Conjunctivitis or something else?

[Calvincrowe]

I have a horse with a blocked tear duct (vet treated/diagnosed) who also gets a bit of a snotty nose on that side (from the blocked duct), and a weepy eye. However, the eye is now sporting a red, irritated look and a bit of yellowish pus in the corner. I’ve notified his owner (I board this old guy for a friend), am sending her a photo and will contact our vet on Monday with photos to decide on a course of action. (Our vets are so overworked locally it’s difficult to get one to come out to the farm and hauling two aged geldings into the vet for treatment really isn’t an option- they’d both have to go and this guy is not an enthusiastic hauler).

However- is there something else it could be? Is this an emergency? No trauma, eye is open and “normal” otherwise, horse eating/acting normal. Is there an at-home treatment I can start now as I wait for the vet? Eye things have not really cropped up in all my years of horse keeping. Thanks!

[OzarksRider]

Antibiotic ophthalmic ointment won’t hurt and it might help; just be sure the ointment does not contain a steroid. If you don’t have any ophthalmic ointment on hand, you can use regular over-the-counter triple antibiotic ointment until you talk to the vet. My vet said the regular OTC ointment will do in a pinch. Just be sure to read the ingredients list and do not use an ointment with steroid.

One of my horses gets a goopy eye in the summer from fly and sun irritation. I keep a fly mask on him and treat any flareups with ophthalmic ointment.

[OzarksRider]

You could also flush out the eye with saline eye wash that you can buy at any pharmacy. I use a blunt tipped syringe when I do this.

[Angela_Freda]

An eye is always an emergency.
Please don’t treat until you’ve had a vet to stain and examine it.
Never, ever use products that aren’t clearly ophthalmic solutions in or near the eye.

[SuzieQNutter]

@Angela_Freda

An eye is always an emergency.
Please don’t treat until you’ve had a vet to stain and examine it.
Never, ever use products that aren’t clearly ophthalmic solutions in or near the eye.

I agree. Never mess around with eyes. They are too precious and easy to lose.

Never use anything in the eyes for any other part of the body.

[Calvincrowe]

Thank you for your replies. I have sterile saline and will wash the eye out, per my equine vet tech barn mate, and call the clinic in the AM for further instructions.

[IPEsq]

Given the snotty nose too, he might have a bit of sinus infection and need some antibiotics. Flushing with saline is probably something that could be done regularly given the blocked duct. Given redness and goop, sounds like an infection/conjunctivitis. You may need antibiotic ointment in addition to potentially systemic antibiotics. Agree don’t use one with steroid without instructions to do so from a vet.

With a blocked duct, the eye will tend to weep more, and this attracts flies, which can cause conjunctivitis. Can he wear a fly mask if he doesn’t already?

[Calvincrowe]

So, I’m struggling to get a vet. It is a huge problem here in my area—a severe lack of equine vets means a mad scramble for any emergency, and routine care is scheduled 2 months out (there is ONE non-equine livestock vet in a 3 county area. ONE. We have a crisis!) Anyway, vet did look at pictures I sent, and wants to see him, but that means hauling in. Horse is retired, a poor hauler, hasn’t left the farm in nearly 4 years. Should be fun!

Eye is stable— no better, no worse. I struggle to keep a fly mask on this one. During our extreme heat wave, it seemed cruel to put one on since their faces were sweaty and foamy under them after the first day. I’m sure that led to this infection. No winning!

[IPEsq]

The stretchy lycra fly masks can be good for that situation.

I would agree that this is not an immediate emergency most likely but it is not something you wait 2 months for.

With redness and such it is probably for the best for the vet to take a close look. Sometimes they can develop an abrasion from rubbing it from the initial weeping or from the snotty nose. Or maybe the vet would want to sedate and flush his tear duct.

[theresak]

@Calvincrowe, if you are in a real pinch, see if your vet (or even a local small animal vet) can get you some fluorescein stain strips. Then you can stain the eye and shine a light and do a live video with the vet or send some pictures. It’s not a 100% guarantee you’ll catch any ulcers, but I do find them fairly easy to spot. If the vet says it’s clear, then you can get some ophthalmic ointment with steroids.

My horse has narrowed tear ducts and I often have to administer a few days of ophthalmic ointment with dex to clear up teary eyes from allergies, wind, etc.

Also, I’d be temping the horse daily and smelling the mouth in case it’s actually an infection somewhere or a tooth issue.

ETA: I’ve also bought a box of the fluorescein stain strips off Amazon.

[Calvincrowe]

@theresak He was seen by his vet for the eye about two months ago-- no infection in his teeth, vet tried several times to clear the duct (with much laughter when his eye made the weirdest squeaking noise and Mr. Horse spooked at it, twice). I am convinced flies, heat, rubbing all led to this situation. I am strapping his Cashel fly mask on very firmly-- he is just a bear about keeping them on. He can rub them off even with them under his halter!!

We are hauling him to the vet tomorrow afternoon, so I’ll update with the results. Thank you all for the advice and hand holding! Always nice to be able to bounce ideas and such off the COTH crowd-- lots of knowledge here to be tapped.

[Calvincrowe]

Hauled the two boys— who hopped right into the trailer—to the clinic this afternoon. It is conjunctivitis but due to his Cushings, vet couldn’t give dex shot. Got eye ointment, 3-4 times per day. Hoping it clears quickly. Vet said she’d seen several cases over the last week or so after our extreme heat—she thinks due to terrible flies during the heat wave.