Eye infection... help!

Chic · 08-26-2008, 05:08 PM

I just got to where my Moose is pastured to do chores. I noticed that Mooses left eye was swollen. Seems to be around the eye... swollen and puffy. The eye itself doesn't look red and I didn't see any yellow puss. The eye was a bit watery. What do I do?

Flush with water or saline? I have some eye drops the vet gave me for my kittens but don't have it with me and I can't remember what it is.

Faceman · 08-26-2008, 05:41 PM

What you do is have your vet examine him.

Although it is most likely just an allergy or dust problem, eyes in a horse are nothing to be cautious about calling a vet about. There are lots of blind and one-eyed horses around because people assumed a problem was minor.

Self-treating eye problems is not wise...

tricia3kids · 08-26-2008, 05:51 PM

I never mess around with eye injuries. You would not see any yellow from the eye unless you already have /had an infection brewing. a recent injury you will see puffy, swollen, red and watery. DO NOT wait, a horse can loose its eye sight so easy. Vet call

**gbarmranch** · 08-26-2008, 05:54 PM

We can handle a lot of things here without a vet.. but never with eye injuries.. it is most definitely a vet call.. with an after hours fee if need be..

Chic · 08-26-2008, 08:28 PM

Well, I ended up flushing it with saline and put on his fly mask for the night. Did try to call the only vet that will do farm calls and couldn't get him. Left a message. I'll try again in the morning. I do hope it is nothing serious since there were no obvious injuries.

GreyDot · 08-26-2008, 10:22 PM

Will add my 2 cents' worth - it's definitely something to refer to a vet. I hope yours calls you back soon. Meanwhile, it sounds like you did all you could. Just try to keep the horse from rubbing his face, and keep the eye covered.

DustyTrailsHorseRescue · 08-27-2008, 12:36 AM

Did the vet ever come out?

Chic · 08-27-2008, 11:17 PM

Yes, I finally got a hold of him. He said that it looked like allergies and gave me some ointment to put in both eyes for a few days (twice a day) and to keep the fly mask on. Said that if it hadn't cleared up in 3 or 4 days to call him back.

horselady · 08-28-2008, 06:46 AM

Hope all is better with they eyes today, Nothing scarier than a puffy eye .

A J · 08-28-2008, 09:18 AM

Glad your vet got back to you and it appears relatively minor. I had one mare that routinely got allergy related eye issues every year - had the vet out the first couple times then pretty much learned what to look for. Problem was she HATED having the ointment put in there! We worked it out but boy was it a chore!

Chic · 08-28-2008, 06:52 PM

I got to the pasture this morning and freaked out cause there was dried blood all the way down his face.

I ran up to the house and got a wet cloth to wipe it off. He had scratched the corner of the outside of his eye on something. Nothing like causing your owner to panic.

But on the up side his eye didn't look as puffy.

GreyDot · 08-28-2008, 06:59 PM

This is why I mentioned the need to keep him from rubbing his eye. Try to keep his fly mask on at all times. Often, it is also possible that the tear duct may need to be flushed - and this give a lot of relief. If you have a dusty arena, water it. You may also want to dampen the hay, to keep dust from rising and irritating his eyes.

Chic · 08-28-2008, 08:11 PM

He had his fly mask on all last night. I'm wondering if he needs more padding like bra cup mask thing? He isn't getting hay right now... plently of pasture. The pasture is dry but it is supposed to rain tonight so hopefully that will help.

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08-26-2008, 05:08 PM
Chic Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,209	Eye infection... help! I just got to where my Moose is pastured to do chores. I noticed that Mooses left eye was swollen. Seems to be around the eye... swollen and puffy. The eye itself doesn't look red and I didn't see any yellow puss. The eye was a bit watery. What do I do? Flush with water or saline? I have some eye drops the vet gave me for my kittens but don't have it with me and I can't remember what it is. __________________ Jewlery For Your HorseThe Kelley Square "I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." Edward Hale

08-26-2008, 05:41 PM
Faceman Kid Safe Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Arkansas Ozarks Posts: 7,079	What you do is have your vet examine him. Although it is most likely just an allergy or dust problem, eyes in a horse are nothing to be cautious about calling a vet about. There are lots of blind and one-eyed horses around because people assumed a problem was minor. Self-treating eye problems is not wise... __________________ Read what I said, not what you THINK I said... Last edited by Faceman : 08-26-2008 at 06:38 PM.

08-26-2008, 05:51 PM
tricia3kids Weanling Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SW FL Posts: 439	eyes I never mess around with eye injuries. You would not see any yellow from the eye unless you already have /had an infection brewing. a recent injury you will see puffy, swollen, red and watery. DO NOT wait, a horse can loose its eye sight so easy. Vet call __________________ Be grateful you are on this side of the grass

08-26-2008, 05:54 PM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,218	We can handle a lot of things here without a vet.. but never with eye injuries.. it is most definitely a vet call.. with an after hours fee if need be.. __________________ Quality FoundationQuarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann Minds are like parachutes – they only function when open – Thomas Dewar

08-26-2008, 08:28 PM
Chic Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,209	Well, I ended up flushing it with saline and put on his fly mask for the night. Did try to call the only vet that will do farm calls and couldn't get him. Left a message. I'll try again in the morning. I do hope it is nothing serious since there were no obvious injuries. __________________ Jewlery For Your HorseThe Kelley Square "I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." Edward Hale

08-26-2008, 10:22 PM
GreyDot Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Between AZ and OH Posts: 2,272	Will add my 2 cents' worth - it's definitely something to refer to a vet. I hope yours calls you back soon. Meanwhile, it sounds like you did all you could. Just try to keep the horse from rubbing his face, and keep the eye covered. __________________ ...There is nothing to be done till a horse's head is settled. ~William Cavendish Stuipid CAN be fixed... you just have to hit it hard enough! ~A rare moment of inspiration

08-27-2008, 12:36 AM
DustyTrailsHorseRescue Long Yearling Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Montgomery, Alabama Posts: 1,471	Did the vet ever come out? __________________ www.dthr.org "All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke

08-27-2008, 11:17 PM
Chic Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,209	Yes, I finally got a hold of him. He said that it looked like allergies and gave me some ointment to put in both eyes for a few days (twice a day) and to keep the fly mask on. Said that if it hadn't cleared up in 3 or 4 days to call him back. __________________ Jewlery For Your HorseThe Kelley Square "I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." Edward Hale

08-28-2008, 06:46 AM
horselady Greenbroke Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: albany new york Posts: 3,240	Hope all is better with they eyes today, Nothing scarier than a puffy eye . __________________ www.rainbow-horse-retirement.com We love and take care of your companion for the remainder of his lifetime

08-28-2008, 09:18 AM
A J Greenbroke Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 3,318	Glad your vet got back to you and it appears relatively minor. I had one mare that routinely got allergy related eye issues every year - had the vet out the first couple times then pretty much learned what to look for. Problem was she HATED having the ointment put in there! We worked it out but boy was it a chore! __________________ Try not, do. Do or do not. There is no try.

08-28-2008, 06:52 PM
Chic Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,209	I got to the pasture this morning and freaked out cause there was dried blood all the way down his face. I ran up to the house and got a wet cloth to wipe it off. He had scratched the corner of the outside of his eye on something. Nothing like causing your owner to panic. But on the up side his eye didn't look as puffy. __________________ Jewlery For Your HorseThe Kelley Square "I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." Edward Hale

08-28-2008, 06:59 PM
GreyDot Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Between AZ and OH Posts: 2,272	This is why I mentioned the need to keep him from rubbing his eye. Try to keep his fly mask on at all times. Often, it is also possible that the tear duct may need to be flushed - and this give a lot of relief. If you have a dusty arena, water it. You may also want to dampen the hay, to keep dust from rising and irritating his eyes. __________________ ...There is nothing to be done till a horse's head is settled. ~William Cavendish Stuipid CAN be fixed... you just have to hit it hard enough! ~A rare moment of inspiration

08-28-2008, 08:11 PM
Chic Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,209	He had his fly mask on all last night. I'm wondering if he needs more padding like bra cup mask thing? He isn't getting hay right now... plently of pasture. The pasture is dry but it is supposed to rain tonight so hopefully that will help. __________________ Jewlery For Your HorseThe Kelley Square "I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." Edward Hale