Head trauma and loss of vision

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katefc55

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On Saturday, our horse suffered a massive head trauma after galloping into a low hanging branch in his turnout field.
He was able to stand and was led back to his stable, the impact was between his eyes, the frontal sinus bone appeared to be shattered he bled from his nostrils and from the wound to his forehead. Vet attended within 40 minutes and gave steroids and introvenous painkillers. Vet gave more painkillers at 11.30 pm that night then attended the following morning, although there was no obvious damage to his eyes, his response to the menace test was poor. The following day response was slightly better but I am worried that the prognosis for his vision returning is poor. Have been told to wait for ten days to allow for the swelling to subside and we have been advised it is not safe to travel him for scans just yet. Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and interested as to the outcome.
 
I had one in at livery many years ago following an incident where she hit her head against a trailer door handle totally shattering the bone between her eyes, it happened in the lorry park at my yard so she stayed until she had recovered, from memory she was well concussed, she had surgery the following day to remove the splintered bone and get the skin covering the area to lie flat, she took a fairly long time to recover but there was no lasting damage other than an impressive scar.
I would think the impact has caused a similar concussion which will affect the reaction to a menace test, this may be what you are seeing rather than the vision being impaired as such, I certainly would expect him to be a bit "slow" for at least a week if not longer and would give him time in a quiet, possibly dark or dim environment before worrying too much, if there is no obvious damage and he is reacting then the prognosis should be good.
 
Thank you, we are all worried and hoping for a positive outcome. Can you remember how long it took for the sight to return?
 
katefc55 said:
Thank you, we are all worried and hoping for a positive outcome. Can you remember how long it took for the sight to return?
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The sight was never an issue it was her reaction that was slow due to concussion, just like us if we have a head injury we do not react in the same way as we would normally, if he is not bumping into things I should think he can see well enough but his brain hurts so he will not react normally to everything.
I cannot remember how long it took her to recover but seem to think she was with me for a month to 6 weeks before being allowed to travel home but considering I thought it was a fatal injury when I saw it the fact she lived and returned to work was amazing.
 
I know this is not priority at the moment as you need to get your horse stabilized but as soon as your horse is able to cope I would also get a physio out as he may have incurred damage to his neck, I know only too well how an accident like this can cause compression in the neck and problems in the future.Wishing you all the best.
 
Thank you, I had thought of that as his back looks tight too. Vet wants to X Ray his neck first to rule out fractures.
 
Friend has a horse with a hole in his forehead between his eyes that can only have been caused by a very nasty accident. It's about an inch deep and two inches across. She bought him at four with it and he is completely fine. Fingers crossed for yours.
 
Mine went blind completely due to possible head trauma. Vets gave huge doses of steroid as apparently brain swelling compresses something or other (I was in no state to take in what I was being told at the time) that causes blindness.
He is now completely able to see, not sure exactaly when that change occurred but it was in the first days, it was one of the first things to recover.
 
Thank you, beginning to feel a little more positive as yesterday he put his head over the door and seemed to be 'looking' at other horses on the yard. Fingers crossed.
 
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