Totally Shocked....

[bandit]

Since coming home from the hunt on Saturday, my horse has had a 'funny' right eye. it seemed to improve with washing and then last night it looked really bad again - he's not opening it and he's acting very dopy and lethargic.

anyway - vet came out to him this morning, only when i got to the yard, the vet was already there....

turns out that one of the horses broke it's shoulder in a fall in the paddock this morning and had to be put to sleep there and then!! i'm totally shocked, as is the owner too. she was very busy sorting out his stable and had someone with her, so didn't really talk to her - she's not the conversational type if you know what i mean.

the horse was on box rest but she was turning him and his mate out in the sand paddock for a few minutes each day - and today it seems he jumped up the steep bank to the grass and fell off, landing on his side and breaking is shoulder. totally amazed.. how sad.

worse thing is that my friends horse - is still to be put down - he's not getting any better and the swelling through is skull is growing. will not be a happy christmas in our yard...

anyway - my boy has somethign called U-V itus? vet said it was quite serious and i have to put in 2 types of drops and a cream, 4 times a day! he's not allowed out unless he has a patch on his eye - vet said to sew in a patch to a fly mask!! and his stable is to stay dark - will be interesting mucking out! i hope htat he comes through this - hte yard isn't having much luck at the moment ....

Bx

 

[miamibear]

Oh my word thats awful - how sudden, cant even begin to imagine how she must feel now.

I hope your boy gets better, i have no experience of this condition but im sure it will clear up with the ointments you've been given.

Mel x

 

[Chuckie]

Best wishes and big hugs to all on your yard!

Had to have my mare PTS on Friday, so know how you are all feeling!

Completely lost the christmas spirit - bah humbug!!!

 

[mpicton]

God that's awful...I do hope things pick up at your yard.

Best of luck with your boy, hope everything gets sorted and he's feeling better. Must say I can't imagine a horse with a patch over his eye, how sweet!!(if you don't mind me saying). When my little sister had to have a patch she hated it so the whole family had to wear one...did look a bit odd.

*sending you good vibes* Good Luck

 

[chestnut cob]

Sad news about the horses on your yard

A horse at my yard has the same thing with her eyes as yours, and my dog has it aswell! Both have to have regular drops in, and the horse has to go out with a special UV mask, looks like a fly mask, but it prevents the UV from getting to her eyes.

 

[AmyMay]

Horrid, how awful.

 

[bandit]

NO i can't imagine anyway - she's totally shocked. she's worked with horses all her life and seen things like this before, but when it's your own i guess it's very different.

vet coming in the morning to see if his eye is working a bit better tomorrow - he's on quite strong drops. fingers crossed.

 

[bandit]

well i hope the other horses don't tease mine! got to buy some sewing things too today as i'm at work and my one needle that i own is @ home!!!

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Omg how tragic, thats so awful, lots of hugs to evry1 at ur yard wut bad luck. So sorry, lots of ppl seem 2b goin thru a tuff time atm, my heart goes out 2u all.
Hope ur horse's eye gets better too xxx

 

[bandit]

gosh - so does this mean he'll always have it? the vet is coming tomorrow to see how it improves overnight. he said he will be light sensitive for about a week, and hopefully i've caught it early enough for it not to have any lasting affects. the vet wants to get a reaction to teh pupil as it's not reacting at all at the moment. poor thing - hope he's ok soon as there seems to be a dark cloud over our yard at the moment.

 

[Ashf]

Our TB Ebony had something similar a few weeks ago, scratched her eye and it closed up, as it started to heal, the lens began to get adhesions on it, and there was a risk of it getting stuck with a fixed focus. I had to put some drops, and some cream in it, which were antibiotic and something to dilate the pupil.

The vet said there was a risk of Colic with this stuff, and to use it only twice.

I had to twitch her ear to get her to stand still enough to put the antibiotic cream in.

Bad news about the other horse though

 

[JoBo]

That's terrible! I just hope the New Year brings more luck to you and your yard!

Don't know what else to add as I think the others have said it.
JoElla

 

[bandit]

sounds exactly what my boy has, these drops are to open up his pupil again, and hopefully it will be better tomorrow. he didn't mention any side effects though, and yes - my horse isn't keen on all these htings going in his eye - let along for a week!!!

 

[Jiffy]

What horrible, horrible things are happening to everyone. Let's hope things pick up in 2006.

 

[Ashf]

I was very cautious about using it, the drops were called 'Atropine'

If he dances around, twitch his ear. If you get a firm grip by wrapping your hand around the base of his ear, and just hold it steady whilst stroking his face for a minute (don't let go), it will calm him down enough and you or a friend can get on with it.

It works very well, doesn't hurt them, and is much more humane than twithcing a lip IMO

 

[PoppyPony]

completely tragic im so sorry

along with the pleasure horses bring us, there is always the pain to expect.

 

[Tia]

Gosh I can understand why you are shocked and upset - what an awful weekend. Good luck and hope your horse feels better soon - that can be a very painful problem.

 

[Theresa_F]

I am sorry to hear about the horses.

Here is something that may be good for your chap if this eye problem proves ongoing, (which I hope it does not).

The Guardian masks have patches that completely cover one eye - specially designed for the problem you have. Go to
http://www.horsemask.com. They are made in the USA. On their site is a link to a UK distributor.

This will resolve the problem of keeping the stable dark if it is one eye and he can go out normally - just make sure he is happy with not seeing on one side.

When Cairo lost his eye, he was given time to get used to the change by covering his eye for short periods which were increased until he was happy being blind on eye side.

If you merely need to protect against UV rather than cover the eye - the Crusader mask is excellent - I use this on Cairo to protect him on sunny days, though in the summer he does come in to avoid the sun. Cheapest place to get them is http://www.dressageonabudget.co.uk. They do an excellent range - including massive ones for heavy horses. They do not rub, stay on and have a hole for the forelock to come through - stops sweaty heads and ending up with a little bit of fluff. His one has lasted two years and looks like new - record for him.

Hope all works out well for your horse.

 

[bandit]

yes - htat is one of hte drops i have for my horse. the vet is going to see him in the morning, and if he's improved, i will only have to put them in once a day - he's got to have htem 4 times today!

just been down - he's a tad grumpy but kind of wish he was more grumpy as he's really not himself yet. a friend of mine knows a horse with this condition and he's been refered to Newmarket? i do really hope this isn't bad news for my horse.

keepign fingers crossed - alot!

 

[Gingernags]

Atropine is interesting stuff! It is a poison, but one which saved one of our horses! Just shows you the balance of nature!

It counteracts some poisons, Asti and Byter got poisoned with slug pellets and atropine was the anitdote. But yes its main use is in eye drops.

there you go, fascinating fact for the day!

Hope he improves with his treatment and sorry about the loss of the others, hard week.

 

[bandit]

oh - how interesting!

i am really keeping my fingers crossed as looking this condition up on the net is making me really nervous...

Yikes!

 

[appennea]

That's awful about the other horse - absolute tragedy.
Check out the Guardian masks - there's a supplier in Cornwall who will get it to you asap. There speciailly for this kind of thing. Have a search on the internet. There's a good cahnce that it could reoccur and you'll have it for future use as well then.

 

[ticobay831]

Hi, Anakan had to have that stuff in his eye, it took ages for his pupils to go back to normal, he also had to wear a mask.
I got a gaurdian mask the one Theresa is on about. They are brilliant, a bit pricey though but well worth it. Anakan had to wear his for about three months he never got it off once. He weas allowed to have it off while he was in his stable though.
It was just the bright light and the wind i needed to protect his eye from, just untill his pupil went back to normal size.
So sorry to hear about the other horses, it seems to be one thing after another.
Good luck with your gee
Debs x