Need help

[backwoodsnanny]

WE have our last foal of the year she is at 316days gestation and it appears she does not have any eyes. She is has a full coat but can she survive blind? The lashes are there but she I dont think has any eyes behind the slits. I dont really know how to ask this question. What should we do to help her? I will put a call in to my vet but until I can reach him what should we do at this point?

 

[ChrystalPaths]

OMG Nita! This is Baby's foal? How awful, I'm so sorry, get your "super vet" out soon as possible for sure. I have other suggestions I will email to you, start cleansing and charging Bob's malachite. My prayers are on the way. BTW she can survive blind but it will be a challenge for all. Debi has an old blind brood mare who is priceless.

 

[Becky]

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that. I had a mare that had a filly born with no eyes. Only the sockets were there. Nothing else. I had her put down......

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Thank you both but she is not malformed the lids and lashes are there it just looks as though her eyes are closed and sealed. I will keep you posted about our decision and progress.

 

[tracyCCF]

I am so so sorry. As a person who has two Blind horses presently, both aged horses, (and they do great) I know how you feel.

I had a lovely black tovero colt born out of a appy mare, and frame stallion this year.

At first, when he knocked around, I thought maybe he would get some sight after a few days. After the vet came out and confirmed my worst fears, I decided I would give him a shot and see if he could cope. He kept running into the concrete blocks, and into the gates in his stall. I could never turn him out in a stall bigger than 12 x 12. When noises happened, he immediately ran into things. His eyes were there but mishapen, and he kept his head tilted at all times. The mare tried to keep him close but whenever he got just a few feet from her, he would damage himself. I just couldnt see a quality life for him.

After a week, I made the difficult decision to put him down. He was definately not coping with his blindness. I think the reason my older horses are doing so well, is that they both had eyesight for years.

I wish you the best.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Bumping this up for Nita so it doesn't get lost, say your prayers my friends that this baby is just fine in the end, with Nita as her mum she has the very best shot.

:

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

YEs she can survive and survive just fine. I bought a blind weanling filly she was born with no eyelids and her eyes dried out in a matter of a couple of hours they made her eyelids but it was to late she lost her sight.

She got along fine not only did she travel half way across the country to get to me but she played with the other babies and got along just fine in the pasture as well.

I did have to walk the fence line with her and show her the water... you could put a bell on her dam so she can find her easily but you would be amazed at how well they can do. She would run and buck and gallop around like a wild woman.

I sold her along with her full sister (who was sighted) and she is still doing fine out in a pasture with a run in and such. She knows her area and does just great in fact they are thinking of breeding her and putting a bell on her foal(it was found to be a freak thing not heriditary.)

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Thanks so much Lisa it gives some hope Vet will be here within the hour and we will see what happens from there. Thanks again for all replies.

 

[Vicky Texas]

How so heart breaking. If she were ours I would still do what ever I could to help her.

Any updates on what the Vet said? Can she nurse? I would put bells on the dam, so she

can find her. Is there something you can put on the walls and gate so she will know when

she hits them, and not get hurt. Like at the feed store, the have cattle rub's. They are these long

things, with material on them, they hang them and the cattle walk under them and rub. But

these might work on the stall walls, so if she runs into the walls, she won't get hurt. Is there

any treatment for her? I will be sending much prayers for this baby, does she have a name?

How old is she? Any pictures of this precious girl?

Prayers for you and this precious baby.

Vicky

 

[RJRMINIS]

Oh wow! I have never heard of this before, hopefully she is just a little premature and her eyes are there. I am not sure what I would do, If she is up and nursing and healthy otherwise, I would give her every opportunity to overcome this, It is amazing what animals can do, it is like they make up for their loss in other ways, to help them cope.

Please keep us updated!

My prayers are with you and your foal.

 

[Miniv]

Prayers being sent your way, Nita. Please keep us posted on what the vet says........

MA

 

[hairicane]

U probably have the vet out by now but I had a premie filly born this year thats eyes were still sealed. She didnt have much coat on her hindquarters, very tiny and premie, but was alive after being born upside down and a red bag!! Her mom went right to those sealed eyes and was licking them and I could see they were unsealing so I helped too. I really knew she was WAY too early but we tried. She lived about 45 minutes and was a beautiful blue eyed overo, it never fails.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Vicky she is at the moment roughly 6 hours old she has nursed she has pooped she is doing everything a perfect foal can do. She is NOT running into walls she has been walking the boundaries of the stall and will bump but she has already figured out how to back out of corners and she has an acute sense of hearing when someone comes in the barn she nickers and tells mom someone is here. I can not post a pic but will have Jodi Scoopie Doo to do it when we have a minute. Vet will be here within the hour. I will post an update.

 

[Vicky Texas]

Vicky she is at the moment roughly 6 hours old she has nursed she has pooped she is doing everything a perfect foal can do. She is NOT running into walls she has been walking the boundaries of the stall and will bump but she has already figured out how to back out of corners and she has an acute sense of hearing when someone comes in the barn she nickers and tells mom someone is here. I can not post a pic but will have Jodi Scoopie Doo to do it when we have a minute. Vet will be here within the hour. I will post an update.

I am so thankful she is nursing, and pooping. Sounds like she is coping. I am glad she does know

the boundaries of the stall and can back out of the corner. I am sorry, I have never had a foal or

horse that was blind. I just remember seeing at a farm, where they had a mare blind, she was running

into everything in a panic. But your baby sounds like she is coping, and I just pray the Vet will have

some kind of answers or treatment for her. She just sounds like one very precious and special girl.

Prayers for her

Vicky

 

[Hosscrazy]

Oh sweetie - please keep us posted. I know you will do everything you can to keep her comfie - so glad to hear she is nursing and doing all the normal baby stuff. Feel free to PM me if you need help posting pix.

Liz R.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Thought you would like to see the little girl you are sending prayers for and many thanks to all

 

[Joyce]

She is beautiful and I sure hope the Vet gets there soon. Perhaps he will be able to open them. Keep the faith and prayers for you and her from down here in CT. Let us know when you can what the Vet says.

Good luck.

Joyce L

 

[chandab]

There is an Animal Sanctuary for disabled animals in Western MT called Rolling Dog Ranch; they have several blind horses, including one that came to them that was born blind. Here's on a link to Destiny's page (the foal that was born blind) on their website: http://www.rollingdogranch.com/horses/destiny.html

Just thought it might be incouraging to know that your foal could live a full life, blind or not.

 

[yankee_minis]

Awwww... she's beautiful!! At six hours old, too!

I have noticed that when babies are very young they are more out-going and interested in people and their surroundings. By the time she is about 24 hours old she will start adopting her mom's attitude. (Which tends to be somewhat protective in degrees based on the personality of the dam.) If you guys can be in with her a lot in those first 24 hours, she may consider you "mom" too and will take help and direction from you as she grows. I think that would help her a lot. Maybe she won't try to run from you when you need to handle her or react strongly to unfamiliar sounds. This might help keep her from running into walls and fences in fear to get away from you.

Just a thought... and my humble experience.

Nita, you're right, Helen doesn't know she's blind. I'd like to know what is going on in her mind...

I hope the vet tells you everything else is fine and that she is doing well.

 

[shane]

awwww i really really hope you get some help soon for this special girl, shes beautiful it must be very frustrating for you,...

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