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Nadia F
Member
Username: Nadia
Post Number: 92
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, Jan 13, 2007 - 9:11 am: |   |
Hi, Dr O,
I've noticed a few times that when I go in my horse's stall when he is eating (his right eye is looking right at me), that when I touch his head/neck, he spooked, like he didn't know I was there. I noticed this the past month or so. He has no problem with me petting him or being near him when he is eating. He's fine in a few seconds and keeps eating. Last week, I lunged him to the left - he's fine; to the right, he trots a few steps, then stops and rears (mini protest) then turns and faces me directly. I notice when riding in an arena (dark corners at times), that he does sometime seem a little spooked at things in corners - when we are going to the left and will turn his head to get a better look at what is there.
I had the vet look at his eye yesterday. She said she saw a spot on his lens (some white around it?). Didn't see a cataract yet, but could become one? She said he was extremely upset at being touched on his poll on the right side; left, ok. She thought it was more of a memory than pain as after she touched on the left side, and went back to the right he was fine then. She said she would normally just give aspirin in this case, not much you can do. He probably has blurred vision. She'll recheck in a few months to see if there are any changes.
What could this be? Can I wait or should I take him to a vet clinic?
Thanks. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 17493
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Saturday, Jan 13, 2007 - 8:27 pm: | |
Hello Nadia,
Could he be protecting his feed? The one way problems with lunging and riding are pretty common and I know one eyed horses that do not behave this way. Concerning the lesion on the lens, I really cannot comment not being able to see it but small irregularities in the lens occur in almost all horses. For more on this see, Diseases of Horses » Eye Diseases » Cataracts in Horses after reading it you should discuss the need for a opthalmic consult with the veterinarian who saw the lesion.
DrO |
Nadia F
Member
Username: Nadia
Post Number: 93
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 - 9:03 am: | |
Thanks, Dr O,
He has never been one to protect his feed. He just took a step back and froze - like he was startled. I was thinking the blurry/blind vision is new and he is nervous about it when lunging. If the lesion could be healed in some manner, then I'd rather have it treated than to wait and have it be permanent. The vet said it was not uveitis.
Valerie |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 17505
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 15, 2007 - 6:55 am: | |
There is not much you can do to treat most lens defect Nadia and the question remains: what is its significance both from a visual and prognostic sense. The article I reference above spends a long time on this.
DrO |
Nadia F
Member
Username: Nadia
Post Number: 94
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 15, 2007 - 8:31 am: | |
Thanks, Dr O!
I wasn't sure which catagory the problem would be - I'll read the cataract info.
Valerie |
Chris Stevens
Member
Username: Stevens
Post Number: 208
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 - 2:46 pm: | |
Valerie/Nadia,
I had a horse once that had a spot on his lens as well. A vet pointed it out to me and speculated that it may have been injured at some earlier point in time. He then stood directly in front of the horse and swung his arm somewhat rapidly towards that eye, the horse moved away equally rapidly. At that point, the vet said, "apparently doesn't bother his vision".
Granted this wasn't a real eye exam, but it seemed like a pretty good coarse indicator.
Chris |
