myself.
Dr Knottenbelt does the cataract surgery at Leahurst. He is one of the nicest people you can meet and will do everything to help your pony
Cataract surgery

Good luck and keep us updated.

And another website with people in similar situations

Blind horses

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you so much!

Yes, Dr Knottenbelt is the man we're going to see, so it's great to know he's nice!!!

Thank you again!

Lou. x
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I'm pretty sure my old mare has cataracts, she still seems OK at the moment and has always been a grumpy cow, but it is something I am concerned about
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Good luck with the vet, have everything crossed for you!
 
Poor you, what a difficult position to be in. My boy now 14 has just been diognosed with cateracts in both eyes, did a bit of internet searching found leahurst no do cateract opps as routine so your going to the right place.

You'll get the expert opinion but i understand there are several types (3i think) and they can be progressive and get worse or theyre just there and dont change, you might find the vet wants to monitor for a while (mine says over 6 months unless i see a change in him)

Good look, post again when youve been?
 
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