Eye Trauma

Goats can be prone to eye injuries, just by the nature of the beast.

They are very curious and like to stick their heads where they are not supposed to

Scratches on the cornea, puncture wounds, foreign bodies in the eye, torn eyelids, irritation from dust or hay particles that cause conjunctivitis (red eye), and “Pink eye” are all possibilities

Red tissues surrounding a cloudy eye, with mucous discharge and squinting, can either be Pink Eye or the result of a corneal ulcer (scratch on the cornea).

Terramycin ophthalmic ointment can be used several times per day in the affected eye for 24-48 hours (provided the eye doesn’t get worse)

If it is an uncomplicated ulcer, you should see drastic improvement

If it is Pink eye, it won’t get better, and might possibly get worse, so switch to LA200 topically in the eye

GVC- EYE RECIPE 0.1 la200 to 1.9cc of water … shooting for a 1% solution like see with most eye meds … la200 is 20% in the bottle…. use 2-3 drops in area 2-3x a day , so are just diluting it down to same % as see in terramycin

If eye rapidly worsens, has visible trauma, or eyelids are torn, then immediate veterinary intervention is required

Entropion (inverted eyelids)
Entropion is a congenital disorder which is characterized by the turning in of one or both of the eyelids. Left untreated, the cornea becomes cloudy and ulcerated, leading to permanent blindness. Entropion can be corrected, but is a highly heritable trait.

Neurological disease
Blindness may be a symptom of various diseases that affect the central nervous system of sheep and goats: polioencephalomalacia (polio), pregnancy toxemia (ketosis), listeriosis (circling disease), vitamin A deficiency, toxins, and acute lead poisoning.

Treatment …. A good flush with normal eye saline wash and eye-specific antibiotic drops or ointment (*without* steroids – i.e., dexamethasone) can help as well as rolling the offending eyelid (usually it’s the bottom but could be both) out 6 times a day. Alternatives include having a vet place antibiotic or saline injected into the eyelid to roll it out or placing a suture.

Keep a very close watch on eye issues as the condition of the eye can “go south” in a very quick time frame. I’ve seen eyes go from initial injury to ruptured globe in 24 hours or less if a bad enough injury or bacterial infection are present. All eye problems should be taken seriously .

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