Eye ulcer help please
 

The vet came out to check Ricky's eye as it had gone cloudy and have found a sizeable ulcer on his eye, so got more eye drops for him which will be fun as he doesn't let anyone near his eye let alone put eye drops in. So I am reading up about ulcers as never had a pony with one before, this is what I have read so far not much yet I know
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/1370/95951.html
http://www.equineeyevet.com/Corneal_Ulcers.html
Anyone got any more info/help about ulcers and treating it.

Just a little back story two weeks ago a couple of my fillies broke out of thier field then proceded to get into the colts/stallions field, so after a lot of hassle heave ho and sooing about we managed to get them split up but before we noticed the girs had gotten out the boys had been fighting and our breeding stallion Ricky had had his eye lid torn and needed 6 stitchs in it so it has swollen up been infected which had now gone, but it is still swollen which the vet things has coursed the ulcer, so he is on antibiotics, anti-inflamatory pain killers and some eye drops. Any information and advice would be very greatfully resieved thank you.

P.s I know it is my fault that this happened because the girls got out so please don't coment on that.

What are the names of the eye drops he is on?

Not all Vets are equal when it comes to treating eyes and I have known several that prescribed an eye drop with a steroid in it and it caused permanent damage and in one case, blindness in that eye.

So, I would like to know exactly what meds and eye drops he is getting.

Fucithalmic vet

Anyone please I am stressing out quite badly out this fella.

I see you are in the UK, so I do not know what is available to you there. Is a consultation with a specialist, a Veterinary Ophthalmology, a possibility where you are? If not, you need a different Vet.

I know what my Vet would have me do, but I am not a Vet and do not play one here. I cannot recommend anything and a good Vet would have to see the eye to do so.

I had never heard of or used that drug. I looked it up and it does not mention using it on ulcers. It is mostly for conjunctivitis which is much different than an ulcer. Most importantly, it does not have an antibiotic in it.

I do know that you do NOT want any eye drops with any steroid in them if you have an ulcer. My Vet would have me use either 'Gentocin Oplhalmic' drops or ointment or Chloramphenicol ointment. I have ALWAYS had a Vet put a horse with any ulcer or abrasion on the cornea on a strong antibiotic eye ointment without steroids and I have also had them prescribe Atropine because it helped the antibiotic be absorbed.

I would try to get in contact with a different Vet ASAP and see if this horse should be on an antibiotic ointment and possibly an Atropine eye drop. If you use Atropine, you should keep the horse in a barn and out of the sun unless you cover the eye.

Some ulcers become very persistent and the clouding will not clear up without serious intervention. The damage to the cornea can become permanent. I would call this a medical emergency.

Cherie, the steroid is to reduce inflammation. It's the inflammation that is damaging, not the steroid.

NO MAM! Steroids damage and can cause a permanent cloud, scarring and blindness when they are put in an eye with any abrasion or ulcer on the cornea.

If you have inflammation PLUS a cornea that has an ulcer or scratch on it, you have to give an anti-inflammatory systemically like Bute. These are very painful to any horse and they are difficult to treat, but steroids must be kept out of the eye.

My Vet does not even want me to use a combination drug like Gentocin Durafilm (which has a steroid in it) unless he has seen the eye and has put dye in it so that there cannot be even the tinyist scratch or break in the cornea. A steroid can cause a simple scratch to become a persistent ulcer. He just wants me to treat every inflamed eye with a straight antibiotic drop or ointment and Bute until he can put dye in it.

My Vet has told me that there is no further damage that can be done by using a straight antibiotic drop. It does not help that every horse I have seen that had a permanent cloud or loss of vision from using steroids was treated by a Vet. I inherited one that had been treated wrongly with a combination steroid ointment and my Vet ended up having to 'burn' the ulcer with a small amount of strong iodine on a cotton tipped sterile swab. This caused a small permanent spot on the cornea but stopped the horse from going completely blind or losing the eye (which can happen if an ulcer eats through into the eyeball.

My #1 rule, with eyes you never hesitate!! If you have any questions about your vet's abilities, find a second opinion. And others are right, steroids plus ulcer = a sure fire way to melt (yes MELT) a cornea. You do not need a systemic anti-inflammatory but if you cannot get a topical in with regularity then you should consider something systemic. Another note, if you cannot get the meds in reliably, please ask the vet about a subpalpebral lavage system. They are very easy to place and can make a world of difference when it comes to putting treatments in the eye.

Basically the SPL is a little disk that sits under the eyelid and is connected to a tube that you can braid into the mane so you can deliver meds in the eye without trying to pry open those lids! Horses get keen to it quickly and it can still be challenging to get them to cooperate, but it still makes a massive difference when trying to get drops in a horse eye.

The eye drops do have antibiotic in them.
We have had the vet out yesterday and is coming back out in a week to check his eye again. We don't have an equinve vet we live let alone one that specialises in eyes. Plus he iss on a non-staroidal (sp?) pain killer and antibiotics in his food.

This is an unconventional and affordable alternative for you if you're interested in reviewing it, a couple of links to colloidal silver. One or two drops daily into the eye if he will be a good boy for you, and giving probiotics with it is a very good idea.

Epona's Practice -

Natural Hoof - Articles: Colloidal Silver

If he sustained permanent damage, there is a product called Guardian Mask which a horse can wear as protective eye cover if and when needed.