Another mini horse question: eye boogers?

[SteffieInMN]

Here I am again with another question about my 6 mo. old mini horse. For the past week or so, he's had a "goopy" looking eye...a yellow booger-type discharge in the corner of his right eye. More noticeable in one eye than the other. The left is clear goop, but the right is noticeably yellow. His nose looks a little bit wet...not really bad runny, but maybe a bit of snot. I don't hear any sneezing or coughing at all.

He's on a regular worming schedule - I just wormed him 2 days ago. No other meds since he had antibiotics over a month ago. He is bedding down on wheat straw, but that's been the same since we got him.

Anyone think I need to be doing something, or will this pass? I've seen plenty of burrs on him from the ragweed around the edges of the corral...irritation?

btw - he hasn't dragged his foot since I last posted about him and you all responded so nicely. If I could figure out how to attach a picture on here, I'd do so...I'll see if I can figure this out.

Thanks - Steph

 

[helmstead]

I wouldn't mess with an eye problem - sounds like he needs a vet visit to have it dyed and looked at.

Horses hurt their eyes easily - this sounds like he's ulcerated it somehow (maybe on a burr). It will need two types of medication to clear up - an antibiotic and dialator most likely.

 

[patandchickens]

Yeah, what helmstead said -- eye problems are one of the few TOTALLY non-do-it-yourself things. Have the vet out.

My top two guesses would be allergies or, because it's asymmetrical, a scratch on the cornea, but there are other possibilities that a vet can easily sort out. The problem with eye issues is that some of the things that can lead to irreversible blindness if untreated are not spectacular-looking in their early stages.

BTW, do NOT put any kind of medication on the eye while waiting for the vet, as some things can actually make a problem worse no matter what the label may lead you to believe.

Good luck,

Pat, just in from a nice ride despite ucky drizzle.

 

[helmstead]

Quote:
SO right. DO NOT put anything in there unless your vet has prescribed it. If you use the wrong kind of steriod, for instance, on a corneal ulcer...you'll have a blind horse.

Also, sunlight will aggrevate any sort of eye trouble, so you may want to keep him inside for his comfort.

Pat - I'm JEALOUS! Stuck in the barn on kid watch - have a goat in labor - and unable to ride! ARGH

 

[DoctorGoose]

Sometimes minis get their tear ducts blocked--your vet can do a nasal lavage. This accounts for the running nose and the goopy eyes. Just snot coming out of their eyes, basically. It's a little uncomfortable, but not a big issue.

 

[EweSheep]

If he got none of the above, it may be the beginning of strangles....had a TN walker filly that started out that way and came down with strangles...messy job and needs vet attention. Cleared that up within the week until the meds were all gone. Been a long time ago....

Minis sometimes got forelock manes in their eyes alot and it would irrate their eyes. Braid them up or trim them so they dont get them in their eyes. I braid mine up