Dealing with Sensitive Injuries and Infection of Horses

Eye injury and infection are one of the sensitive injuries found common in horses. This is the reason, I advise all to check your horse at least twice in a day. Untreated eye problem can become nasty very quickly. Minor problems can result in a vulnerable situation in a long run if neglected. It might cause blindness to horses if problems related to eye remained untreated. If the eye becomes badly infected, the structure of the eye can be eroded until the entire eye collapses. But with prompt treatment, many eye problems can be brought under control within a few days. Sometimes, a veterinarian should check the eye, but most treatment can be done by you, at home.

Identifying Eye Injury and Infection

Your horse's eyes should be clear, bright, and the lids tight, with the inside of the lid pale pink and moist. Tearing should be minimal with perhaps only a droplet at the corner of the eye. Sometimes, if there is a dust, dry air or wind, a horse's eye might run a bit, just as yours would.

Treatment is Necessary for Injury and Infection like

• An eyelid is cut or torn.
• The lids are inflated.
• Naive damage to the eye itself.
• There is a white film either over the whole eye or in spots.
• The eye or any surrounding tissue, including the white sclera and lids, appear red and inflamed.
• Any other profuse discharge other than a thin tear-like stream.
• In foals, turned under eyelids that cause the eyelashes to rub against the eye.
• There are tumors growing on or around the lid.
• There are tears running down the horse's face which may indicate a torn or blocked tear duct.

 First Aid for Eye Injuries and Infections

If your has an eye injury or infection:

• You should have a salt or saline solution in your horse's first aid kit. Clean up the area very gently with a saline solution. If you don't have one on hand, you can make some yourself. The ratio is about 1/4 tsp of table salt to a cup of boiled and cooled to lukewarm water. It should taste like tears.
• Put a fly mask on the horse to keep flies off of the eye area.
• If possible keep your horse in subdued light such as his stall until the veterinarian arrives.

Veterinarian Role in Healing Your Horse

Veterinarian plays an important role in healing your horse. Rips and tears are factors that can be given conscious attention. Rips and tears in the horse's eyelids should be attended to by a veterinarian so the lid can be stitched if necessary. The vet will also check for damage to the lens and anything that may be lodged in the eye like splinters, awns from grasses or grit, etc. A vet can assess the overall health of the eye and may be able to see problems that aren't apparent to the untrained eye. The veterinarian will probably give you an ointment or gel to apply to the eye. In some cases, he may draw a vial of the horse's blood and make a solution from it that you will irrigate the eye with. With all medications make sure that you follow the veterinarian's instructions to the letter and be scrupulously clean as you apply any dressings or ointments.


Your Role in Healing Your Horse

You remain close to your horse and thus, can identify the level of improvement in your horse injuries and infection. Just because you see marked improvement within a few days, don't stop the medication until the full course is up. Stopping treatment before the infection or injury is completely healed can result in the inflection flaring up again and possibly causing more damage. When working with a horse with an eye problem be aware that he may be obscured vision and be a little more spooky than usual. Talk gently so you don't surprise him if you walk up on a 'blind side'.


How to Prevent Eye Injuries

The surrounding plays an important role in the prevention of your horse injuries. Your horse's environment should be as dust free as possible. If hay is dusty, or bedding is very dry and dusty, dampen it or use other fodder or bedding. Make sure that sharp edges on water troughs, metal buildings, pipes or other obstacles are covered or inaccessible. Pound in or pull any old nails that may be protruding from fences or other structures. Many injuries are caused when horses are playing or scraping, and this is almost unavoidable. Just take care to make your horse's home as safe as possible.