For horses, which are flight animals, the eye is an important sensory organ, but it can also be very sensitive to internal and external influences. Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye disorders in horses. It can occur as a separate disease or as a result of a general illness.
Independent or primary conjunctivitis can be caused by toxins, dust, foreign bodies, gas, allergies, strong wind, or certain pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites). Underlying conditions that can cause secondary conjunctivitis include distemper, influenza, pneumonia, sinusitis, internal eye inflammation, or misalignment of the eyelids and eyelashes. Both types of conjunctivitis carry a risk of secondary bacterial infections (infection with an additional pathogen), which can further aggravate the inflammation and lead to complications.
In healthy eyes, the conjunctiva is pale pink, smooth, and shiny.
The first noticeable symptoms are usually significant redness and swelling of the conjunctiva, accompanied by increased tearing. In many cases, both eyes are affected, but conjunctivitis can also occur in only one eye. The discharge is often clear and thin at first, but can become thick and yellow-green and purulent as the condition progresses. Inflamed and irritated eyes often cause pain and itching, which is why horses often squint and try to rub their heads.
A special form of conjunctivitis is follicular catarrh or folliculosis, which can occur mainly in young animals as a reaction to external stimuli or in adult animals as a result of chronic conjunctivitis. This involves an excessive reaction of the lymph follicles in the conjunctiva, which are part of the immune system. The enlargement and proliferation of these follicles results in pinhead-sized, glassy vesicles that are visible over a large area as a grainy surface, especially on the inside of the nictitating membrane (the horse's third eyelid). These vesicles cause permanent mechanical irritation of the eye.
At the first signs of inflammatory changes in or around the eye, a veterinarian should always be consulted to prevent damage to adjacent sensitive structures of the eye.
IMPORTANT: Please do not use eye ointments or drops on your sick horse's eye without consulting the treating veterinarian!
The veterinarian can diagnose conjunctivitis based on a general examination, a special eye examination, and the information from your preliminary report. They will pay particular attention to other general signs of illness, such as coughing, nasal discharge, or fever, in order to determine whether it is primary or secondary conjunctivitis.
With the help of various eye tests, the veterinarian can obtain further information about the amount of tear fluid and any corneal injuries. If infectious conjunctivitis is suspected, a swab sample may also be taken from the eye and sent to a laboratory for pathogen identification.
Conjunctivitis is treated differently depending on the cause. First, the eye must be carefully cleaned of any dirt and pus. It is best to leave this seemingly simple task to your veterinarian to avoid irritating or accidentally injuring the eye.
In most cases, the veterinarian will prescribe one or more eye ointments or drops that must be administered to the affected eye several times a day. Different active ingredients are used depending on the cause. In cases of severe pain or itching, general pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medication may also be necessary.
Folliculosis is not a disease in itself, but rather an excessive reaction of the local immune system. Treatment should therefore be based on the severity of the blisters. In most cases, consistent local treatment with ointments is sufficient; only in rare, persistent cases do the follicles need to be surgically scraped off.
If the conjunctivitis is only a symptom of an underlying disease, the focus is on treating the underlying disease. In most cases, the symptoms of conjunctivitis improve as the underlying disease heals, but accompanying symptomatic treatment is often recommended.
Simple conjunctivitis usually heals well with early and consistent treatment. The prognosis worsens if complications or secondary infections occur. The earlier conjunctivitis is detected and treated, the better the chances of recovery.
The occurrence of conjunctivitis cannot be completely prevented. However, as it often occurs as a complication of many infectious respiratory diseases in horses, vaccinations against these diseases also serve as prophylaxis against accompanying conjunctivitis.
Another important preventive measure is a dust-free and well-ventilated stable environment, as well as sufficient free range and exercise for the horse. Sick horses should be separated from healthy animals, and shared grooming and saddle equipment should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to prevent infection.
During the healing phase, it is advisable to protect the horse's eyes from additional dirt, insects, wind, dust, and sunlight with a fly mask. These masks are available in various designs from any equestrian store.
Pyometra is a purulent inflammation of the uterus that occurs in most cases approximately two to ten weeks after the last heat and is the most common disease of the female reproductive organs. According to recent scientific studies, 25% of all unspayed female dogs develop pyometra within the first ten years of their lives. Female dogs that have not yet been pregnant and female dogs over the age of four are at higher risk of developing pyometra.
If your horse suddenly looks like it has run through hundreds of stinging nettles or been bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes, it could be hives, also known as urticaria. Triggered by certain stimuli, this excessive reaction of the immune system causes hundreds of small, round, raised swellings, known as wheals, to form on the horse's skin. In most cases, this rash disappears quickly once the cause has been treated.
If feed components or foreign bodies become stuck in the horse's esophagus, the surrounding muscles cramp up and a blockage occurs. Due to the risk of pneumonia caused by inhaling feed residues (aspiration pneumonia), a blockage is always a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate veterinary treatment.
Despite its somewhat misleading name (hematoma = bruise), this very rare disease in horses is not a simple bruise, but a slowly growing tumor originating in the ethmoid bone or paranasal sinuses that can cause severe bleeding. Ethmoid hematoma can occur in horses of any age, but is most common in horses between 8 and 15 years of age.
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, also known as dry eye, describes inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva caused by insufficient or completely absent tear fluid, which in severe cases can lead to blindness.
Narcolepsy is a pathological sleep disorder in which animals initially appear to be dozing, but then suddenly fall asleep and sometimes collapse without support. In most cases, this sleep disorder is associated with a loss of muscle tone, known as cataplexy.
You've probably heard of it, and if you see a horse with long, curly fur, irregular fat deposits, weakness, and possibly even laminitis, you immediately think: That must be Cushing's! But it's not quite that simple, because Cushing's has very different symptoms and the diagnosis should not be made hastily.
A cat can have kittens twice a year. Unfortunately, unneutered stray and outdoor cats are often pregnant, resulting in too many "unwanted" cats being born. In some areas, cats that appear to be homeless are caught and taken to the local animal shelter, where they are neutered by a veterinarian. However, if the birth was planned and takes place in a safe environment, it can be a wonderful experience for both the mother cat and her kittens.
Coccidiosis, caused by parasites, is a common disease in rabbits. A distinction is made between liver coccidiosis and intestinal coccidiosis. Young, stressed, or weakened animals are particularly at risk.
Ataxia is Greek and means "disorder." The term actually describes quite well what ataxia is all about. It is a disorder of the horse's normal movement and posture that is caused by damage to the central nervous system. Ataxia is therefore not lameness!
To the left and right of the anus, dogs have two anal sacs, which contain the anal glands. The foul-smelling secretion produced by these glands is collected in the anal sacs and serves as the dog's individual scent mark, which is released with each bowel movement. Inflammation of the anal sacs can be very unpleasant and painful for dogs.
Lip chewing, medically known as cheylitis, describes a common condition in domestic guinea pigs characterized by weeping eczema around the lips and corners of the mouth, which in advanced stages can spread to the mouth, nose, and entire face.
