Corneal Ulcer

[SH21]

Hi, my pony is suffering with a corneal Ulcer. I’m really concerned as the vet has advised having her eye removed however I have chosen to try eye drops to see if the infection will clear up its self first. She is currently avoiding sunlight by being kept in a dark stable. Just wondering if anyone has had a similar situation and how it was treated or turned out? Thank you.

 

[meleeka]

I have with my dog, numerous times. They’ve always cleared up with antibiotic drops (I think she had steroid drops once too) but it’s not quick. Fingers crossed for your girl x

 

[fiestiemaestie]

There are definite steps that can be taken between just drops and enucleation. Has it been swabbed? Do you know what’s causing it. Also systemic pain relief is really important. The vets can put in lava he systems to help put drops in very frequently. Definitely keep in the box as dark is less painful and also less chance of reinjuring.

 

[[139672]]

My Fell developed an ulcer. After two years of treatment and drops it didn’t clear up, the ulcer got really bad when we had hot dry weather and vet thinks the dust damaged the ulcer. He was in so much pain so his eye was removed. About a year after the eye being removed he developed an ulcer in his other eye which was terrifying. I treated this by keeping him in his stable (I made a top door with metal wire so he could see out but not put his head over the door, eye drops and I also used ice cubes in a t towel to hold over his closed eye lids to soothe it, as it was very swollen. I used to take him out to hand graze at about 9pm at night for an hour, when it was dark enough as mid summer. Vet came back about 5 days later and the ulcer had disappeared. The vet couldn’t believe it. I had an eye ulcer once, after stabbing myself with a mascara brush. It was painful and really painful in daylight, let alone sunlight. I hope your pony recovers well. What happened with my Pony is pretty rare. Vet said his immune system stopped the ulcer from healing but thankfully the other ulcer cleared up really quickly. I’d try the ice I do think that helped. Xx

 

[Amirah]

There is an eru group on fb that you would most likely be allowed to join with an ulcer, lots of ulcer info on there. I would put a mask on her (guardian masks are really good, also Howard Harrison do high uv blocking masks). Feel free to inbox me even if it's just for a moan, I've been playing 'save the eye' since December and it is so stressful.

 

[cowgirl16]

My old boy got one of these years back - never did find out how - Vet thought he may have got jabbed by a twig or something. Anyway, he was treated with drops, and I put a mask on him as he lived out and couldn't be stabled. The condition completely cleared up, but took a while. Hope your pony recovers ok.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Removal seems really drastic, how long as she had it and what treatment have you tried so far?
As above I’ve known quite a few and all healed well with no further problems just with eye drops

 

[Pearlsasinger]

My Draft mare developed a corneal ulcer, vet came out, thought she had poked herself in the eye on a nettle stalk or similar. She prescribed drops and strong painkiller. The mare was much better within a week, the vet never suggested removal of the eye, even as a worst case scenario.

 

[SH21]

Removal seems really drastic, how long as she had it and what treatment have you tried so far?
As above I’ve known quite a few and all healed well with no further problems just with eye drops

she’s had it about 9 days. She’s had antibiotic drops and her eye was debrided last Monday. She is now on antibiotic drops, corneal gel and lubricating fluid. She has this 8 times a day. It’s very difficult to get it in exactly every time.

 

[SH21]

she’s had it about 9 days. She’s had antibiotic drops and her eye was debrided last Monday. She is now on antibiotic drops, corneal gel and lubricating fluid. She has this 8 times a day. It’s very difficult to get it in exactly every time. She also on danilon too.

 

[SH21]

There is an eru group on fb that you would most likely be allowed to join with an ulcer, lots of ulcer info on there. I would put a mask on her (guardian masks are really good, also Howard Harrison do high uv blocking masks). Feel free to inbox me even if it's just for a moan, I've been playing 'save the eye' since December and it is so stressful.

Do you know the name of the group of Facebook I can join? thank you.

 

[SH21]

There are definite steps that can be taken between just drops and enucleation. Has it been swabbed? Do you know what’s causing it. Also systemic pain relief is really important. The vets can put in lava he systems to help put drops in very frequently. Definitely keep in the box as dark is less painful and also less chance of reinjuring.

The eye has been debrided. Vet is unsure of what has caused the ulcer. Can you tell what you mean by ‘lava he systems’? Thank you.

 

[fiestiemaestie]

Lavage system (not lava)

these are a set of tubing and a little button that’s insterted through the eyelid under sedation and local and the tube goes to the neck. It means that you can squirt drops down into the eye without going near the head and most horses tolerate it much better, so you can do lots more applications.

an ulcer should heal in a week realistically - did the vet debride it with a burr or a grid?

there has been lots of work into collagen cross linking which helps stabilise and heal ulcers, mainly in dogs but could well be relevant for horses I would assume?

 

[fiestiemaestie]

Also how might be worth asking for referral to an ophthalmologist? They should give the best chance of saving the eye!

 

[Chianti]

Hi, my pony is suffering with a corneal Ulcer. I’m really concerned as the vet has advised having her eye removed however I have chosen to try eye drops to see if the infection will clear up its self first. She is currently avoiding sunlight by being kept in a dark stable. Just wondering if anyone has had a similar situation and how it was treated or turned out? Thank you.

My last horse got recurring eye ulcers. One of the very early ones wouldn't heal despite being treated with drops and creams and being on box rest. My vet eventually stitched her eye closed. She was rubbed the stitches out after about ten days but the ulcer had healed. Sadly she went on to have others in both eyes and was eventually PTS when I could see she'd had enough of daily drops and vet visits. I hope your horse's ulcer heals.

 

[Pinkvboots]

My horse had one I think he scratched it in the field on something I put drops in twice a day and it went within 3 days.

 

[DressageCob]

There are corneal ulcers and there are corneal ulcers.

My little cob had a couple of ulcers years ago. One about 6 years ago and the other about 8 years ago. Both healed with eye drops and no complications.

However, he had another one a couple of years ago. It started the same as the others. It looked normal and was likely caused by him sticking his face in a hedge. The vet came the same day it happened, and said it was a bit big and gave me the options of drops every couple of hours or going into the practice and having a lavage set up. I went for the latter purely for convenience.

What followed was unexpected by everyone concerned. The eye started to melt, resulting in a transfer to Leahurst a few days later, weeks of in patient care, experimental corneal cross linking in Penrith, back to Leahurst, the body attacking the healthy eye, his mood deteriorating, stress colic and ultimately the eye being removed.

All that with no infection whatsoever, no virus, no fungus. Just a bizarre turn of events seemingly caused by his body having an overreaction to the innocuous ulcer.

But this isn't a horror story. I wrote to reassure you in case you do end up down the enucleation route. it isn't something that is taken lightly so I'm surprised it is being suggested if you just have a "normal" corneal ulcer. But it sounds like you are also dealing with an infection, from what you have said.

We are now over 2 years since my boy lost his eye. Since then he has resumed competitive dressage, stepped up to affiliated elementary, training medium, he has done combined training and won, cross country schooling, farm rides, hacking. Anything and everything.

It honestly was the best outcome for him, and far better than being left with an unhealthy, uncomfortable eye which has shadows and limited vision.

I'm careful with the remaining eye, so he wears goggles in dusty environments, fly masks etc and I'm super vigilant. But honestly, they can thrive with one eye so don't worry if you get there.

 

[DressageCob]

she’s had it about 9 days. She’s had antibiotic drops and her eye was debrided last Monday. She is now on antibiotic drops, corneal gel and lubricating fluid. She has this 8 times a day. It’s very difficult to get it in exactly every time.

the first photo I just posted is the lavage system. it is much better than doing it manually in that the liquid gets directly onto the eyeball with little margin for error.

My vets set it up at their practice but then when he moved to Leahurst he stayed on it. The ophthalmologist he saw there was excellent, despite the outcome.

 

[SH21]

It did have mucus coming out of it and was swollen but now it has no swelling no mucus and looks perfectly fine apart from that there is a hole in the cornea - she is on Donelon and looks perfectly happy she is in her stable in the dark all day and then goes out when it is dark outside.