Last night we had a foal born with microphthalmia in one eye (small undeveloped eye). Has anyone had any experience with this type of issue that they could share their experience on? I would like to know possible causes and outcomes. Dam has had several normal foals with no known eye issues. Sire is fairly new with a couple years foal crops on the ground.
I did unfortunately. In his case it was both eyes so he was euthanized at 10 hours old. I consulted with anyone who would talk to me including the experts at Cornell and they all concluded it was likely just bad luck but advised me to breed to a different stallion just in case. I ended up going ahead and breeding the mare for what would have been her 5th foal but she ruptured her uterine artery four days before her due date so I never found out if I made the right decision. So happy yours is just one eye. I should add that my colt also had a domed forehead that could have been the forbearance of a problem but of course we never got far enough to find out. The most heartbreaking part of the whole thing is he had learned in his short life that when he heard the stall door open that we would help him find his dam so he screamed for us when he heard that. The rest of the time he spent slamming himself into the stall walls while screaming for his dam who was standing right next to him.
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Good luck with your foal Kevsgrlss7.
That is awful Laurierace. So heartbreaking when there is no other choice.
