[Hannahsmom]

Okay guys, I'm still dealing with this and last week had a setback. Back on the Terramycin, Atropine, and Banamine. But Carlydee's article was really helpful to me telling me that possibly the way in which I applying the medicine is part of why it is not healing on the exterior, I was using my finger to try and put it directly on. I also want to send this to my vet as he has not been debriding the eye.

Another question for you guys dealing with this, my horse has a fair amount of swelling in his lower lid, particularly near the lower corner (tear duct area). Do you guys have swollen lower lids too?

[caryledee]

So sorry Hannahsmom. I have been buying boxes of 1cc syringes and using them to apply the meds. For me it is a lot easier than trying to stick my finger in his eye. See video: http://www.thehorse.com/videos/30444...ions-in-horses.

My horse's eyelid has had a fair amount of swelling as well. His tear duct was blocked at one point but that resolved on its own. The lid still has some swelling.

Vet was out this morning; my guy has almost healed up again after 5 days on Adequan. I am not sure if it is coincidence or if the Adequan has been the difference. I have been to this point several times before though, so I am going to wait awhile before I truly believe he is cured.

[JoanR]

I have my fingers crossed for you Caryledee! I hope your guy is on his road to recovering. These eye problems are just so tough. I am still adjusting to my little fellow having only one eye now, but he is a happy camper. It is a wonder he still trots right up to me, even knowing I am going to be messing with his healing eye socket. I hope you don't have to go there, but know that if you do, your horse will be fine.

[caryledee]

Thanks! This horse certainly has the right temperament if it comes down to that. I am not sure why he still likes me after 4 months of causing him pain, but what a trooper! Yesterday my vet tried to give him some mints. He sniffed them, then just gave her a look like "yea, right what's the catch here?" He waited until she left then took them from me.

Glad your boy is doing well! How long does it take for the socket to heal?

[Hannahsmom]

Pulled out my old 1 cc syringes and started using them. Actually easier. Can someone tell me why Adequan would help in these eye situations? I saw earlier where people mentioned this and that stumps me on why it would help. I am getting closer and closer to resigning myself to enucleation. The poor horse has been wonderful but this is not a comfortable life for him.

[caryledee]

I asked my vet about how the Adequan works and she said the Adequan forms a lattice for the cells to build on.

From the web: According to researchers at Colorado State University, there is an increase of plasmin in ulcerated corneas. The breakdown of fibrin may contribute to the development of indolent ulcers. However, PSGAG inhibits plasmin, reducing the breakdown of fibrin.

If you still haven't tried serum, that might be something you could try first as it is very cheap. But my guy has been on Adequan now for about a week and there is a huge difference. I actually think that the ulcer is completely healed and some corneal edema is all that is left. One vial of Adequan costs about $45 and lasts a week (I am giving 1/4 cc 3 x a day.) So it isn't that much more expensive than some of the antibiotics I was using at first.

I would definitely understand your choice to enucleate the eye though. Between the pain these things cause the horse and the frustration and expense for the owner, these things are just horrible to deal with.

[JoanR]

Caryledee--I had them put in a prostetic and Rickey promptly whacked it and split the eyelid open. I had it restitched twice before I decided to give up on it. Once the prostetic was removed, they did not stitch it up but left it to heal on its own. Looked pretty closed up after three weeks. We flushed it daily with a weak betadyne solution. If they suture the eyelid after surgery rather than doing the prostetit, the healing time might be shorter. Now my guy had a runaway fungal infection and not just an ulcer. Obviously an ulcer is bad enough on its own! The horse seems to have adjusted well to having one eye and still runs to me when I go to the pasture. I am surprised he does not hate me with all I put him through. So for anyone who ends up making the decision I did, things are not nearly as bad as I expected.

[Hannahsmom]

Well as of this morning, my horse's cornea looks smooth. No dye uptake. Still very foggy and one pinpoint area. So I'm supposed to stop the Banamine and atropine but continue with Terramycin. Fingers crossed. And I have Adequan so that is easy enough for me to give. But going to wait to see what things look like now. Still doing the herpes drug twice daily though. I'm not excited this time as like all of you, this may just be a temporary respite.

[caryledee]

Fingers crossed for you! Hopefully this will be the end of it for both of us!

[Hannahsmom]

Back to square one. What was the Adequan dosage you all used?

[Toadie's mom]

So sorry Hannahsmom. I have been buying boxes of 1cc syringes and using them to apply the meds. For me it is a lot easier than trying to stick my finger in his eye. See video: http://www.thehorse.com/videos/30444...ions-in-horses.

.

Thank you so much for this link. I'm dealing with my 1st eye infection, and I do not have a good patient. 2-3 salves, 4/day, and those 4 times today I almost came away in tears myself.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Hannahsmom.

[caryledee]

Back to square one. What was the Adequan dosage you all used?

Oh no! So sorry! The Adequan dose I used was 1/4 cc 3x a day. One vial lasted me about a week. I started to see improvement after about 4-5 days and now after 2 vials his eye is almost back to normal (knocking hard on wood!) I hope it can help your horse as well.

[caryledee]

Thank you so much for this link. I'm dealing with my 1st eye infection, and I do not have a good patient. 2-3 salves, 4/day, and those 4 times today I almost came away in tears myself.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Hannahsmom.

I feel for you! The only good thing about the last 5 months is that my horse was usually very good about treatments. I'm not sure how I would have handled this if he'd fought me.

Has your vet talked to you at all about the lavage system?

[Chall]

I will be updating my thread, but my uv horse had a more in depth exam, and the vet found very high positive for Lyme tick, so he's being treated for that. Plus nasal flush and acupuncture around the eye done with his own blood. I'm glad I found an underlying system issue (Lyme tick), maybe treating that will help.

[Jhorne89]

Has anyone used 5% sodium chloride for corneal edema related to ulceration?

[caryledee]

Has anyone used 5% sodium chloride for corneal edema related to ulceration?

I have tried Muro several times with my guy and to be honest, I did not notice any improvement or change.
That is just my experience though; my vet does use it often with her other cases.

[Jhorne89]

I have tried Muro several times with my guy and to be honest, I did not notice any improvement or change.
That is just my experience though; my vet does use it often with her other cases.

Her ulcer is definitely improving but the eye is still cloudy from the edema. Did you encounter this? She holds it open and doesn't seem Beth painful and is very easy to medicate now, I just hate seeing the cloudiness.

[Toadie's mom]

I feel for you! The only good thing about the last 5 months is that my horse was usually very good about treatments. I'm not sure how I would have handled this if he'd fought me.

Has your vet talked to you at all about the lavage system?

Going for a check-up in the morning. I guess then I'll find out how much longer I might have to keep administering these salves, and what options there are. With the lavage system, would I have to stall him? He's still able to be out now, with a mask.

BTW, the insulin syringe works great (compared to finger or straight from the tube!). I did have a hard time finding them though. Both pharmacies in town wouldn't sell them to me unless I had a perscription Finally found some at the 3rd feed store I called.

[shiningwizard255]

I haven't read the whole thread but just wanted to say jingles for your horse and also for you. My horse has had two - same eye - but hers luckily responded to antibiotic cream. Eye ulcers suck. I hope they find something to help your guy soon.

[caryledee]

Her ulcer is definitely improving but the eye is still cloudy from the edema. Did you encounter this? She holds it open and doesn't seem Beth painful and is very easy to medicate now, I just hate seeing the cloudiness.

I didn't have much cloudiness with my horse this time around. With the first ulcer he had, his eye was much cloudier. I know Muro does work well with edema; my friend's horse had a lot of edema in his eye from a luxated lens and she had his on Muro for several weeks.