# Sad ending from eye injury, so be aware before reading!



## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

Our lovely mare that is 19 and only the most gentle friend and trial horse had had an awful time with an eye injury. Found her eye swollen above the eye and water and "mucus" for lack of a better word Thursday evening at feeding. Called a neighbor that is very knowledgable and we applied warm compresses that seemed to give some relief. The next morning, eye lashes pointing down, still draining, and swollen. Called my vet and she was out of town on another farm and could not get back timely. Called another highly recommended vet and he came out immediately. He dyed the eye and found a puncture and an abscess. He scraped the eye and got blood after dislodging a plug in the puncture. He inserted a tube through the eyelid and stitched it in and braided it in down her mane so we could inject antibiotics into the eye every 2 hours. We also have been giving pain meds, oral antibiotics, serum and dilated the eye daily. During this initial visit, he took pictures of the eye and dye and sent then to NCSU vet school optimologist (sp). They concurred on the treatment.

Vet returned Saturday afternoon and reexamined. Dyed again. Found that the puncture was completely through the eye. The cornea and the retina are stuck or fused. The puncture was also torn inside the eye so it was not straight in but created a cavity. A second set of photos was sent to NCSU. They now recommend removing the eye.

The vet is returning tomorrow afternoon to see if the treatments have helped and make a final recommendation. I still pray for a miracle but expect to have to decide to remove the eye. None of us have been able to determine what she stuck into the eye. We will see what tomorrow brings. I guess I just needed to vent. I feel so sorry for having to decide to remove the eye but it seems the best for her since she is in pain continuously even with the pain meds.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Sorry you're having to go through this but I think you are doing the right thing. She can still be useful, healthy & happy with just one eye.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

So sorry about her accident. I agree that many horses do just fine with one eye and we have a member that does competitive endurance riding with a blind mare! Hopefully that will give you less stress if you have to remove the eye.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I've had two, one eyed horses in my lifetime. One was an outstanding ranch horse who retired in his late 20's and the other was a highly respected steer wrestling horse who was blind on the steer side so he looked a bit odd when working but did his job well enough to make the finals several times.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

GrannyCarol said:


> So sorry about her accident. I agree that many horses do just fine with one eye and we have a member that does competitive endurance riding with a blind mare! Hopefully that will give you less stress if you have to remove the eye.


Yes, that was me with the blind mare - but just to note - the year following my and my mare's year-end Novice endurance championship win, the Endurance community decided to not allow completely blind horses to compete - because they're "too dangerous". Many rides have also barred stallions from competing, stating the same reason.


I and my friends (who I used to catch ride for at these rides) no longer compete in any competitive/endurance rides. We have never come across a more incompetent and unprofessional bunch of horse people than these Endurance people in our years of competing in many different disciplines.

Back to being on topic. Sorry about your mare, but like others said, one-eyed horses do very well and even completely blind horses can do quite well. My mare was only 3 years old when she went completely blind. I began competing in the endurance rides when she was 22!


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

poor you and poor her - enucleation is not a death sentence tho .. hang in there


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I've known several one eyed horses over the years as well and all adjusted quickly to the loss of the eye.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Such an unfortunate accident. I have ridden but not owned a one eyed horse and he was totally fine as a trail horse. 
I hope that everything goes well for her.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

A friend of mine has a horse that's blind in one eye. She does fine.


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

Thanks all for the encouragement! 

The vet returned this afternoon and dyed the eye again. The puncture and the cavaty are better. She does have some vision from the eye. But the enormous problem is the iris is still stuck to the cornea. It is very painful for her to blink or for the eye to look around without the head moving. The prognosis is still bleak. But the vet has called several colleagues and NCSU again to see if there is a procedure to free the cornea from the iris. He believes is we could accomplish that, she would at least have some vision from the eye with no pain. Time will tell. But is that cannot be accomplished, we are going to remove the eye Thursday afternoon late. Praying for a miracle!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I hope things go well but quite honestly, I think you may be surprised at how well animals can adapt to things like this.


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## AugustRED (Apr 18, 2010)

The title immediately made me think of my brother's horse who we had to put down about 18mos ago. Started out looking like a simple eye injury & ended up being pretty much unrelated but symptoms just appeared there first. While unfortunate losing her eye will probably cause you far more concern then it will ever cause her, like everyone has said - horses can live quite normal lives with only one eye. I know an old one eyed pony that had pretty much the same thing happen, they tried treating it for awhile & eventually removed the eye - she was totally fine after that. Either way she'll make it through & you'll hopefully get to enjoy her for many more years...


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

I have a link to another forum where a member had a horse who had an eye removed. You can see the whole surgery in pictures if you are interested. The horse is doing well.


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## Homesteader333 (Apr 29, 2014)

Could you post the link?


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Homesteader333 said:


> Could you post the link?


I hope it's OK!

http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/horse-forums/eye-removal-warning-blood-528702.html


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## Homesteader333 (Apr 29, 2014)

Thanks! That is really interesting!


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Homesteader333 said:


> Thanks! That is really interesting!


Isn't it?? I think that oftentimes we fear the unknown and seeing the surgery and knowing that this elderly horse is doing well is helpful, IMO.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Sort of related.
A Vet friend just told me about her worst case that involved an eye puncture.
A organ mare, pastured in a wooded area, was found with a stick in her eye. Vet examined it and determined that the stick may have missed most of the eye, but the stick had speared through the synusess and may have entered the brain. The owner wasn't going to send the mare to University and wanted the stick out, whatever the outcome. The mare had ben too much for her to safely ride, so pouring money into this was not worth it to her.
They needed a soft grassy area to lay the mare down and the owner suggested the back yard. Carefully the mare was led to the backyard and the injections given. Wonce the mare was safely down, it took great streangth to pull the stick from behind the eye. But it all came out, the mare was going to survive. The wound was cleaned and the mare began to try to stand, but struggling, tossing her head and legs scrambling. Just as she was nearly standing, a hind leg dropped into a deep hole in the ground. The sound of the breaking femur was as loud as a rifle shot. The horse continued to thrash and struggle. No way could this mare recover from a snapped femur and whatever damage behind her eye. But how do you fill a syringe and find a vein on a violently trashing horse? Somehow she did and the mare was euthinized.
Aparently there had been some erosion around the septic system and no one knew there was that deep hole.


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

A friend of mine had a pony with an eye injury. We sprayed Vetrycin in it several times and it healed with a small blue spot.


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

The vet did not find a way to separate the iris and cornea. Surgery is scheduled for 2pm tomorrow to remove the eye. We are hoping for a quick recovery and adjustment to the one eye. Thanks again for the encouraging words. Brighter days ahead!


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I hope she has a fast and uneventfull recovery.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Please keep us updated.


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

wr said:


> Please keep us updated.


I could not believe the turn of events! This morning she had her eye open as normal and showed no signs of pain. The vet arrived for surgery and none of us said anything. The first thing he comments on is how her eye looks. He dyes the eye and is amazed. The part of the iris that was stuck to the cornea has decreased to two small thread like structures that are about the diameter if a hair. That is only a fraction of the original size. The blister for lack of a better word on the cornea has opened so now we have an 8mm cavity. We canceled the surgery, spun some new serum, changed to a more aggressive antibiotic and he believes the wound should heal in 4 to 5 days. A recheck then will tell the tale. A miracle in the works! Better days ahead!


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

nchobbyfarm said:


> I could not believe the turn of events! This morning she had her eye open as normal and showed no signs of pain. The vet arrived for surgery and none of us said anything. The first thing he comments on is how her eye looks. He dyes the eye and is amazed. The part of the iris that was stuck to the cornea has decreased to two small thread like structures that are about the diameter if a hair. That is only a fraction of the original size. The blister for lack of a better word on the cornea has opened so now we have an 8mm cavity. We canceled the surgery, spun some new serum, changed to a more aggressive antibiotic and he believes the wound should heal in 4 to 5 days. A recheck then will tell the tale. A miracle in the works! Better days ahead!


That's fantastic. Let us know how she progresses please.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

That's awesome news and it would be great if you would continue to update us on progress.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Fingers crossed for more good news.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Keeping you in my thought that all continues to go well.


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## stillhere (May 28, 2007)

My mare has eye issues her whole life. Last ulcer left her blind in her right eye.
Vet felt eye should be removed but it did stabilize. She has had 3 trips to major equine centers. If your girl is not in pain see what happens. Be vigilant with the meds as you have been doing.

Sending healing thoughts your way.


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## cooknwoman (Jul 14, 2011)

oh sorry about your mare! I believe God can do anything -according to His Will. we'll pray for a miracle too- I also know He hears our prayers. God bless you, family & mare!
Susie


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