Eyes

[Marsha Cassada]

Dapper Dan scares me several times a year with swollen eye. He has large eyes and seems to get into trouble pretty often. Went out last night to feed and there was the eye, swollen shut, oozing and scary. Since this happens so often I have a system. First I panic, then I flush with water. In the summer I use the water hose on a low pressure. Since the water is so cold now, I used a cloth and a bucket of lukewarm water. He doesn't like it; it hurts. But we do it anyway. He gets a dose of Banamine and I apply antibiotic eye ointment. If he isn't better in the morning, off he goes to the vet.
Thank goodness it is back to normal this morning. I bathed the eye again and applied another dose of the ointment. I'm keeping him confined in the small pasture with his fly mask on today. If the eye is still good tonight, then I'll consider the episode over.
The first time this happened, many years ago, the vet had to come out and remove a grass part that was embedded on the eyeball. So now I flush with water right away; he told me that was the best thing to do. I have had those eye drops not do the job, so now I don't mess with that. I just use a lot of water. I haven't had to take him to the vet for this since I started flushing. I'm glad he is little enough to wrestle with!

 

[HomesteadFox]

Have you considered keeping a fly mask on him if he is that accident prone? That would make me nervous!
Edited to say I am glad he is well and that I have a good tip if I ever have to do the same now.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I keep a fly/uv mask on him in the summer but he is so hairy in the winter and is out foraging on the acreage I can't keep it on him. I've lost more than one mask that way. He generally has more eye trouble in the summer.

 

[minihorse]

Marsha that sounds a lot like how to treat a human's stye. I'm glad you know how to handle him at the beginning so it does not get worse. I hope it's over for this time.

 

[Cayuse]

If it is any easier, you can get saline flush that come in a bottle with a nozzle on it. I had to use this a lot on my old mare. It is pretty easy to direct the flow with it (less H20 flying around to freeze up!) Just thought I would mention it as it might be easier to use in the winter (you could keep it in the house where it would be warm).
I hear you about the big eyes, my mare had those big eyes too, as does Peanut. Peanut's get irritated sometimes and I always panic.
I hope Dapper Dan is well over this episode.

ETA: I was just thinking, with my mare we used lubricating ointmet in her eyes like you would use for dry eyes. Once a day we would put a dose in and seemed to help keep the eyes moist so the gunk couldn't stick to them. I did this for years on the advice of the opthomologist she saw.
That brings back memories!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I will look into the saline flush for sure! Never heard of that. I think it would be better for the eyes than plain water, too.
I do try to use the antihistamine drops in his eyes every day. That sure gets old. I will change over to the lubricating one; I've used both over the years. I never thought of the lubricating one working like that, but it makes sense.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

The saline flush is great Marsha , I have it on hand for my little stallion, great suggestion Cayuse. I always found that a "Mini" fly mask here , never fits correctly , either always being too big under the forelock or just a weird shape in general. After hunting for ages, I have been able to find one that I used ages ago. It fits perfectly, has extra strap under the chin and is perfect for the fly mask Houdini. See if you can get the "Equivisor" , The original one I had lasted for 5 years which is a lot longer than some i have purchased. Hope the swelling has subsided.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

That is what I use, Equivisor. fantastic mask.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He still had a little swelling this morning so I made a vet appt. It is an hour trailer ride. He put dye in the eye. He didnt' see anything new (an old healed spot) but he could tell by the pupil that the eye was still painful. He told me to do two more doses of banamine and the ointment 3-4 times a day. We talked about saline.

 

[Sam]

I sure hope his eye is good in the morning or at least better, and all better soon. Does he tolerate the vet messing with his eye?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Yes he was a good boy for the vet.

 

[Cayuse]

How is he today?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Yesterday he was great and I got overconfident and didn't use the ointment as often as I should have, and left his fly mask off. This morning I could tell he isn't completely well. I did the ointment and put his mask on. I will be a better horse owner today.
Thanks for asking.

 

[Cayuse]

Eye have their ups and downs and their own timetable. He will be OK. Actually, I am sympathizing with DD, I had a cataract done about 10 days ago and all I seem to be doing is putting drops in my eyes!
Give the good boy a pat from me next time you are out with him