yearling with swollen eyes

rosencassie

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i dont really know how to explain this without a picture but my little girl has really awful runny eyes. this morning i noticed her right eye slighly runny so i bathed it - which she was a total cow and behavior was just embarrising infont of everyone - but this afternoon i almost had a breakdown because both eyes are huge. she has beautiful big eyes but now they are really puffy and only about 2 centimetres when fully open. the swelling goes down to her cheeks and about 2 inches above her eye. you can see lots of her lower eyelids, and in her right eye there is lots of yellow goo and very very runny. her left eye is the most swollen but not as much goo.
again, bathed it this afternoon and her behavior was impeccable, i cant believe how well behaved she was.
shes also not herself, but i really cant explain it, she just doesnt seem like my cheeky filly

some people on the yard are suggesting penecilin, optrex and salt water, but no-one can give me reasons why they are swollen and runny. i didnt use any because im so worried about an allergic reaction or making it worse. first thing in the morning im going to buy her a face mask and fly sheet anyway but i really want more second opinions and help

drinks are on me if you get though my blabber
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Oh your poor little girl. I sympathise as I have just got back from seeing my horsey and he has a swollen right eye. I left his fly mask off as it had rubbed him round his ears a bit. Now I wish I hadn't.
I bathed Jerry's eye with some salted boiled water but if it isn't any better tomorrow I shall call the vet.
Jerry's eye is a bit runny but has no goo. If your girl has a gooey eye I would get the vet to have a look.
Good luck - hope it clears up soon.
 
It sounds like an allergic reaction, but if there is yellow goo I would suspect you also have a secondary infection.

Personally I would have called the vet out long ago....
 
i was talked out of it by everyone at the yard, saying just use optrex, it will sort her out blah blah blah but if there no change tomorrow morning i'll call the vet out
 
also can someone give me opinions on using optrex eyedrops on a horse? i know someone who used it with success but im worried what happens if it goes wrong
 
I wouldn't mess around, get the vet out first thing tomorrow morning. The fact that she is off colour may point to pain, which is associated with uvitis, or she may have a viral infection. It could also be conjuntivis due to pollon/dust. Whatever it is, I wouldn't take a chance with eyes.
 
I wouldn't put anything at all into a horse's swollen eye unless it was ok-ed by the vet. Optrex, golden eye ointment etc just SOOTHE - they can't clear an infection. It sounds to me like conjunctivitis which is relatively easy to cure. But I'd be wondering why BOTH eyes suddenly affected. It could be flies in which case, after the infection is cleared up, you may find your baby ned needs a facemask all his life. Don't mess about though hun, untreated eye problems can rapidly become a nightmare. If the vets prescribe ointment or drops, drop me a PM re applying to the horse's eye x
 
vet was called early morning - she had a reaction to either a fly bite or flower. she has eyedrops from the vet but he also said she will have to wear the mask and sheet (but i was buying my mare and filly those anyway) shes quite good with the drops, as long as your gentle with her head and do it really slowly but vet had shown me a way to do it. shes fab with the mask, unexpectedly, i thought she would freak out at the velcro noise!
 
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