Eye problems

[sian_x101]

A horse on my yard has bloodshot eyes. The horse is his normal self and it doesn't seen to be irritating him at all.
What would you say could be the casue of bloodshot eyes?

The owner is just soothing them with cold tea and seeing if this makes a difference before calling the vet. Would you say this is an OK thing to do?

 

[Jo C]

Personally having dealt with eye problems for the last 8 weeks or so I would be calling the vet without delay!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Sian, I'd echo what JoC says. Eyes are so fragile and so precious that you can't take any chances with them. Bloodshot eyes in a ned probably aren't as a result of a hangover or too many late nights lol! They indicate some sort of inflammatory process which could be as simple as a face full of brambles or allergen but it could also indicate the beginnings of something a lot, lot more serious happening deep in the horse's eye. Cold tea can soothe/bathe tired eyes but it can NEVER clear up even a surface infection, never mind a deep, internal problem. My ned eventually had to have an eye removed after his previous owners - who should have known better - left a sticky, disgusting conjunctivitis for YEARS with only an occasional swipe with cold tea. It flipped over into superficial keratitis (an autoimmune disease) and there was uveitis deep in the eyeball itself along with multiple ulcers and breakdown of the structure of the eye. Not trying to frighten you, just trying to show how precious eyes are. I'd get the vet out immediately and if it's a simple allergy, then great, it'll just cost a call out. If it's something worse, it could save the horse's sight.

 

[Theresa_F]

If cold tea or golden eye have not cleared in up within 24 hours then call out the vet - eyes are too precious to take chances with.

I have used golden eye on eyes that have been irritated by flies or harvesting but you should see an improvement very quickly.

Do not leave it for days - I once did this with Delia - her eye was a bit weepy but no swelling and it was not bloodshot.

Others on the yard thought I was daft calling the vet out for a weepy eye after four days, saying it was just the wind, but it turned out she had a blocked tear duct full of pus and required sedation, flushing, steriods and anti-bs.