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Posts: 1898
   
| What are your experiences, treatments and outcomes?
My good mare was diagnosed with it. We have been treating it since January. It goes a way for a few weeks then flares back up. It seems like each flare is progressively worse than the last.
My vet has recommended cyclosporine implant, which I posted about yesterday but if there are any other ideas I would love to hear them. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | My landlord had a mare with this in both eyes. He didn't do much with her and she essentially was about 75% blind and just wandered around all day.
I've had a number of instances with corneal ulcers and allergy issues but none personally with actually trying to treat full on uveitis.
I know some of it can depend on cause. If its an infection that's one thing; aggressive treatment is the best thing, like every few hours. There's a special type of worm that can cause issues. And then there are other issues that cause swelling in the eye, unrelated to either infection or worms, that can cause it. I know a lot of people use some type of mild pain killer daily, like aspirin or bute, and keep a fly mask on all the time. I know you have to be aggressive with eyes.
That's about all I've got.
ETA: have you pinpointed cause?
Edited by oija 2015-05-12 11:52 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 418
| Be aggressive!!! Go to a University or a specialized Opthomologist (sp)!! DO NOT miss around with a local vet!!!!! Doctor as often as you can and do not miss a day!! ALWAYS have fly mask on. Not to scare you but you have to be aggressive. I'm not sure implants are an option until there are no flare ups for a certain amount of time (can't remember). My horse was not an option for implants because his was just a smoldering case of uveitis. We would think it was gone and then it was back. It can be controlled but as I said do not miss even one day of medicine and if outside make sure fly mask is on. Best of luck
and should be on low dose of bute to keep inflammation down.
Edited by bmchicky 2015-05-12 12:36 PM
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 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| I have a gelding that I believe is now completely blind in one eye from uveitis. Based on what an ophthalmologist observed, he believes our horse has had very limited vision for a long time. We have owned him for around 4 years, and I'm sure this was an issue prior to us purchasing him. We had owned him for a little over a year when he had a major flare up that started the diagnosis. In the time that we've been dealing with this he's developed an ulcer that turned into an abcess, and then glaucoma. When I was riding him I did eye drops daily. Depending on how the eye looked determined the frequency of each drop. If things were under control I would alternate days with prednisolone and dorzolomide (with Timolol if I could get it). If he was having a flare up I would do each daily. I also kept a fly mask on him. I treated him daily with omeprazole. If needed I would also add a pain med.
I kept him on this regimen because I felt like he would work better if there was even a small amount of vision. I quit running him and he's become my husband's horse. He appears to have now completely lost his vision and we will be having the eye removed. If we didn't think it was causing any pain we would leave it. However, he acts like it bothers him so we think removal is the best option. |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| bmchicky - 2015-05-12 12:17 PM
Be aggressive!!! Go to a University or a specialized Opthomologist (sp)!! DO NOT miss around with a local vet!!!!! Doctor as often as you can and do not miss a day!! ALWAYS have fly mask on. Not to scare you but you have to be aggressive. I'm not sure implants are an option until there are no flare ups for a certain amount of time (can't remember). My horse was not an option for implants because his was just a smoldering case of uveitis. We would think it was gone and then it was back. It can be controlled but as I said do not miss even one day of medicine and if outside make sure fly mask is on. Best of luck
and should be on low dose of bute to keep inflammation down.
Unfortunately, I am not able to doctor her every day without sedation, she is a wicked horrid beast when it comes to trying to doctor, deworm or give shots. Because of this, she was given a shot of steroid, I can't remember what it was, directly in the eye to eliminate the need for every day doctoring.
Her eye does not appear to be inflamed or uncomfortable at this time. She wears a fly mask 24/7. We will be going to the optometrist as soon as I have all the money saved up I need. The implant was recommended by the local vet but to be done by the specialist. We would have to go out of town for it and it is going to be quite costly even for the specialist just to look at it. I not trying to put a dollar amount on what I am going to spend but I do not have the $2500 laying around I was quoted. I am trying to sell a horse and vehicle to help pay for it. As per the vet, there does not appear to be any inflammation, ulcer or cataract at this time. Two years ago she poked her eye and the bluing started in the same spot. The vet is thinking this may be a residual thing.
It is all so very frustrating. I am just getting back to running after having to take a year off for my own medical reasons.
Did you half dose the bute? And did you feed any supplements either herbal or otherwise to help? |
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Member
Posts: 46
Location: Mountains of Arizona | I treated my horse with essential oils. He was awful to try and put any medication in his eye. It always ended in a fight. I did two drops of frankincense in his grain once a day. We have had no flare ups in 9 months and I actually think his vision is starting to come back.
Moon blindness is usually caused by an underlying "something". I finally had a vet find the cancer in his eye.
Good luck. I know how hard it is to deal with this. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I would want you to contact Bob at THE yourself if you are interested, but I know he has a special blend for his Muscle Mass and Performance Formula for this. I have never dealt with it personally or know of anyone that has, but I do know Bob is very good at what he does. (888) 422-8398 |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| happyhorsehotel - 2015-05-12 5:53 PM
I treated my horse with essential oils. He was awful to try and put any medication in his eye. It always ended in a fight. I did two drops of frankincense in his grain once a day. We have had no flare ups in 9 months and I actually think his vision is starting to come back.
Moon blindness is usually caused by an underlying "something". I finally had a vet find the cancer in his eye.
Good luck. I know how hard it is to deal with this.
Thank you! I will look into it! |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| wyoming barrel racer - 2015-05-12 11:15 PM
I would want you to contact Bob at THE yourself if you are interested, but I know he has a special blend for his Muscle Mass and Performance Formula for this. I have never dealt with it personally or know of anyone that has, but I do know Bob is very good at what he does. (888) 422-8398
Thank you! I actually looked at your site yesterday. I will call him this week! |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | cyount2009 - 2015-05-13 9:16 AM wyoming barrel racer - 2015-05-12 11:15 PM I would want you to contact Bob at THE yourself if you are interested, but I know he has a special blend for his Muscle Mass and Performance Formula for this. I have never dealt with it personally or know of anyone that has, but I do know Bob is very good at what he does. (888) 422-8398 Thank you! I actually looked at your site yesterday. I will call him this week!
I'm not against giving you my prices :) We can still do that. It's just that I prefer you to tell your issues to Bob and he can suggest the best thing for your horse. I just have no knowledge of Uveitis. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | I had an app mare that was diagnosed with it and went 80% blind within 2 years. She has a lot of scar tissue and developed cataracts. be agressive and stay on top of it. If your able to go to an opthamologist. Like the other poster said don't play around! Although it is unknown exactly what causes it. Try and Determine if it's allergies, dry eye? Infection?bacteria? Is she rubbing and injuring he eye, stuffing her face in a hay bale? I believe in my mare's case it was genetic. Apps have a higher risk. Seemed like my mare ulcerated just about every 3 months! she was in a fly mask daily, prednisone and atropine, ointments that never ended. She lived in a fly mask and I even ran her in one. I put 90% solar screen in her stall to block the sun. I absolutely loved my mare and tried everything. Just couldn't keep it under control. :( Sorry to hear this. Hopefully you can gain a game plan with a good knowledgable vet. |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| imturnin3 - 2015-05-13 11:14 AM
I had an app mare that was diagnosed with it and went 80% blind within 2 years. She has a lot of scar tissue and developed cataracts. be agressive and stay on top of it. If your able to go to an opthamologist. Like the other poster said don't play around! Although it is unknown exactly what causes it. Try and Determine if it's allergies, dry eye? Infection?bacteria? Is she rubbing and injuring he eye, stuffing her face in a hay bale? I believe in my mare's case it was genetic. Apps have a higher risk. Seemed like my mare ulcerated just about every 3 months! she was in a fly mask daily, prednisone and atropine, ointments that never ended. She lived in a fly mask and I even ran her in one. I put 90% solar screen in her stall to block the sun. I absolutely loved my mare and tried everything. Just couldn't keep it under control. :( Sorry to hear this. Hopefully you can gain a game plan with a good knowledgable vet.
She does not seem to be rubbing it or itchy. She did injure the same eye two years ago. We are starting to believe this may be genetic in this line of horses, and probably on the paternal side. We had had two of these mares and both ended up with it. Another girl I run with had one and he too developed it around the same age. All three are by the same stud. |
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 Been Blessed
Posts: 7587
Location: Living in my Promised Land | Terrible disease. Often comes after injury. Can be very painful. The eyeball has no pain receptors, so painkillers do not help. Finall had my good mare's eye removed two years ago. Equine ophthalmologist is vital. |
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 Star Padded Honey
Posts: 8890
Location: NW MT | do you know what caused it? Lepto can be a big cause, so wondering if you had it on the property. It is a very painful thing for them. My old gelding, rest his soul, got it at some point after we moved here but he was very good about treating him. |
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 Member
Posts: 24
| My pleasure gelding had moon blindness when I was younger. His eye would clear, then a few days later would be a seafoam green color from another flare up and each was worst than the last. Uveitis never fully resolves itself or goes away, you need to be extremely aggressive in treating this and stay on top of it as much as possible. There are fly masks with UV protection now, which I believe would've been very helpful if we'd had one back then. You'll want to keep that on her 24/7 and keep her out of any direct sunlight without protection. My gelding eventually went blind from it after a few years.
If this mare is a good one, get a specialist involved and don't waste time on an every day vet.. this is extremely serious and is the leading cause of blindness in horses. Corticosteroids, antibiotic eye drops and atropine drops/ointments are all good treatments. Also be sure she's being wormed regularly but do not worm her during a flare up. Best of luck to you! It's a pain in the butt and very hard to go through, I hope she has a good outcome!!  |
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 The Famous Hot Wing Chicken Girl
Posts: 2964
| I had a horse with this a years ago. At the time, the vet (who is one of the best in our area) said there wasn't a lot of options. The implant was, however it was a pricey one (not sure what it costs now?). Medication was another but it would only do so much. Our vet suggested letting it run it's course but keeping my mare out of pain. I THINK we did Penicillin and bute or banamine for a while but that was almost 10 years ago so I could be mistaken. It wasn't long and my mare was blind in her right eye.
From the time we found out what was going on, my vet said not to baby her too much and to keep doing the things we had always done. I kept riding and kept working her on the barrel pattern. We never had any problems and she ended up being a kick butt barrel horse. I really feel like it made us bond better because we HAD to trust one another.
Edited by cowgirlchic 2015-05-13 6:18 PM
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Go to Valerie Kirkwood's website. I don't know how to attach a link on this tablet. She is an authority on moonblindness. She is not a vet but has done a lot of research on it. She is my cousin. |
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