Eye discharge

[kimky]

My older pony always seems to have eye discharge, i clean them every day with baby wipes but within 30 mins he is back to normal, it looks like his had a night out in drag and cried wearing masacra :S:S Any one got any ideas why this happens and how i could stop it or help it ...?

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Has he had this a long time? Some horses (particularly older ones) just naturally have runny eyes and there's not much you can do about it but sometimes it can be a sign of an eye infection or a more serious condition. It might be a good idea to get a vet to look to check there is no infection and no other cause, they may give you eye drops to help clear up te condition. If it has only recently started though it may be due to flies or a pollen/dust allergy, in which case putting a fly mask on may help, I'd try this for a few days and if it doesn't help call the vet. Note that wiping off eyes can make them weep if done too often but obviously if they run a lot you need to wipe if off or it can make his face go bald! Check he is alright in himself in other ways and gets plenty to drink.

 

[Jillian]

My mare gets runny eyes every summer, due to the flies. I find a field mask helps, also wash the eye with optrex and you can also use golden eye cream, both available from the chemist. If they have a yellow discharge this would suggest an infection and your vet will give you some cream or eye drops for this.

 

[Stinkbomb]

My old pony Simon had just this. He was being treated at Leahurst for another complaint when the surgen noticed them. He said they were blocked tear ducts. Dont know whether you know but the little small red hole found inside your horses nostrils is the tear duct. The surgen threaded (under sedation) a small tube up through his nostrils and up the side of his nose. He then flushed saline through it under pressure and it came out of his eye!!! He did the same to both and this unblocked them. However a few weeks later they just blocked up again. I rang him and he said that the only was to unblock them properly was under general anaesthetic and this wasnt justified. He said it was a cosmetic defect and NOT harmful and suggested i just clean them twice daily or when required. You can see on this picture what they were like all the time. He was an old pony too.