# eye wash for donkey



## Doc

My miniature donkey is having a lot of drainage in one eye. Looks like she might have poked herself with a grass blade or some such. Wanted to find (or make, preferably) something that would soothe her.

Any suggestions? Thanks.


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## VegRN

My older gelding gets this. I use a cup of warm water with one teaspoon table salt dissolved in it. I do not squirt it into the eye, but wet a washcloth with it and gently clean it out. Usually I hold the cloth over the eye for a minute like a warm compress...makes the gunk easier to clean. If that does not do it I use a veterinary opthalmic ointment with an antibiotic and a steriod for inflammation (might be able to find it at a feed store or vet supply store without a script).


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## Minelson

VegRN said:


> I use a veterinary opthalmic ointment with an antibiotic and a steriod for inflammation (might be able to find it at a feed store or vet supply store without a script).


No no no no! If there is a scratch on the eye the steriod (hydrocortisone = HC)
will make it way worse and can turn a tiny scratch into a big ulcer. 
The eye would need to be stained FIRST before using any ointment that has steroids in it. Or else use an antibiotic ONLY ointment.


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## Minelson

I would use regular saline for contacts...it's cheap. And flush it out real good. May take a few times but should be better in a day or so.


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## Stonybrook

Minelson said:


> No no no no! If there is a scratch on the eye the steriod (hydrocortisone = HC) will make it way worse and can turn a tiny scratch into a big ulcer.



^ This. Personally, if I suspect a scratch on the eye, I just call the vet. Most of the time, I think my horses have had tears running when they have scratched or poked their eye with something. What I call "fly eye" in the summer is all gunky. Is your donkey's drainage tears or gunky? Either way, I think I would start with an antibiotic ointment. You might also want to keep the donkey inside (where it is darker) or, at the very least, put on a fly mask. The vet told me that light is very painful if a horse's eye is scratched.


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## Minelson

How is the eye doing?


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## Doc

Minelson,

It is still tearing, but doesn't seem quite so much. I thought I would check this weekend at the feed store for an antibiotic -- any specific one? And also: how to get in the eye? My old donkey doesn't take to being fussed with. If it is in ointment form, it will be a lot easier to administer.

Thanks for asking about her.


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## Minelson

Doc said:


> Minelson,
> 
> It is still tearing, but doesn't seem quite so much. I thought I would check this weekend at the feed store for an antibiotic -- any specific one? And also: how to get in the eye? My old donkey doesn't take to being fussed with. If it is in ointment form, it will be a lot easier to administer.
> 
> Thanks for asking about her.


I would get Triple Antibiotic Ophthalmic Ointment any brand name...just make sure it doesn't say HC or hydrocortisone on the label. I messed up 2 fingers trying to treat my horses eye, one finger broke, so I'm probably not the person to ask how to do it. I can tell you how not to do it...don't stand on the wet trailer wheel well in rubber boots to make yourself tall enough to reach! :umno:

Eventually a friend came over and he actually used his hand to twitch the horse and I was able to clean it out good and get ointment in. Just try to get a line of ointment across the eye. I try to pull the lower lid down and squeeze it in there so it gets in good. Flushing with saline is more important than ointment IMO. Unless the eye is really red in the whites or there is a lot of gunky discharge. They will pull their head away...just gotta do the best you can.


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## Doc

Good advice -- now I know what not to do. At least mine is a miniature donkey but she's tough and strong for her size and age. And ornery....


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## Minelson

Do you have a gate you can maneuver so that he is up against a wall on one side and the gate turned in on the other side...to make a shute like situation to hold at least his body still. You can try that. Just look out for danger points/sharp edges and such so you don't end up with something worse you have to treat. Once I wanted to get the temp on my gelding and he was such a stinker about it...kept swishing his tail so hard it was impossible, threatening to kick. I gave up...he won that battle... it just wasn't worth getting hurt over. I have since been able to do it just fine. He must have just been ornery that day. Let us know how it goes


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## onthespot

Have you tried Vetericyn? It ain't cheap but it works wonders.


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## Doc

This girl is a kicker. That's why it has to be swift while she hasn't caught on to you yet (which is pretty quick). She may be old but she is strong!


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## onthespot

If I had one like that to treat, sorry, I'd put the heaviest duty halter I could find that fit snug, and the thickest leadrope on the place and completely snub her head to a tree with figure eights until she was locked solid and let her get sprayed with soemthing like a water bottle until she got over her big self. THEN i would treat her eye.


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## wr

Yay me, I deleted a response that would have taken the gold medal at the stupid olympics. 

If you have a swing gate or portable panel you can treat her fairly easily. If you have a swing gate, simply pinch her against a fence and the gate, tie it off snug at her chest, tie again behind her and go to work. It's a good idea to take a couple practice runs so she doesn't fight it the next time.


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## Doc

The vet is coming to tranquilizer her and farrier will do hooves, too. The donkey is somewhere around mid-30s in years. In the long run (and short), I think this will be best for all concerned.


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## wr

That's the ideal way of handling it because the vet can take a look at the eye at the same time and see if there is something else going on.


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## Minelson

Perfect! :clap: Let us know what the vet says...


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## Doc

Will do. Thanks for all the good advice.


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## onthespot

I can't STAND an equine that kicks. They can get over it or die trying. Never killed or even hurt one yet. I'm not talking about kicking in pain, or completely unusual circumstances, but one that kicks at you on a regular basis, they can kill or cripple you. If anyone gets hurt around here, it's gonna be a horse/donkey/mule, not me. I don't care if she'd thirty or three. Same rules.


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