Removing eye in 30 yr old?

hobgoblin

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Our 30 yr old pony has an scc in her right eye ( unconfirmed biopsy results back tomorrow but my vet is an eye specialist so 99.9% sure that it is)
Pony is fit a d healthy in all other ways a d still ridden once or twice a week by my friends little girl
We really have two options 1. Remove the eye or 2. Leave and PTs later in the year ( vet says 4-6 months) there is a 3rd option of radiotherapy but not meaning to sound like a tight wad I don't think I can justify the expense at her age
I'm thinking summer on steroids then PTs, my husband is liken to give her a go and have the enucleation
Just wondered if anyone had had an eye removed in such an elderly pony and how they got on afterwards
Thanks in advance as stupidly feeling a bit weepy
 

applecart14

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On the previous yard I was at a woman had to have her old geldings eye removed. It had an corneal scratch which from what I remember wasn't treated with the correct drug at the time by the vets and therefore had a delay in treatment. It didn't help at all and the eye had to be removed. The horse was fine - within a couple of weeks it had adapted, the lady had to be careful to lead it from the one side and approach it from the one side until it had got used to things but apart from that she used to continue to school it and hack it out. Think he was about 25 years old.

Animals differ from us in that they can lose eyes, tails, and even legs and not go through the pyschological trauma that we go through. Because animals are either flight or fright types they do not have the genes that we have that make us reason in the same way. They do not 'grieve' a missing body part in the way we do. That's a proven fact.

I can guarantee that your horse will be fine without an eye and will adapt really quickly. I know of two horses from our vast local riding club that competed showjumping with only one eye! And like blind people do, their other senses become so much more heightened which helps them in their day to day life. Which really proves the point that horses and other animals adapt really quickly and without problems.

Please don't have your mare put down because of this. She will adapt quite happily I promise.

Here is a link that might help you decide! http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/horse-forums/riding-a-one-eyed-horse-15419.html
 
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misst

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Just to add some reassurance a horse at an old yard of mine had an eye removed at a similar age - perforated in the field on a branch:( He did really well and never had a problem so I am sure yours will do well. Good luck.
 

Theresa_F

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I would go for removing the eye. Cairo never missed his eye though he was younger. To be honest at that age, I would not bother with radiotherapy as if cancer came back it would probably be not for a few years. Cairo did get it back every three - four years and for him we did go for radiotherapy and removal of the lump as he only had the one eye left.

The other view is that at 30, how many years are left and how long would the cancer take to grow until it was a problem. We could have had the option with Cairo to have the growth cut back every year, and had he been older we would have gone this way. Our vet had a mare with the same problem at 27 and he did this with her and said she would die of old age rather than cancer.

Whatever choice you make, I hope all goes well.
 

applecart14

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I remember reading this about the one eyed horse who had his good eye shot out by thugs and thinking how sad it was to lose one eye was bad enough but to lose both, what kind of sick individual would do this to an already partially sighted animal http://www.redwings.org.uk/Boo.php

He appears to be happy with no eyes bless him. His field companion has three bells plaited into his mane to help him find him in the field.
 
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NOISYGIRL

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I used to ride a one eyed mare, it was her left eye so you just had to watch she didn't catch the curb, owner used to jump her, she was placed 1st many a time.

My horse is 33 and if I could afford it I would go for the op, what is the prognosis if you go ahead with op, as you were going to pts after the summer, will this give the pony longer ? and a good quality of life ?
 

NOISYGIRL

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I remember reading this about the one eyed horse who had his good eye shot out by thugs and thinking how sad it was to lose one eye was bad enough but to lose both, what kind of sick individual would do this to an already partially sighted animal http://www.redwings.org.uk/Boo.php

He appears to be happy with no eyes bless him. His field companion has three bells plaited into his mane to help him find him in the field.

Unfortunately there are some VERY SICK individuals in this world, what pleasure do they get ? I just do not know
 

Theresa_F

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Hubby and I went to see Boo. I paid an extra large donation on OH's birthday and asked if we could have a private visit in return.

He loves treats, is very happy and being blind does not seem to bother him. He has a steady field companion, stays in the same field, food is in the same place and he knows his way round.

I still give Redwings donations for him as having a clydie with one eye, hearing his story was very close to home and I would love to blind the person who did this as they are scum.
 

hobgoblin

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The prognosis with out the op is 4-5 months :( by which point my vet thinks she would be in too much discomfort to function normaly
Removal of the eye should be a cure for her as we have picked up the tumour at a very early stage, it is however a nasty fast growing one
Old age would probably send her on her way before anybregrowth occurred as my vet thinks removing the eye will give clear tumour margins
Pony is other wise in tip top condition still ridden a couple of times a week does have a small heart murmer
 
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