puffy eyes

[dacasodivine]

I had a horse show up at my house on Tuesday. So far no owner has shown up. Today I noticed her eyes are puffy and weepy. I don't think they were like that before today. Is there anything I can do?

[BornToRide]

If it is not eye irritation from flies or something else, that horse could also have IR and/or Cushings, especially when combined with other warning signs, like easy keeper, cresty neck, fat pockets over eyes, shoulder/rump, etc.

Have a vet take a closer look.

[dacasodivine]

The horse is skinny so probably no IR or Cushings. It probably is flies or some other irritation. They already look better this morning and I did nothing. But they are still a little puffy and irritated. Is there an eye ointment that I could put on?

I can't afford to pay the vet for someone else's horse. I'm pretty sure they won't pay it back if they do come and claim their horse.

[CB/TB]

Irritation from the trailer ride? Allergies to new surroundings or hay( blowing around in trailer during transport?) I wouldn't look for anything major if it's getting better. Could be a bug bite, the noseeums have started around here.

[kypeep]

I have 2 that get allergies in the spring. After they've been out grazing for the day, both come in with puffy eyes. Only happens this time of year and only to those 2 horses.

[dacasodivine]

There was no trailer ride. She literally was at my back fence when I got home on Tuesday. Animal control has been out to see her and looked around the immediate area for anyone missing a horse. So far no owner. If no owner is found, I will get to keep her.

It is possible it's the hay. I was feeding square bales when she came but usually feed round. I was just between rounds at the time. I got a new round on Sunday and Monday she was puffy.

So I shouldn't worry about it or should I get some eyedrops or something?

[Sentry Chick]

So I shouldn't worry about it or should I get some eyedrops or something?

I would not put in any drops without having the vet look at them first. Eyes are not something to mess with. You could flush them out with plain saline solution or some cool water but other than that, I would not put in just anything. I totally understand not wanting to put money into someone elses horse so maybe you could just call the vet and see what they recommend.

[Tamara in TN]

I had a horse show up at my house on Tuesday. So far no owner has shown up. Today I noticed her eyes are puffy and weepy. I don't think they were like that before today. Is there anything I can do?

call the vet.....now

I have had one go blind totally in less than 48 hours...no warning and like a lightening strike...the faster treatment starts the better...had I not delayed even the 24 hours, I could have maybe prevented the result...

[BornToRide]

I'm pretty sure they won't pay it back if they do come and claim their horse.I have the same feeling :(

[Tamara in TN]

I have the same feeling :(

oh...I skipped over the part about the OP not being the owner...there is nothing that one who is not the owner can really do....

best

[dacasodivine]

Thanks all for your replies. I will pop by my vet on the way home and see if I can talk to him for a minutes. He might be seeing alot of this in the area right now.

For sterile saline solution, do you mean like for contact lens wearers? I have some I could flush her eyes with. If she'll let me, not sure if she will.

[CB/TB]

Sorry, . I thought it sounded like a horse was delivered for boarding by a transport and the owner just hadn't come around yet. A saline solution won't hurt and you could probably get some at any CVS, Rite Aid, etc.

[Seven-up]

Please update us with what the vet said. :yes:

Eyes are nothing to mess around with. Lots of things will do fine with a 'wait and see' attitude, but not eyes. 24-48 hours can mean the difference between recovering and losing the eye.

I called the vet on a boarder's horse after the eyelid swelling hadn't gone down from the day before. I assumed the eye itself was ok because it was the eyelid that was puffy. Turns out it was an ulcer in the eye, and the vet said if I had waited another day, the horse would have gone blind. The structures in the eye get damaged pretty quick if something isn't done to alleviate the swelling.

[dacasodivine]

When I got home after lunch her eyes looked fine so I didn't go by or call. I'm going to have to talk to him after all. One eye was a little puffy and had a discharge this evening. It doesn't seem to be bothering her much but I'll feel better after I talk to the vet.

[jaimebaker]

Plain saline solution (not contact solution...just plain saline) and some Triple Antibiotic Eye Ointment. Neither one will hurt. MAKE SURE you get eye cream with NO steroids in it. Terramycin is an antibiotic ophthalmic ointment that is over the counter and can be bought at TSC or Co-op. Again, it won't hurt whereas something with a steroid in it can do tremendous damage if used without a vets advice (can cause melting ulcers, blindness, etc if the horse has a scratch).

[Seven-up]

I missed the part earlier about her literally showing up at your barn. :eek: I think I know the answer to this one already, but maybe Animal Control would be willing to spring for an eye exam? I might emphasize how much harder it will be for them to place a blind horse...


She must have wandered up to the right fence, though. Other people may not have been so kind as to take her in.:yes:

[dacasodivine]

Animal control has told me if the owner isn't found in 30 days, I get to keep her. So, I doubt animal control will pay anything. They looked pretty relieved I didn't ask them to take her.

I think it probably is allergies by the way it comes and goes. I will go by and talk to the vet though. He's really not far away so I can stop by on my way home from my part-time job.

Thanks all.

I don't have time to post pictures this morning but if you are interested, I posted on the Off Course about finding her and posted pictures. It's titled, "It's been an exciting day" or something like that.

[dacasodivine]

Okay, so I went by my vet today and was told no vet would be available until Friday. I did tell the staff what my problem was and they said all they could do was suggest the ointment you guys suggested.

I did go and get it and actually got it in both eyes. I was surprised. She was easy to get a halter on and put the ointment in. Then I went ahead and cleaned her feet out. She was good about it all. Someone at some point has taken care of her.

[jaimebaker]

Bless you for taking this gal in while the owners are being located. At least, I hope the owners are located. I don't even want to think about a 'stray' horse wandering up to our property. I have enough issues with stray dogs being dumped out.

If she has a little touch of conjunctivitis or something minor, you might notice a complete turn around in 24 hours since you've got the ointment in her. My vets always say, apply the ointment until the problem clears and then do an extra day for good measure. If no improvement by 5-7 days, there's something much more amiss and she needs to be examined. But then, I wouldn't let an eye issue go on that long if I wasn't sure what it was. Unfortunately, I've dealt with a ton of eye 'issues'.

[esdressage]

Sounds like she is feeling safe and happy right now. That eye cream should help her. Keep us updated! I'm very curious if any owners are going to come forward. Are you thinking you want to keep her if not?

[<3OTTB]

It would be a very good idea to put a mask on her. A guardian mask would be best but if you do not have one use a regular flymask. Is she squinting a lot? Is she itching a lot?

[dacasodivine]

We are still discussing if we are going to keep her if no owner is found. We're on the fence. We already have 2 horses on 2 acres, that includes our home on it. We have another 3 weeks to decide. If the owner doesn't come forward by then, we get to keep or do whatever we want, according to animal control.

Forgot to reply to 3ottb. She doesn't squint that I can see or itch. In the morning and afternoon, her eyes are fine. It's toward evening that they, one more than the other, gets puffy. The first time was the worst. I think it may have been that new round bale I had just gotten. It was the very next day that she got puffy.

I don't even have a fly mask but will get one if it looks like she needs it.

[Paddys Mom]

If you want a fly mask for this poor girl, please PM me your address. :)

[dacasodivine]

I've had her nearly a month now. AC says she will be officially ours in a few more days so I can get her to the vet and get her teeth done.

Eyes don't get nearly as puffy. I think it's just allergies.

Here is a pic from last week with a fly mask sent by Paddy's Mom (thank you so much). I was surprised I had no problem getting it on. My initial impression is that at some point, someone loved this horse and cared for her and fussed over her. I still believe that.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/dobegirl2222/002.jpg

Here is a pic from today.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/dobegirl2222/007.jpg

[pines4equines]

Could the gooey eyes be the ol' neck/thread worms thingy? Have you read that large thread about Occhhinnecea or whatever? Of course, ask the vet prior to doing anything but she probably could use a worming...

[dacasodivine]

I'll check that out and see if it sounds like that. I've wormed her twice with safeguard and plan to give her some ivomec this weekend.

No way I could have the poor thing and not worm her. If getting teeth floated was more econimical, that would have been done already, too.

[twofatponies]

Thanks all for your replies. I will pop by my vet on the way home and see if I can talk to him for a minutes. He might be seeing alot of this in the area right now.

For sterile saline solution, do you mean like for contact lens wearers? I have some I could flush her eyes with. If she'll let me, not sure if she will.

My mare had one puffy eye last summer, from fly irritation (vet came out and did a careful check). But I did use saline (like for contact lense wearers) and even just a very soft mist from the hose to rinse it for a few days. She actually liked the mist from the hose - it was soothing and gentle, but effective. We put a fly mask on, too. She needed to have the tear duct cleared, as it was not draining due to the puffiness. But then it cleared up.

Your vet might have better suggestions, of course.

[dacasodivine]

:mad:I am so upset. I just talked to the AC officer and she said her boss says if no owner is found, they have to pick her up and either take her to the spca or sale barn. She's not sure which. :cry:

I am so ticked off! I think she was a bit embarrassed and upset. She thought we got to keep it.

Maybe I shouldn't have called about it again. They might have forgot about it and left her. I haven't heard from them since the day the officer came out when she first came.


I really could just cry. And now dh is ticked off because we've been feeding and caring for this horse for a month and she might go to a sale barn? If they had told us that to start with, we wouldn't have kept her here to get attacted to.

[ddashaq]

Well that is crappy! Why on earth do they think taking an abandoned horse to an auction is the best solution when someone is offering her a home? That makes no sense. Personally, I would contact someone familiar with animal welfare laws in your state and find out if that is in fact what they HAVE to do. Are they willing to reimburse you for the feed and vet care you have put into her?

[nlk]

A simple cold compress does wonders for those who have bug irritation or stuffed their head to far in the hay roll!

Just take a wash cloth soaked with cold water and hold it on the eyes for 10 mins or so...repeat as needed

[rcloisonne]

She looks like an appy and they are supremely prone to uveitis. Please have the vet check her and start appropriate treatment ASAP. She could very well go blind. Perhaps this is why someone conveniently "lost" her?

If AC wants to confiscate and you want to keep her, hand them a board and vet bill and tell them you want to be compensated. If not, you'll take them to court.

[eventmom]

I think there is one thing you can do:)
When my horses get spring allerigies, I put a fly mask on them. Makes a huge difference! Try it. Maybe it will help. And its free,,,,unless you have to buy one:)