Cut Near Eye Area - How Would YOU Treat?

[gooselover]

My gelding has cut himself near his eye -it is an inch or so below the front corner of his eye extending out to his nose. About 2 inches in diameter. Doesn't need stitches. Not bad enough for vet.

We have been cleaning and treating with neosporin. Tonight it looked a tad worse and I believe it is because he is rubbing it.

Would a liquid bandage work? How would you treat? Thanks.

[deltawave]

My favorite wound product is Alu-Film or Alu-Spray if the wound is clean.

[EqTrainer]

Wipe it clean w/ a soft cloth that is clean and wet w/warm water. Then leave it alone.

This is the advice my doctor and nurse friends who work in ER's give me. Warm water, leave it alone. Don't put anything gooey on it, don't put anything at all on it.. just leave it alone.

Sorry to be so redundant but that is about how many times they had to say it to me before I really threw out all those ointments and whatnot. Kept the spray Alushield and Furacin, the wet Furacin for sweats, the Cornescrescine for growing hair back. It seems they were right, everything heals just fine.

[jaimebaker]

Use the Triple Antibiotic Eye ointment you get from the vet. That way even if it gets in the eye, it won't matter. I definitely won't use anything BUT that when I'm dealing with booboos near eyes. All they have to do is rub their head one time and you can get some scary, scary medicine in their eye. Be safe, use Triple Antiobiotic eye ointment. It's still a Triple Antibiotic ointment...it's just made for the eye. Still does a great job on cuts.

[Fairview Horse Center]

I agree to leave it alone. You can get furacin powder. It is the treatment for cows for pink eye, and is safe.

[Proud To Be Spotted]

Just keep it clean. If you have to do something do as Jaime suggest. Do not put anything near the eye that is not designed to go IN the eye.


Use the Triple Antibiotic Eye ointment you get from the vet. That way even if it gets in the eye, it won't matter. I definitely won't use anything BUT that when I'm dealing with booboos near eyes. All they have to do is rub their head one time and you can get some scary, scary medicine in their eye. Be safe, use Triple Antiobiotic eye ointment. It's still a Triple Antibiotic ointment...it's just made for the eye. Still does a great job on cuts.

[esdressage]

Do you have any flies around yet? (we already do in the SW) If so, my concern would be that you get habronema larvae in the wound if you leave it entirely alone.

If you do have flies around, I'd want to put Swat on there, a fly mask, or something that will keep the flies from depositing larvae in the wound.

[Simkie]

Leave it be. Let it scab. Don't pick at or put goop on it. Use a fly mask if necessary.

The body really does an excellent job of putting a bandage on it. It's called a scab.

[webmistress32]

my vet came to look at a gash near the eye. the eye was all blown up like he had been punched so I didn't take any chances.

anyway he recommended the eye ointment with antibiotic even for the gash under the eye. that way if the meds get into the eye it's ok.

gash cleared up in a few days and then scabbed over and was done.

[mypaintwattie]

My mare has an uncanny ability to get lacerations near her eyes- literally on her eyelids. I've found that the best way to get them to heal is leave them alone, especially if they are very close to the eye where ointments could get in. I also put a fly mask on, it keeps her from rubbing and making the wound worse.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Leave it be. Let it scab. Don't pick at or put goop on it. Use a fly mask if necessary.

The body really does an excellent job of putting a bandage on it. It's called a scab.

Actually with horses, things heal best if you keep removing the scab. Horses live in such a dirty environment, scabs trap infection in the body. Removing a scab, and keeping it draining is always best as that is the body's way of clearing an infection. You just have to make sure any drainage is not blistering the skin below.

[Simkie]

Actually with horses, things heal best if you keep removing the scab. Horses live in such a dirty environment, scabs trap infection in the body. Removing a scab, and keeping it draining is always best as that is the body's way of clearing an infection. You just have to make sure any drainage is not blistering the skin below.

That has absolutely not been my experience, ever. Perhaps if you didn't clean it when it happened, or if it's a deep puncture...but for a general scrape/laceration? I've seen far longer healing times, more infection and larger scars when people screw with it.

[Fairview Horse Center]

All of the vets I have worked with for almost 35 years have said the same thing - work the scab off. Managing my farn using that recommendation has worked incredibly well.

[sid]

Ditto Fairview, Simkie and Jaime...leave it alone. If you have to apply something, make sure it is a product that can get in the eye and cause no harm. Eyes are too important to guess about regarding products that might find their way there.

[Penthilisea]

See if you or a buddy has a racing blinder mask thing. The one with half eye cups? It will prevent your horse from rubbing the eye.

[fivehorses]

My colt just did the same thing, vet came out, told us to use the eye ointment(vetropolymycin) that is used for eyes too.

Told if eye discharge turned colored or cloudy to call immediately.

We put the ointment on twice a day for a week.