Eye emergencies!

[palo1]

I just wanted to post a thread to say that if anyone is unsure about calling a vet for an eye problem, please just do get the vet asap. My mare had a very small amount of discharge from both eyes yesterday morning; it looked like a fairly classic conjunctivitis. I called the vet anyway. By 4pm when the vet came my poor mare could not open either eye, both of which were streaming with thick pus and she was sweating and deeply distressed. Both eyes had hundreds of tiny ulcers as the result of something that is not yet clear. If I had left it any later or the vet had been unable to attend I fear I would have had a fatality on my hands. The pain of an eye problem is ghastly for a horse and that pain could result in severe colic or self-injury in an attempt to cope with the pain. My mare's heart rate was sky high too and she required instant sedation and IV pain relief. It is never the wrong thing or a waste of money to get a vet for an eye problem.

Hopefully my mare will recover completely but if she does it will only be because the vet was able to see her and treat her.

 

[Birker2020]

I just wanted to post a thread to say that if anyone is unsure about calling a vet for an eye problem, please just do get the vet asap. My mare had a very small amount of discharge from both eyes yesterday morning; it looked like a fairly classic conjunctivitis. I called the vet anyway. By 4pm when the vet came my poor mare could not open either eye, both of which were streaming with thick pus and she was sweating and deeply distressed. Both eyes had hundreds of tiny ulcers as the result of something that is not yet clear. If I had left it any later or the vet had been unable to attend I fear I would have had a fatality on my hands. The pain of an eye problem is ghastly for a horse and that pain could result in severe colic or self-injury in an attempt to cope with the pain. My mare's heart rate was sky high too and she required instant sedation and IV pain relief. It is never the wrong thing or a waste of money to get a vet for an eye problem.

Hopefully my mare will recover completely but if she does it will only be because the vet was able to see her and treat her.

I read about this yesterday. I hope she makes a full recovery, how frightening for you.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Gosh, I'm always one to call the vet out for eye issues too, and to advise others to do the same, but that is a warning for us all, Palo .

Fingers crossed for a full recovery.

Has anyone been spraying chemicals in the vicinity or anything like that?

 

[Quigleyandme]

How awful. I really hope she makes a full and speedy recovery. Paradoxically, HHO “Mustard” sadly lost her mare very recently in extremely distressing circumstances and she displayed eye symptoms.

 

[palo1]

Gosh, I'm always one to call the vet out for eye issues too, and to advise others to do the same, but that is a warning for us all, Palo .

Fingers crossed for a full recovery.

Has anyone been spraying chemicals in the vicinity or anything like that?

No, no spraying anywhere near. The vet thinks that a puffball has exploded in her face whilst she was fossicking in the grass. The spores have unpleasant spines which can cause both eye injuries and respiratory issues though the likelihood of a horse being right in the same spot as a fungus going bang are tiny. Sadly I think Alw might be in that tiny minority; at least that is what the vet is investigating at the moment. He says he has never seen anything like it, nor a horse with so many tiny ulcers in both eyes. He walked the field to see if he could see anything other than fungus. None of the other horses have been affected thankfully which does also point to a very local, immediate incident rather than something environmental. No native snake is capable of spitting I don't think which potentially would be another but even more unusual explanation! Bless her, she let me lead her in terrible pain and distress and unable to open her eyes across an assualt course of a field and through various bits of machinery (diggers, chainsaws etc etc) to get to where the vet could safely see her.

 

[palo1]

How awful. I really hope she makes a full and speedy recovery. Paradoxically, HHO “Mustard” sadly lost her mare very recently in extremely distressing circumstances and she displayed eye symptoms.

Yes, that was tragic and I posted on that thread in case there were any similarities/connections in the two cases. I really feel for @Mustard in the loss of a mare she had known all of her life.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I do hope that she makes a full recovery. Several years ago, I had to call the vet when my Draft mare couldn't open her swollen eye. Vet diagnosed an ulcer and thought she had probably poked herself on a nettle or similar. She was given very effective painkiller and antibiotics. It cleared up brilliantly. Having had an ulcer caused by a 'bit' that got under a contact lens, I understand how painful ulcers in the eye can be.
Fingers crossed for Alw

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Palo, how awful, I really hope she fully recovers. Well done for calling it in asap xx

 

[ycbm]

How is she today Palo?
.

 

[Ratface]

Another one awaiting an update. Palo, I hope your mare is improving.

 

[palo1]

Thank you! Update is that she has been whizzing round the field in a properly 'Welsh' manner - full of beans and apparantly somewhat enlivened by a mountain rescue helicopter a couple of miles away! Her eyes are looking clear and not puffy now after intense and repeated antibiotic treatment. I am trying not to second guess what the vet will find and say tomorrow but she looks much, much happier and is no longer producing pus out of her beautiful eyes. I am totally knackered having followed, as best I can, vet protocol of antibiotics every 4 hours (6-8 at night actually) interspersed with soothing lubricant at similar intervals and bute twice daily. No wonder she is feeling better! She is still wearing a full fly mask. I hope that her sight and her eyes will be fine and will heal completely but I will update after the vet has had a look with his opthalmic kit tomorrow. I much appreciated the support in such a horrible, horrible emergency. It is terrifying to think that something that hopefully can be sorted quite easily could have potentially caused her to colic fatally with pain and distress.

 

[Starzaan]

I just wanted to post a thread to say that if anyone is unsure about calling a vet for an eye problem, please just do get the vet asap. My mare had a very small amount of discharge from both eyes yesterday morning; it looked like a fairly classic conjunctivitis. I called the vet anyway. By 4pm when the vet came my poor mare could not open either eye, both of which were streaming with thick pus and she was sweating and deeply distressed. Both eyes had hundreds of tiny ulcers as the result of something that is not yet clear. If I had left it any later or the vet had been unable to attend I fear I would have had a fatality on my hands. The pain of an eye problem is ghastly for a horse and that pain could result in severe colic or self-injury in an attempt to cope with the pain. My mare's heart rate was sky high too and she required instant sedation and IV pain relief. It is never the wrong thing or a waste of money to get a vet for an eye problem.

Hopefully my mare will recover completely but if she does it will only be because the vet was able to see her and treat her.

I have been running rehab yards for a long time. There isn’t much that I will call a vet for… but eyes? I ALWAYS call a vet. Never mess around with eyes.

 

[Sossigpoker]

This is why eyes are ALWAYS an emergency!
Well done for getting the vet , it's really not worth risking your horse's eye sight.

And people getting OTC eye drops thinking horse has conjunctivitis- if it is uveitis instead ,.they've just blinded their horse.

 

[palo1]

This is why eyes are ALWAYS an emergency!
Well done for getting the vet , it's really not worth risking your horse's eye sight.

And people getting OTC eye drops thinking horse has conjunctivitis- if it is uveitis instead ,.they've just blinded their horse.

Yes, quite.

 

[Zuzzie]

Here's another vote for calling the vet out with ANY issue involving eyes. I have known one mare who went on to develop Uveitis and despite weeks of trying to save the eye, including a spell in hospital at Newmarket, the eye had to be removed. My own gelding has had a couple of problems with his left eye. We think he somehow managed to scratch the eyeball - vet was called instantly and fortunately, with the help of antibiotics and steroid cream, made a complete recovery. Since then, he wears a fly mask (whatever the weather) outside and also a special mask for hacking. You can't take any risks with their eyes.

 

[palo1]

Update: Vet has been to check eyes with his opthalmic kit and there are no signs of ulceration now at all. We are both really delighted as it was very concerning with a significant risk of the mare colicking through pain. Vet is keen to find our more about what likely caused this but still thinks a very unfortunate encounter with an exploding puffball is the most likely cause. I am SO relieved that her eyes are ok and that there appear to be no on-going concerns. She was delighted to get another carrot. Thank you to everyone responding and again, never ever take chances with our beloved horses eyes!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Update: Vet has been to check eyes with his opthalmic kit and there are no signs of ulceration now at all. We are both really delighted as it was very concerning with a significant risk of the mare colicking through pain. Vet is keen to find our more about what likely caused this but still thinks a very unfortunate encounter with an exploding puffball is the most likely cause. I am SO relieved that her eyes are ok and that there appear to be no on-going concerns. She was delighted to get another carrot. Thank you to everyone responding and again, never ever take chances with our beloved horses eyes!

I am so pleased for you and her that there doesn't appear any lasting damage xx

 

[View]

Lovely update Palo! So good to hear a happy update.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Fab news ?

 

[GoldenWillow]

Oh I've just seen this, how awful and what an enormous relief that she's now doing so well.

I'm another that immediately calls the vet at the first sign of any problems with eyes. J has come in twice with a swollen eye (nothing found) and shetland once (tiny ulcer) and vet called immediately. Eye drops given and thankfully cleared up with 24 hrs for shetland and less than 12hrs for J. Every time the vet has said well done for calling us immediately too many people delay, even the time that they came a couple of hours after I'd rang and J's eye was already starting to go down and open properly.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

That is such good news!

 

[GoldenWillow]

Hope Alw has continued to improve and is now fully better.

 

[palo1]

Eyes both completely fine now and the vet says he is as sure as he can be that it was a local irritant; his money is on some fungal spores. It is amazing how quickly the antibiotics worked and I am very thankful for that.

 

[GoldenWillow]

That's fantastic news, so pleased to hear.