Crusty eyes

[tankgirl1]

My mare always has crusty eye goop, every day i wipe it away, and every day it is there again. She has had antibiotic drops which didn't make much difference. She's never bothered by it. She is a very hairy cob, it's worse when her forelock is loose, but still happens when it is plaited up. Any ideas please?

 

[shortstuff99]

She may have blocked tear ducts? The vet can flush them out, my cob mare used to get it.

 

[tankgirl1]

She may have blocked tear ducts? The vet can flush them out, my cob mare used to get it.

Ahh that's a thought! Was it an expensive do?

 

[shortstuff99]

Ahh that's a thought! Was it an expensive do?

Not especially, it's pretty easy for them to do. They put a dye in first to check if the ducts are blocked and if so then a flush out. Only requires sedation and done in stable

 

[Gloi]

My friend's mare has to have here tear ducts flushed every year or so. It is not a difficult process and it really helps her.

 

[Bob notacob]

Wipe each eye with a separate ,lukewarm used teabag . (no milksugar)

 

[cobgoblin]

Check that there are no eyelashes growing inwards towards the eye.

 

[Gloi]

Check that there are no eyelashes growing inwards towards the eye.

My friend's mare with the troublesome eyes had a couple of those that were operated on, unfortunately she also has a small tumour on her eyelid too

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Mine has always had runny eyes especially the left one, I wipe them daily with baby wipes. Vet told me it could be a blocked duct but with the horse being very anti vet & it not being too bad or enough to bother him, I've just left it & clean daily.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Our Appaloosa has always had crusty eyes. He has since had other eye issues but the weeping/crustiness is unrelated, it was always there when his eyes were healthy and it has never bothered him.

As a side note, we did also have a Shetland with a blocked tear duct which was flushed. Even with sedation he found the process very upsetting and was never the same with vets after that, so personally I would not go down that route unless a vet confirms that the ducts are definitely blocked and need to be dealt with.

 

[SEL]

Teabags are brilliant.

 

[FFAQ]

Does she have PPID? It's quite common in cushings horses.

 

[PurBee]

Long whispy forelocks can sometimes be a nuisance getting the odd wild strand stuck in their eyes, which inevitably could be dusty, muddy, have bedding bits on them, which would cause tearing and crusting. My mare was like this, daily I was straightening her forelock and gently pulling strands stuck in the lower or upper eyelid, cleaning daily, so I caved in and trimmed it, it stopped the weepy eyes...and she looked years younger!
I prefer long forelocks in summer as a natural fly mask...I should have just plaited it to keep it long.