# inverted eyelid



## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Hi all, my newest kid (goat) was born last week and unfortunately has an inverted lower eyelid (entropion to be technical). The doeling does not appear to be suffering much but how would I know. Just squinting in bright sunlight and the eye waters slightly. I have been doing my homework and have found a few options most with no guarantees. She is eating and playing just like nothing is wrong, I feel that this condition will worsen as she ages. Anyone have some ideas or experience with inverted eyelid? I have searched the web/forums and have read books containing a few home remedies for this problem. Just looking for more help from you folks with hands on experience. Thanks, Tennessee John


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## kirsten (Aug 29, 2005)

HI. I had an ewe lamb with an inverted eyelid, two to be exact.
First off, you always want to try to fix it yourself. I didn't know anything about it and I accidentally fixed one eyelid by just looking at it and pulling it down and trying to see what was the matter. Then I took the lamb to my vet for the second one and he knew the suture or clip options but I talked him into one shot under the eyelid of penicilllin instead and that worked amazingly well and only cost me $5. There is also a rubber band method and a lot of people just pinch the eyelid to cause it to swell and by the time the swelling goes down, the problem is solved. If you can't fix it yourself, tell your vet about the shot of pen under the eyelid if he doesn't know it already. Or play, then pinch, then call the vet. kirsten


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## Sprout (Dec 28, 2005)

Entropion should be fixed at birth or soon after. The eylashes cut into the cornea and can eventually led to blindness and infection in the affected eye. I first try to stretch the eyelid by placing a finger one on the area of the tear duct the other at the opposite pole and push down and pull out like you are going to stretch the eyes length. If you can't correct it by yourself call the vet out and have him inject a filler under the eyelid. It bulks out the flap that's rolling under and will harden into scar tissue so it won't roll back under again.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

I had a few Boer bucklings born with an inverted eyelid this Spring. All I did was pull it down and fix it every time I was in the barnyard(usually a couple times a day). After about 6 or 7 "fixes", it stayed. Worked here and their eyes were fine ever since.


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## Paula (Jun 3, 2002)

We had the same problem with a few Boer babies. Fixed it the same as ozark j. One was so bad we had to use the bruising technique.
Our vet said it's hereditary and unless you want to continually deal with the problem not to breed affected animals.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Paula said:


> Our vet said it's hereditary and unless you want to continually deal with the problem not to breed affected animals.


I have to wonder if it can also be caused by other things. My reason for wondering is that I have used the same Boer sire on the same does for three years running now. This was the first year that I had *any* inverted eyelids......nothing changed, same genetics, same exact breeding. So I wonder about other causative factors????


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## Paula (Jun 3, 2002)

Post it on the goat board. Maybe somebody knows.
I would think it would be for the same reason that the same buck and doe can produce different color babies (except boers) in different years. Just depends on how the genes mix up.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Paula said:


> Post it on the goat board. Maybe somebody knows.
> I would think it would be for the same reason that the same buck and doe can produce different color babies (except boers) in different years. Just depends on how the genes mix up.



Yep, did a while back. Came to the same decision. Don't really know and genetics can be a crap-shoot. Sometimes it will throw up something odd for no apparent reason.


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## Sprout (Dec 28, 2005)

It's more of a tendancy to be that way not really a guarantee trait. The lamb may have the two allels but it just won't be expressed. Lambs have a tendany to have entropion just as they can have a tendancy to prolapse. I usually cull the ones that have entropion just because they will definatly pass it on to their children.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

Entropian is passed on through the ram so culling ewes could well be the waste of a good ewe. It is particularly bad in the Perendale breed.

On the odd occasion I have a lamb with this, I pull the eyelid out, wipe the surrounding area dry with a tissue and apply a good dollop of Vaseline to both the eye lashes and the wool underneath them. The eye lashes stick to the wool (usually) and prevent them turning in again. It often has to be done several times a day for a few days. A retired vet passed that tip on to me.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## Vere My Sone (Mar 10, 2005)

We had our first case last year
twins, only one had a problem and it was with both eyes
turning them several times a day wasn't working

so, here's what we came up with
superglue the lashes down
I superglued papertowel over the lashes to help hold them in place, being VERY careful

by the time the superglue wore off, all was well


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Well so far therapy has not worked. I am stretching/massaging/pulling the lower eyelid four times a day. I also removed the eyelid eyelashes and have been adding petroleum jelly under the eyelid as well. I can't honestly say the little gal has made any improvements. She is still a small bundle of energy and seems to be adapting to her aliment. Ronny on the sheep forum had some interesting comments regarding genetics and passed on traits among sheep and goats. Bottom line I will keep trying to reverse her fault daily and will continue to raise her to maturity providing her medical problem does not escalate to misery. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. Tennessee John


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Vere My Sone, superglue is my last resort as is bruising. Right now the little kid couldn't be happier however I feel that this aliment will either correct itself with age or worsen to a point that I need to consider culling. I wish I had a better picture of how to superglue the eyelid in place. I'm sure all will work out as usual, it's just frustrating. Thanks for the advice.

Also sorry to eat up time on the Sheep forum regarding this matter but I understand that this particular problem is more common among raisers of sheep. At this point I need all the advice I can get. Thanks


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## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

I saw somewhere, I think SHEEP Magazine, where someone uses those small alligator clips under the eye to help turn the eye lid out and away from the eye. I have only had one lamb ever have this problem. It was before I saw the alligator clip solution. I used a couple of strips of Duct Tape to pull the eyelid out and I used some eye medication to keep the eye lubricated and torelieve and heal the irritation that the eye lashes had caused.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

As promised, here is the update. The eyelid has returned to normal so I guess all the tugging, stretching and praying paid off. Was going to send a photo but right now stacking hay while the sun is shinning takes precedence. Thanks again for all your input...Take care,,,, Tennessee John


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