Conjunctivitis, I'm guessing?

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GinnyBells

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Arrived at the yard today to find that my horse's eye was swollen, oozy and covered in flies. Luckily the vet was on his way to give her injections so we told him about it, and he brought down some antibiotics, but after he saw her he didn't think they were necessary. He didnt even diagnose it. So what do I do now? I can't leave her with an oozing eye, it was so swollen it was half closed. I've put some Avon SSS around both her eyes, but don't know what else I can do?
 
The one thing that really annoys me is people not taking eyes seriously and advising tea bags!!!

However as you have had a vet check and they are not worried......erm, teabags? Apparently its really soothing and the good for bathing sore eyes.
 
I'm guessing he examined the eye then but failed to explain what he thought the cause was ? If it's swollen and oozing, I'd just bring a flask with some boiled, cooled water and clean the eye. One stroke, front to back with each piece of gauze. Alternatively, a used (cool) tea bag does the job too.
If the eye doesn't improve, get another vet.
 
poiuytrewq said:
The one thing that really annoys me is people not taking eyes seriously and advising tea bags!!!

However as you have had a vet check and they are not worried......erm, teabags? Apparently its really soothing and the good for bathing sore eyes.
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ha ha!
Just read your post about tea bags :) I agree, vet always..then tea bags :)
 
Thanks for the replies!
Yeah poiuytrewq, I searched other threads on here and saw people stressing that the OP should get a vet asap because of how sensitive eyes are and it stressed me out cause I've already had a vet and I'm in the same situation as them!
Dogatemysalad, yes he examined it but didn't tell us what it was/what caused it etc. I'll try the teabags and boiled-cooled water, thanks:)
 
I assume your vet used an opthalmascope, if not, try home made remedies then call another vet. Were you registered with this vet, , had you made a formal appointment?
 
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MrsD123 said:
I assume your vet used an opthalmascope, if not, try home made remedies then call another vet. Were you registered with this vet, , had you made a formal appointment?
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No, he just stuck his finger in her eye and said that he wasn't going to give her antibiotics. We are registered with the vet practice but not that vet in particular, there are two other vets which they send usually and they're both really professional but this man wasn't. I had made a formal appointment for the injections only.
 
poiuytrewq said:
The one thing that really annoys me is people not taking eyes seriously and advising tea bags!!!

However as you have had a vet check and they are not worried......erm, teabags? Apparently its really soothing and the good for bathing sore eyes.
Click to expand...

Tea bags are excellent for minor eye problems - just a convenient herbal remedy. They sooth and deal with minor infections.

If they don't work, they don't harm.

To prepare, sterilise the cup by rinsing with boiling water. Put two T bags in cup (one for each eye) and pour boiling water on to bags. Leave to go cold. Put in a clean container to take to horse.

Works great for humans too, I often use T bags when my eyes get a bit inflamed.
 
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dogatemysalad said:
I'm guessing he examined the eye then but failed to explain what he thought the cause was ? If it's swollen and oozing, I'd just bring a flask with some boiled, cooled water and clean the eye. One stroke, front to back with each piece of gauze. Alternatively, a used (cool) tea bag does the job too.
If the eye doesn't improve, get another vet.
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Always bath eye from the edge towards the tear duct, never the other way.
 
One day my mare had a slightly wet eye, next morning I found her in the field with half her face caked in yellow pus that had run from her eye and her eye was swollen right up. I called the vet at once and she listened a bit, then said 'it's summer, try it with some salve and ring me back in three days if it hasn't started to improve' so I went home, bought a bottle of sterile water from the chemists and boiled up some green and black teabags together. Was very depressed that the vet didn't even feel like turning up, but her eye did clear within 48 hours. Still, I know the exact feeling when a vet just shrugs at a problem, especially with sensitive parts like eyes :( I suppose it wasn't a big deal but urgh!
 
I wouldn't accept the vet's answer. Did he take any paper testing strips to her eye to test for corneal tears? Is it just one eye or both? Unacceptable, she could have a tear in her eye, which the vet would not be able to diagnose simply by looking at it.

An eye half shut isn't anything to mess around with, get a second opinion and get it fast. In the meantime I would put a fly mask on, could be something simple like an allergy, but still needs treated.
 
Am I the only one utterly baffled by a vet who can't be bothered to diagnose/advise?

I'd be furious if my vet fobbed me off like this . . . but then, he wouldn't . . . (and I don't mean to sound smug) . . .

OP, I hope your horse recovers well with no lasting damage to the eye - and, if I were you, I'd change my vet.

P
 
fattylumpkin said:
one day my mare had a slightly wet eye, next morning I found her in the field with half her face caked in yellow pus that had run from her eye and her eye was swollen right up. I called the vet at once and she listened a bit, then said 'it's summer, try it with some salve and ring me back in three days if it hasn't started to improve' so I went home, bought a bottle of sterile water from the chemists and boiled up some green and black teabags together. Was very depressed that the vet didn't even feel like turning up, but her eye did clear within 48 hours. Still, I know the exact feeling when a vet just shrugs at a problem, especially with sensitive parts like eyes :( I suppose it wasn't a big deal but urgh!
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Exactly, it might not be a serious problem from a medical point of view but its horrible for us having to see a horse we love looking obviously uncomfortable is it:(
 
isr said:
I wouldn't accept the vet's answer. Did he take any paper testing strips to her eye to test for corneal tears? Is it just one eye or both? Unacceptable, she could have a tear in her eye, which the vet would not be able to diagnose simply by looking at it.

An eye half shut isn't anything to mess around with, get a second opinion and get it fast. In the meantime I would put a fly mask on, could be something simple like an allergy, but still needs treated.
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No he didn't do anything except for stick his finger in her eye. That's not really appropriate if she had a tear is it. It's only one eye.
 
EJW said:
No he didn't do anything except for stick his finger in her eye. That's not really appropriate if she had a tear is it. It's only one eye.
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No, not appropriate, though you might be able to buy testing strips (we can in the US) yourself. But of course you still need him to give you antibiotics if its conjunctivitis (and make sure you finish the tube, as they heal quickly). Only one eye makes me think it's not allergies and maybe something more serious since it would likely be in both eyes.
 
PolarSkye, I am furious! He was more interested in knowing about the yard than the health of my horse. I've already complained to the vet practice and all I got was "oh, it isn't like him". Guess he didn't like that it was supposed to be a quick injection and I was 'wasting his time'. Thanks, I'm going to get a second opinion from a different vet practice cause this kind of service isn't okay when my horse's health is at stake.
 
EJW said:
PolarSkye, I am furious! He was more interested in knowing about the yard than the health of my horse. I've already complained to the vet practice and all I got was "oh, it isn't like him". Guess he didn't like that it was supposed to be a quick injection and I was 'wasting his time'. Thanks, I'm going to get a second opinion from a different vet practice cause this kind of service isn't okay when my horse's health is at stake.
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Good for you! Your horse is clearly in great hands with you in charge . . . I seriously hope you get to the bottom of this and your horse recovers well - please keep us posted and best of luck.

P
 
Glad you are going to seek a second opinion. I have a one eyed pony due to vet advice not being sought soon enough (not caused by me, I might add)
 
My horse seems to get a summery conjunctivitis or 'fly eye' every summer. Had some fucithalmic left over which I was using this year, it cleared up then came back. Then when I had vet out for something else he left me with some Chloramphenicol, which has cleared it up again. Would seem odd that your vet wouldn't give you something like that, thought it was a bit of a standard treatment for gunky eyes!
 
Also bemused by your vet.

One of ours got a swollen gunky eye. Got vet out pdq - it was winter so I assumed it was more than "summer eye" she tested with dye and found a scratch. I couldn't see the scratch without the dye. Straight onto ABs. Biggish vet bill but pony is fine.

Another sometimes gets gunky eyes, in summer but a fly mask helps enormously and I bathe with cold water, which does the trick.
 
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