Runny eye?

[Frazer]

My mare is in a bit of a state at the moment, first problem is her eyes, they seem to be almost runny! Like a runny nose, at first i thought id was just the wind, but she has had it now for about a week and a half! I wash them when im down but them seem to discharge again straight after! Is there any eye drops i can get!!!
And this is probably a long shot, but my mare has been dragging her hind left leg for about a year or two now, but vet has checked etc.. and said ok for light work! However today she seemed to be very stiff, and instead of just dragging it, its almost a dishing drag!! Quite strange, she is not lame!
Any Help please!

 

[viola]

Hi, I would say this a case for a thorough vet inspection!
I found this on one of the ver sites:
Question: My horse's eye weeps much of the time in only the left eye. Could you tell me what it is and how I can treat it please?
Answer: "Weepy" eyes are fairly common in many species. Excess tears, also referred to as 'epiphora', are caused by two mechanisms. The first is that the tear production, although normal in volume, is not draining through the nasolacrimal duct in the normal fashion. If your horse is young, it is possible this duct was not formed properly and usually a simple surgery will solve the problem. The most common reason for failure of tears to drain is that the nasolacrimal duct is blocked. This may be caused by trauma, swelling, or (most commonly) dust and debris. This is routinely seen in dry dusty environments and it is a simple job for your veterinarian to flush the ducts free. Question: I have a question about my mare's runny eyes....It's a daily thing....clear tears...from the corner of both eyes....she wears a fly mask when out in the pasture, and the grass isn't really tall out there....I thought maybe it was from flys/grass/weeds touching her eyes...but she wears a fly mask out in the field and her eyes still run. It's getting to the point where it is "staining" her hair on her face (she's a black horse, and where the tears are it's brown). What is causing this? How can I prevent this? What can I do to help her?
Answer: There was a previous question on this subject, but it gives me a chance to mention another cause of excess tears. Just like in people with hay fever, horses' eyes can run from allergies. Excess tears can be produced as the eye attempts to flush away the offending allergens. Tears can fail to drain away down the nasolacrimal duct if the tissue of the duct itself is swollen and inflamed, again just like us with allergies. The nasolacrimal duct is a small tube-like structure that courses through tissue and bone from the opening at the medial corner of the eye to another opening in the nasal cavity. Both of these openings can be seen by the naked eye. The one in the nasal cavity is on the medial (or inboard) side and is often found along the line where the color of the skin changes. Having these ducts flushed is often curative.

More here: http://www.xcodesign.com/aaep/rounds/displayTopics.cfm?cat=39#3


DRAGGING LEGS...neurological disease (degeneration of the spinal nerve)? stifle problems? bone spavin?

Sorry, not much of a help really - maybe some vets on here will come up with something better!

 

[vicijp]

Runny eyes are quite common at this time of the year, and if its both you shouldnt be unduly worried. If its just the one you should get the vet to stain it to see if it is scratched. Normal treatment is to bathe in water that has been boiled (then cooled) twice a day, then apply drops/ointment into corner of the eyes. Your vet will probably prescribe Maxitrol or Chloromycetin - ask for ointment, its a lot easier to use. However, may be worth running a blood to check for underlying cause, can be symptom of a bit of a virus.
As for the hind leg business, definetly get a full examination done. I wouldnt be happy if a horse did this for a week let alone a year. Physio may be helpful, but check for underlying cause first.

 

[merlinsquest]

Brolene eye ointment is available over the counter for humans, I have used it in the summer when eyes get a bit manky with the flies.... vet would maybe give Fucithalmic.

As for the hind leg.... I had the physio out to my horse because he had a bad back and she watched him moving and noticed he was swinging the hind leg out from the hip... he hadnt done it before and hasnt done it since (it was just that day) but she was very concerned as she said it was such an unusual way of moving. I would definately get it checked out.

 

[RLF]

If the runny eye persists, i would call the vet out, don't want to worry anyone, but a runny eye was the first indication of my horses uv-ightus (moon blindness as it used to be called). He's a one eyed demon who's 20 now and still whoops the ass off the youngsters at SJ though!

 

[merlinsquest]

Another thing to rule out....... has she got white/pink outsides to her eyes and pink third eye lids..... only suggesting coz it can be the symptom of squamous cell carcinoma..... more common in unpigmented skin due to sun damage... dont panic though as its prob not.