# Making an eye patch...



## LittleRibbie (Sep 1, 2009)

Vet just left and 1 of the horses has an eye ulcer. Vet put dye in her eye and you could see it right away. She said it was relatively small and seems to think we caught it early enough so it shouldnt be a problem. Vet said it is usually very painful and suggested Benamine 2x daily ( smallest dosage for 250lbs x 2 AM and PM ) along w/an antibiotic and something called Atropine ( will have to check the exact name) 1 daily.

She mentioned to stall during the day light hours and turn out at night and to tape 1/2 of her fly mask off to keep out any light or put patch on her eye. I was so upset I didnt even ask about putting a patch on....how does everyone keep eye patches on a horse. do you use human ones w/some sticky stuff....I really have no idea. Thanks for any help.

Also what are your thoughts on Benamine.....2x a day....seems like alot to me but if she is in pain.... she said 2xs a day for 2 days then 1 time a day for the next couple. Any thoughts??

Heidi


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## barnbum (Sep 1, 2009)

hi--I had a filly with this exact issue. One of the ointments dilated her eye, which was why it had to be dark. But keeping my minis in all day and out at night just didn't work. So, I doubled up some black fabric and sewed on on half her fly mask and it worked beautifully. She never gave me any indication she was in pain. Although, when I discussed this with MY eye doctor he said if one eye is exposed to light--it'd be just as uncomfortable for her. Whisper had the option to stay in the dark barn with hay or outside--and she never picked the barn. It worked out fine.

Once the dilation happens it takes several days for it to return to normal, so I only used that ointment for two days.

I think I have a photo of that fly mask somewhere, if you need to see it.

Good luck.


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## targetsmom (Sep 1, 2009)

I made one when I needed one for a filly that ripped her eyelid. I ordered some plastic material with vent holes in it that you could mold into shape when heated. I formed it over a tennis ball and then duct taped it into a jowl sweat that I ordered specially for the purpose. The jowl sweat fit much tighter than a fly mask but maybe a sleazy hood would also work. I no longer have it because I mailed it to another forum member who needed it. When I did my research on the web you could order something that might work for big horses for not for minis.

Good luck!


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## MinisOutWest (Sep 1, 2009)

I am dealing with a scratched eye, giving atropine, vetropolycin(antibiotic) and itraconazole(fungal). I have a 1cc/ml syringe and put a little of all three in it. Since I am by myself. I put his halter on and twitch him, pull the lid down and put it in. then immediately give him a treat. he has to wear his fly mask when he goes outside and in his stall during the day until his eye is healed. he has to have ALL his meds until they run out- 30-45 days! Banamine ONLY when horse looks in pain, and you can tell, when pain subsides stop using it. Banamine should be 1x a day and only 1cc per 100 lbs.


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## disneyhorse (Sep 1, 2009)

Yep, had an ulcerated cornea on a filly once!

The atropine is the ointment which will dilate the eye (if the ulcer scars, you want it to be as small as possible so the dilation make sure the scar will be tiny when the eye is not dilated) so the pupil will be very sensitive to light... keep inside an although you don't have to have an eye patch, make sure you find a fly mask. I suppose you could sew a piece of fabric on the area of the flymask by the eye.

The banamine will help with the swelling and any pain. Twice a day is fine, because if the eye starts to irritate her she will start to rub it and can cause more damage.

I would suggest putting the last ointment (probably BNP ointment, can't think of the three ingredients that start with B and N and P off the top of my head) and two times should be minimum. The more often you can put that ointment in, the better. The eye doesn't have a good supply of blood to it, so the eye has to grow blood vessels to the area to heal it (so I was told??!?) so you have to manually supply the antibiotic to the eye since the body can't.

Hope that helps any, that was my explanation as I had to go to an equine ophthalmologist.

Andrea


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## REO (Sep 1, 2009)

Just throwing this info out there






For an eye patch for a horse that gets blind in one eye, or needs stiffer protection, and you don't want them poking it, cut a bill off a baseball cap, curl the bill into a cone and sew it like that, then attach it to a way to hold it on the horse.

I hope your girl will be ok!


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## Indian*R*A*I*N*Dance (Sep 1, 2009)

I lease a POA who has an eye ulcer. He has 0% vision in that eye and in the other eye he can only see 20%. the best part is that hes completly ridable. But anyways, he gets ointment that goes in both eyes and we turn him out in a fly mask. Im thinking that if she is in pain (which my POA has, his eyes are sore) maybe an eye patch isnt the best thing if it is laying right up against the eye, maybe a fly mask?

good luck! hope she feeld better soon!


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## HGFarm (Sep 1, 2009)

We did what barnbum did and used a fly mask and just stitched some material over the outside of the mask on the side needed. When we were done with it, it was easy to take out the stitches, remove the patch and wash it up and put away in case it's ever needed again! It was very easy to keep the eye covered this way.


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## barnbum (Sep 1, 2009)

I found it...


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## Gini (Sep 1, 2009)

Heidi has your vet made a serum yet from her blood. It does sound weird but the serum does help the eye heal and with the other meds gives her the best chance. We had to do all the meds everyone mentioned and added the serum. Please ask your vet. Our vet had us put it in the eye 2x per day with the other meds. The sad part she re-scratched her eye just when she was doing so well and she had to have the eye removed. It is like the others said so important for no light getting to that eye. I'm not sure what other vets say but mine said to keep the mask on 24 hrs a day until we stopped the dialation med.

Praying for a good outcome for your horse.


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## LittleRibbie (Sep 2, 2009)

Thank you all so much,

Karla thank you for finding a photo of your mask. I put black tape over 1 side of the mask for now and am heading out to find some soft of dark fabric. My barn is pretty bright so I did hang a couple of tarps around her stall and added an extra fan. I did give the banamine this A.M. but Im not sure I will give it again today as she doesnt seem to be in any pain or rubbing the eye.

Andrea, you sound just like the vet, thats just how she explained it. Luckily I have the next several days off and will be able to get the 1med in her eye often....more the better....I think it was the atropine that she said should be used 1 daily but w/caution.

minioutwest...god love ya....luckily hubby is helping...I could never do it myself....she's like a little worm LOL

Gini,I had never heard of the "blood serum" ...strange...but you say it did help/work. I am going to ask the vet about it when she returns on Fri..... how they come up w/these things.

Thank you all so much

Oh, do eye tear ducts drain into the nose...is that why she has just started to sort of snort alot after the meds. I will ask the vet but thought you may have some answers too. Thanks again

Heidi


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## Marty (Sep 2, 2009)

Oh Heidi crap. How's little Peanut doing now?

Yes she can have a blocked tear duct I guess but I've never seen one that is all goopy. They run a tube up to clear it out but your vet would need a really small tube for a mini. I've had blocked tear ducts before but they usually only tear water where the eye is constantly dripping.


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## Carolyn R (Sep 2, 2009)

Gini said:


> Heidi has your vet made a serum yet from her blood. It does sound weird but the serum does help the eye heal and with the other meds gives her the best chance. We had to do all the meds everyone mentioned and added the serum. Please ask your vet. Our vet had us put it in the eye 2x per day with the other meds. The sad part she re-scratched her eye just when she was doing so well and she had to have the eye removed. It is like the others said so important for no light getting to that eye. I'm not sure what other vets say but mine said to keep the mask on 24 hrs a day until we stopped the dialation med.Praying for a good outcome for your horse.


The blood is spun down and it is the plasma that is used in the affected eye. If you have any questions about it or if your vet does not have knowledge about it, PM me. I can put you in contact with a farm that swears by it and has years of experience behind them.


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## LittleRibbie (Sep 2, 2009)

Carolyn I just PM'd you

Hi Marty, she doesnt have snortty goop in her nose or anything but she just seems to be snortting...like a pig...cant really tell if its inhale or exhale. Am I making sense? Just seems like their is something in there that is annoying...maybe it is blocked? Im just PO'd at myself for canceling the vet last week. I really thought it was clearing up with all the eye washes I was doing. Her eye stopped dripping for several days....now to find out its an ulcer. Poor little thing, I feel terrible.

On a good note....I think we are on a great track w/the herd. SilverBelle is running the show and Holly feels comfortable grazing right along side both Skillet and S'mores








Heidi


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