Ongoing eye problem?

Luci07

Luci07

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And yes, before anyone says call the vet...horse is under vet care and we are about to have our 4th visit later this pm. Eyelid was originally sore and inflamed, eye weeping s vet called. Vet found shadowing. Horse was on 2 X bute X twice plus eye drops (daily) and 3 lots of a steroid eye ointment. This reduces everything but as soon as I drop the bute off or start to tail the ointment down back to X 2 the eye looks sore again. (Under vet instruction). Even kept him in when it was windy and his window out out of his barn is shut (he has over door and internal access so not shut away). Vet took bloods last time (waiting results). Horse even accepts having ointment squirted under his eyelid. Any more ideas? He reacts very quickly to the ointment
 
Vet visit turned into admission into the AHT in Newmarket and a 7 hour round trip to take my boy in. Vet wanted a specialist eye expert at this stage. Ultrasound done when we were there and now he will stay in over Christmas. Please wish us luck, we are not sure of the final prognosis at this stage.
 
Good luck OP. This happened to a horse at our yard last year - she went to Newmarket too. She was there for about 2 months I think but did keep the eye. She had a corneal transplant in the end I think. Best place for him - eyes are so tricky. But even if worst come to worst horses can do quite well with only one eye. Sending Christmas <<<Huggs>>>>
 
He also had a red tinge and it seems he bashed his eye as well. The only "good" thing is that as I was sticking in ointment a couple of times a day, I noticed very quickly. Blood has reduced and he is responding to the treatment which is a catheter taped to the corner of the eye to keep up the medication. He is now getting tricky about that so they are trialing eye drops and if that works, will let me take him home for a bit. This is on the basis that I didn't really have a problem getting in ointment or the drops. Thank you for your good wishes, it is much appreciated. I have had great support from friends and family as this has massively upset and worried me.
 
Luci07 said:
And yes, before anyone says call the vet...horse is under vet care and we are about to have our 4th visit later this pm. Eyelid was originally sore and inflamed, eye weeping s vet called. Vet found shadowing. Horse was on 2 X bute X twice plus eye drops (daily) and 3 lots of a steroid eye ointment. This reduces everything but as soon as I drop the bute off or start to tail the ointment down back to X 2 the eye looks sore again. (Under vet instruction). Even kept him in when it was windy and his window out out of his barn is shut (he has over door and internal access so not shut away). Vet took bloods last time (waiting results). Horse even accepts having ointment squirted under his eyelid. Any more ideas? He reacts very quickly to the ointment
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No advice to offer - but I'm in exactly the same boat as you, eye problem ongoing for 2 weeks now with little improvement, but it's not getting any worse either, Like you I'm under the vet, mine has ointment and bute 3x daily some days the eye looks better next day back to square one....I did read somwhere about a serum that can be made from the horse's blood so I will be asking about that when vet comes tuesday....mine is very good about having the treatment too - thankfully...let's hope the insurance coughs up!!

ETA just seen your more recent posts....what was the diagnoses, I'm hoping mine doesn't lose the eye...
 
This sounds just like my horse. Eye would be cloudy, running, eventually sore and shut. Always responded to steroids and flunixin. Over a couple of years the attacks became worse and more frequent. He would be on steroid ointment and flunixin for months at a time - if I tried to reduce anything his eyes would just go bad again. He was eventually diagnosed with keratitis and uveitis and had cyclosporin implants in both eyes which drastically reduced the number and severity of attacks. He has just had a very mlld attack but a bottle of pred40 has got it under control in no time.
 
So..this is the first attack we know of as I only bought him in July. He bashed his eye and made it bleed rubbing it. My vet sent him to Newmarket because he wanted my horse seen by a eye specialist and not a generalist. It is over 100 miles each way so not a great journey as means some 6 hours round trip. He is on pain killers, prad forte eye drops X 4 per day and 1 X eye dilate drop. He is also wearing a hood with a patch over the eye and will be stabled for another 2 weeks, although will be on the walker tomorrow and Pessoa in walk next week. AHT have also taken extensive bloods which I will discussing tomorrow as one of the causes is a horse with a suppressed immune system. He has to go back next week for a check up unless the eye worsens again. It can't be deemed to be recurrent evititis as this is a first attack. My advice would be to really check the eye carefully and the eyelid for inflammation. It can flare up badly in a matter of hours. If your horse is showing the same symptoms as mine (I.e won't clear up) then worth talking to your vet again and ask them to email a photo to an eye specialist. I am with NFU but annoyingly just found that my insurance does not cover the livery while he was away.
 
Luci07 said:
So..this is the first attack we know of as I only bought him in July. He bashed his eye and made it bleed rubbing it. My vet sent him to Newmarket because he wanted my horse seen by a eye specialist and not a generalist. It is over 100 miles each way so not a great journey as means some 6 hours round trip. He is on pain killers, prad forte eye drops X 4 per day and 1 X eye dilate drop. He is also wearing a hood with a patch over the eye and will be stabled for another 2 weeks, although will be on the walker tomorrow and Pessoa in walk next week. AHT have also taken extensive bloods which I will discussing tomorrow as one of the causes is a horse with a suppressed immune system. He has to go back next week for a check up unless the eye worsens again. It can't be deemed to be recurrent evititis as this is a first attack. My advice would be to really check the eye carefully and the eyelid for inflammation. It can flare up badly in a matter of hours. If your horse is showing the same symptoms as mine (I.e won't clear up) then worth talking to your vet again and ask them to email a photo to an eye specialist. I am with NFU but annoyingly just found that my insurance does not cover the livery while he was away.
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you mean Uveitis I think


I have had two horses with this and recurrent ulcers, one of my livery horses has had an ulcer. It is management that places a big part along with medication

Guardian Mask are what I used with the cashel one in the day when stabled, she had atropine drops at the first of the attacks and 2 others during the healing.

The quicker you get the onsite of attack the less damage to the vision and eyes. My mare used to start shaking her head when it was starting and vet trusted me with the atropine, to get it in asap.

I have had many years living and dealing with horseswith this condition
 
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Well, My guy's eye has actually looked a bit better today, I am hoping we are dealing with "just" an ulcer caused by him sticking his head in a bush...I really, really hope it's not uveitis, I dealt with this years ago with a mare and it was horrible, although I'm sure in this day and age treatment must be better? I have been wacking in the drops literally as many times a day as I can manage - he had 7 treatments yesterday and 5 today, such a good lad to put up with it too.
 
Hope your boy is recovering Maisie.. Mine is bored as stuck in his stable and only on the walker or walking in a Pessoa currently. I can't risk him rolling and putting all our progress back. Still sporting his eye mask most of the time though.
 
Update - His eye is getting better - still looks pretty manky, infact the eyeball looks worse! But vet is pleased as it didn't take any stain yesterday which means the cornea is healing, the actual injury site looks worse as you can now see the blood supply at the bottom of the ulcer which is promoting healing, his eye is still a tad sore but down to 2 x bute per day and almost fully open - until he sees me coming close then he screws it shut! He's not pouring with tears now either. Going to keep going with the drops for another 7 days and vet will be back to look again, thank God it looks like an ulcer caused by him sticking something in his eye and isn't Uveitis.... Luci07 - hope your boy gets better soon.
 
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