To call vet or not...

JackDaniels1

JackDaniels1

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One of mare's eyes - the bottom of her eyelid is puffy and swollen up like a balloon, there is a bit of clear discharge coming from it, eye is open but not fully open, she is trying to itch it on her leg/me a lot. Horse has had problems with this eye before being red constantly and itchy (at one point we had discharge coming from the nose last year). I had 3 different vets out last year trying to solve the problem - I had xrays done on the eye, scopes, several medication etc - vet couldn't see anything and put it down to an allergy/hayfever.

I am worried as it's never been on this level/as bad as tonight. I have bathed it with cold water and cotton wool, tried to put some fucithalmic gel on (which vet gave me last year) and put a fly mask on.

I phoned emergency vet and explained the situation - he wasn't concerned, he said if she has an allergy then this hot weather/flies will make her itch and the swollen bottom eyelid will be from all the rubbing she has done. He told me to bathe it in cold water and put a fly mask on and assess it in the morning.

I haven't experienced hayfever in horse before - is this normal? I have a photo on my phone, cant work out how to get it on here.
 
My horse once had a similar problem, we think he had an allergy to a plant/dust in his field. We bathed his eyes, put a fly mask on and moved him to another field. The swelling and soreness went after a few days, i dont think the flys helped!
 
You poor thing JackDaniels1 - its a horrible situation to be in hovering over shall I - shan't I. Been there a few times recently. As you have already had the vet in the past, and now called and spoken to them, and they aren't overly concerned I would try not to worry too much. I would guess you and your vet ruled out any emergency over the phone? It could be something as simple as a bite - the horseflies are relentless at the moment :(.

From a personal level one of my eyes came up like a balloon a few months ago - rushed to eye hospital and it was a weird conjunctivitus. May be something as simple as that.

If you already have cream from the vet (check the use by date as it would iffy using it out of date in the eyes) I'd run with that tonight, give it a chance to go down and if it hasn't call the vet in the morning.

Unless its a foreign body in the eye 12 hours will make no difference in the grand scheme I would say.

As usual I am always open to being corrected, and again I'm no vet. Thats just what i'd do. :)
 
My horse had the same problem, time and time again vets said its was flies, allergies and conjunctivitis. After flare up after flare up he was finally diagnosed with Uveitis.
 
Always get the vet out when it's an eye problem... They can get worse sooo quickly.

I'd bring the horse into a dark stable and call vet first thing tomorrow.
 
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