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Conjunctivitis in both eyes?
Has anyone ever run into this? One of my horses has decided, in the last 24 hours, to develop a thick yellow discharge in the corners of her eyes-- her right eye socket appears to have some swelling, and both eyes are rather red rimmed.
Nose clear, Temps fine, eyes themselves are clear. Discharge is not enough to 'run down her face', but enough to worry me, since it's begun rather quickly and is in both eyes.
I know there are other professionals who wander around on this board. Anyone else ever had something hit both eyes at once? And yes-- I intend to call the vet in the morning, but it would be nice to hear of someone else who had a similar issue. This mare was hauled into a show last week-- no stabling, but a dusty arena with other horses.
2 Answers
- gallopLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
It's fairly common to see both eyes affected by some infections or allergies, or by exposure to irritants. When a thick discharge keeps reforming after you flush it away, that often indicates the presence of bacterial infection, but not always. Vectors like flies can transmit viral and bacterial infections to both eyes, going back and forth from one to the other, and from one horse to another. Allergens would affect both eyes, and so would irritants if both eyes are exposed. Sometimes there is an initial irritation or allergy that renders the tissue more susceptible to infections. The vet needs to determine a cause to assure the correct treatment is chosen. Until then, I agree that sterile 0.9% saline flushing is all that should be done in the way of treatment until the vet takes a look.
Source(s): Registered Nurse and 57 years with horses - ?Lv 61 decade ago
I'm not a vet, but I think you hit it when you said that she was trailered and the arena was dusty. She probably got dust in her eyes and this is causing the problem. It is possible that there is still dust in her eye and/or that the dust has scratched her eye. While waiting for the vet, you can take some sterile saline solution (the stuff you use to clean contacts with ) and flush out her eye.
I would also put a fly mask on which will help keep the sun from bothering her and her sore eye(s).