Watery, squinty, itchy eye...uh-oh

[Horsegal014]

Well, went out today hoping for an uneventful grooming day but as usual something came up. Her right eye is oozing clear stuff, she keeps squinting it shut, and its very itchy. From the looks of it it doesnt look good, anyone know what it may possibly be? I think I'll get the vet out this week just in case. Thanks!

[Bebe]

Could be the start of conjunctivitis, quite common at this time of year with the flies, pollen, etc flying around in the air.

If you're unsure, best thing to do is call the vet. In the meantime you could bathe around her eyes with lukewarm tea (no milk!), it helps to soothe them.

[DavidH]

It could also be something as simple as a hay seed in the eye.
Worth having a good look under the eyelids and at back courner.

[chev]

I'd get the vet out pronto. If there is a foreign body in there he'll be far more able to get it out. One of my ponies is missing an eye because of an infection that wasn't caught early enough (before we had him) and another of mine punctured her eye in the field and has been left with a scarred eye with poor sight. Her eye was just watery and wouldn't open - getting a vet straight away saved her eye and some of her sight. Don't take chances with eyes. Hope it's nothing too much.

[Big Ears]

My donkey suffers from runny eyes all the time.

If the eye is closing, it needs to be seen by a vet as there is pain. and you could have permanent damage if the cornea is scratched.

It could just be conjunctivitis in which case will need a course of prescribed eye cream. It could also be hay fever type eyes, in which case using one of the human hay fever eye drops relieves the symptoms - we use either or depending on whether there is any discharge/infection.

[lynz+ollie]

GET THE VET OUT ASAP!!!

it sounds like a bit of an infection?

is the eye the normal colour?

if its just an infection u will probs get given some drops and stuff to put in feed.

my pony just had his eye out due to something called moon blindness (dont worry it dont sound like ** horse had this) but i no how hard it has been on me and every1 and i dnt want it heppening to anybody else!

keep us updated

[lynz+ollie]

p.s. just a warning (kinda funny!) they will put a coulour drop in, and it turns colour in their eye to show up and scratches. but leter it starts pooring out their nose! once the vet had gone the greeney yellowey liquid started coming out his nose, it looked funny , but i was worried, but dont worry its ment to!

[Horsegal014]

I'm definatly getting the vet out, couldnt get him last night so I'm trying again today. Conjunctivitis.....isnt that something like pink-eye in humans? (maybe not...) Eeek, people from school just got over that!
Big Ears-A horse at my old barn had runny eyes constantly also, but venus never has, so its something out of the ordinary for her. thats why I'm worried
lynz+ollie-yes, her eye ist he same color as always. oh no! hope he's doing well now! i'm pretty sure she doesnt have moon blindness (been through that with another horse) Thanks for the info about the colored goo! I surely would have panicked (the vets are so good to me, they know how easily I panic so they now tell me everything that will and may happen.....good ol' vets!)
Heading out to check on her in a bit so I'll let you know if the vet gets out and what the word is! Thanks for the help!