blind doe

hoovershounds · #1 12/21/06, 10:43 PM

I was given a pygmy doe about a month ago who had a white film covering her eyes & there was alot of yellow white dishcharge from the eyes. We took her to our crappy vet who could not tell us what was wrong with her eyes but did give us some eye drops for them. After giving her the drops twice a day for a couple of days the discharge stopped & after a week the white film over the eyes has disappeared. She seems to have very limited or possiabley no vision. She functions well so I assume she has been this way for awhile. My question is do you think this could be genetic or enviromental (like accident or pests). Also, there is a possiability that she is bred. Should I be concerned for her offspring.
Amy

goatkid · #2 12/21/06, 11:20 PM

It sounds like she had pinkeye or some other eye infection. The medicine your vet gave her healed the infection. It doesn't sound genetic to me. If she hasn't aborted the kids from something like chlamydia, which can cause pinkeye, I would imagine that the kids will be OK. The doe's eyes may have been damaged from the infection going on too long before it was treated. Since you say she seems to be getting around OK, I would think she will be alright so long as you keep her penned in a safe environment. Animals learn to use their other senses better than most humans do.

mammawof3 · #3 12/22/06, 06:01 AM

I have had goats who got pinkeye so bad, they were blind-they always got their sight back-just took time. I wouldn't be so sure hers was permanent. Good luck.

hoovershounds · #4 12/23/06, 05:49 PM

I have my moments where i think she can see a little & then the next moment she stumbles over a branch. When we let her out in the yard to graze she will walk around a mower or tree in her way and then walk into the fence. What is chlamydia & is it contagious? I kept her seperate from our other doe for almost a month while we got her eyes under control but now they are in together.

Nancy_in_GA · #5 12/23/06, 07:42 PM

Take a look in her eye and see if there is a cloudy spot in the pupil, sort of under the surface.

We have a wether who had pinkeye really bad when he was about 10 weeks old, especially in one eye, white film over it. When the white film went away, there was a cloudy spot left in the middle of the pupil for a long time, but it completely disappeared eventually. Took a couple of months. I believe he can see just fine now, but I could be wrong.

Good luck with your little girl.

PygmyLover · #6 12/23/06, 10:58 PM

I used a blind buck once.........his offspring (does) were not blind. He was a cute buck, functioned well and didn't have a problem breeding.

If your girl is recently blind she will get use to it and stop stubbling into things. The buck I borrowed for breeding ran into the fence, walls etc for a few days but learned quickly. I would try helping her learn her surroundings by walking her to the edges of her pen etc. It may or may not help, just an idea.

hoovershounds · #7 12/24/06, 12:53 AM

Her eye is still a little cloudy in the middle and the other thing is that her eye looks different from my other does. It is brown colored & instead of the pupil being slanted it is round. I am not sure if goats have different colored eyes but the ones we have always had have been yellow with the pupil being like a slit (cat eyed). She is familiar with the surroundings in her pen & just has a little trouble in the yard but with time she will probabley overcome that.
Amy

goatkid · #8 12/24/06, 02:44 PM

The color of the iris can vary with goats, but I suspect the pupil shape may be related to eye damage. Chlamydia is an infectilon which can cause pinkeye and also keep a doe from carrying her kids to full term. It is contageous. It generally only affects a goat's fertility for one season. They usually have no problems kidding in subsequent years. Whether or not your other doe will be affected depends on if she already has the antibodies in her system. People can also get pinkeye from goats, so it's important to wash your hands after handling her.