[Fuddyduddy1952]

Couple days ago I saw one eye had some yellow in corner of mare. I use a clean cotten bedsheet piece and warm water wiping clean. I got one eye wash Tractor Supply (99% water/1% boric acid), then allergy eye drops.
We've had lots of pollen and flies. I cover eye with my hand then light spray Wipe which keeps flies away. I don't let Wipe get into eye (about 1" away).
Am I doing the right thing? Eyes seem better today.
Thanks.

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[ACinATX]

It's hard to know what you saw. My horses get crud in their eyes from allergies. Sometimes yellow and goopy, sometimes crusty and darker (which is probably yellow goop mixed with dirt). I wash my hands with soap and water and pick it out. When it's really thick and crusty, I get a warm wet towel and hold it over there to loosen, then do the above. Teddy's gets so crusty that I have to pick it out, give it some time, and then pick all the new stuff that comes out once I get rid of the old stuff.

I personally haven't used allergy drops. I just clear it out and then clear it out again as needed.

 

[loosie]

If flies are a prob, that's likely the cause of the minor infection/irritation. I only have one out of 4 horses that suffers eye probs from flies for some reason, so she wears a Lycra & mesh mask.

Interesting the boric acid in eye cleaner - I have that under the sink, for drain cleaner. I usually just use good old salt & water.

If there's no good reason to think the horse has an allergic reaction, I wouldn't be giving allergy drugs.

Yeah either a fly mask or flyspray can be a necessity - in my experience, fly spray doesn't last long & flies seem to go for the eyes unless repellant is really close. So I'd do it at least a few times daily when flies are bad and use a cream, or if a spray, spray it onto a small bit of cloth or tissue & wipe it on, so you can get it really close all round without getting any in the eye.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

If flies are a prob, that's likely the cause of the minor infection/irritation. I only have one out of 4 horses that suffers eye probs from flies for some reason, so she wears a Lycra & mesh mask.



Interesting the boric acid in eye cleaner - I have that under the sink, for drain cleaner. I usually just use good old salt & water.



If there's no good reason to think the horse has an allergic reaction, I wouldn't be giving allergy drugs.



Yeah either a fly mask or flyspray can be a necessity - in my experience, fly spray doesn't last long & flies seem to go for the eyes unless repellant is really close. So I'd do it at least a few times daily when flies are bad and use a cream, or if a spray, spray it onto a small bit of cloth or tissue & wipe it on, so you can get it really close all round without getting any in the eye.

Thanks and I had forgotten we bought fly masks that even cover ears and they're still in packages! Good idea.

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[walkinthewalk]

1. Ditto @loosie to not use allergy eye drops unless the vet deems it necessary.

I will only wash eyes out if there’s something foreign (a piece of shaving for example) in there. I have always used people eye wash. I buy Bausch & Lomb eye wash.

During shedding season, I will sometimes see a piece of forelock hair or a long eye hair (from above the eye) has managed to get into the eye socket. That can also cause excess eye matter. If that happens, very gently pull that hair out so as not to scratch the eye.

I clean the corners of the eyes every day by spraying a bit of Vetericyn on a paper towel. I would not put regular Vetericyn in the eye, but they do make an eye wash.

2. Don’t be surprised if your horses pull the masks with ears off. None of my horses liked the ear covers and would rub until they got the mask off. They have never tried to take off a regular, earless, mask.

Whatever fly mask you buy should offer some UV protection. I have been buying Farnum fly masks for as long as I can remember - 25 years or more. I don’t like the way other brands fit and some of them don’t offer good padding around the edges.

Farnum masks allegedly offer 60% UV protection and I run them thru the washer, for four minutes on gentle, after every wearing. They hold up very well. Each horse has 4 masks so I don’t have to run the washer every day.

2.1. Don’t forget to lightly brush the ears out with a soft palm sized brush. The ear hair is shedding, and those miserable knats and midge flies do get in there.

3-4 times weekly, I will use that paper towel with Vetericyn on it, to also wipe out the ears. Not only does it clean the ears, it gets the horse used to having its ears handled if, perish the thought, the vet has to look in there. The horse in my avatar will put his head down and stretch his neck out for me to clean inside his ears; that is his favorite part of the grooming ritual

I also clean nostrils and butts nearly every day. No orifice goes untouched in my barn, lol. When I say “I handle my horses”, I handle my horses

 

[Foxhunter]

One of the best things you can use on eyes is good old milk.

I know many would disagree with this but it is soothing and really does work.

I use it myself when I have a (rare) eye irritation.

 

[loosie]

^Forgot that - I used to use milk for my babies when they were... babies.