eye issue

hardworkingwoman · #1 01/09/12, 09:16 AM

I have a month old boer goat with a crusty discharge around her eyes. I searched for pink eye and she doesn't have any pink in the eyes just a crust. It doesn't seem to bother her but it does me. I clean it out daily no other goats have it, not even her brother. I will try to take a picture but my camera is not working to good these days. I use ointment for eyes Vetropolycin ointment. Could this just be pink eye without the pink? Is that possible? Her eyes are white and look good, her eye lids are nice and pink like they should be.

Thanks!

mpete · #2 01/09/12, 10:46 AM

It could be she is just sensitive to something in the air. My goats will get "sleepers" about every time the seasons change... I wouldn't be putting anything in it because that could be causing sensitivity.

FrogTacos · #3 01/09/12, 11:04 AM

What color is the discharge? Whiteish to light yellow should be ok, deeper yellow to green could be an infection.

You can rub some vaseline around the outside of the eye to make it easier to remove the buildup.

hardworkingwoman · #4 01/09/12, 12:30 PM

it is whiteish and I only use the ointment 1 or 2 times a week. I will stop that. It doesn't seem like an infection and does not seem to bother her. It goes all of the way around both eyes.

lindamoo · #5 01/09/12, 12:46 PM

Look up entropion. (sp) What kind of hay are you feeding? I've had sudan cause eye irritation. Mites can cause irritation.

lindamoo · #6 01/09/12, 04:25 PM

My original post seems to have vanished. I'll try again.

Look up entropion. I have had sudan hay to cause irritation on the face.

Minelson · #7 01/09/12, 06:25 PM

My wether Frankie had watery eyes from the day he was born til at least 3 months old. The only thing we could come up with was that he somehow got amniotic fluid in his eyes. Has yours been like this from the get go? If not, I'm thinking something in the air or the hay is giving some minor irritation.

chamoisee · #8 01/09/12, 06:50 PM

You can try washing the eye out with a strong saline solution. The kind from the store won't work. Just boil some water and add a little salt...test it on your own eye, add more salt if need, more water if too strong. You want it to be strong enough to burn a little, but it shouldn't burn like heck.

Minelson · #9 01/09/12, 07:51 PM

Yes..saline works wonders on my horses. The plain cheap stuff works fine. Just flush a couple of times and it gets better fast. I wouldn't want to try something "I" made in my own eye much less my goats eye! LOL!!!!

lindamoo · #10 01/09/12, 08:44 PM

I forgot to mention if it is entropion he can go blind if left untreated.

hardworkingwoman · #11 01/09/12, 10:16 PM

yes it has been since she was born practically. I will try the saline solution I did look up entropion and that is what it sounds like. So I will act quickly since she is one month old today! Thank you! I will let you know how she is. How long will it take to take effect? I certainly don't want her to go blind. I have her sold!!

noeskimo · #12 01/09/12, 10:24 PM

There are clips, glue ,stitches that can help if it is entropion, but it works best if you do it sooner rather than later.The gummy eyes then clear up quickly.

lindamoo · #13 01/09/12, 10:31 PM

It depends on how bad it is as to how long it takes to correct the problem. If it is minor two or three treatments may take care of it. It's a pretty easy fix. It is hereditary. I had a new buck that passed on this problem to half of his first crop of 42 babies. Needless to say he was sent to the slaughter house.

hardworkingwoman · #14 01/10/12, 10:12 AM

Oh great! How do I know that it is not the doe that is passing it on and not the buck? That is without a lot of money in dna testing. Should I get rid of my buck? Then will my crossbred doe pass this on? Hmm now this takes on a new light and problem that I wasn't really looking for. Oh well live and learn! This doe has had 5 babies through this buck and is the first one with any problems. So now if I can't get this fixed should I sell her to the guy that wants her? He is not planning on breeding just for a pet. I guess I will just try to fix this problem first. Any other advice is welcome!! Thank you! I love the knowledge you guys have here.

Minelson · #15 01/10/12, 11:00 AM

Can you actually see the eyelashes turned in onto the eyeballs? Can you take a picture of it?
I only have experience with dogs with entropion at the vet clinic and we have done many surgeries to repair. The vet won't do it on young pups though because he says sometimes they outgrow it. But that is dogs.
I would just make sure your diagnosis is correct before doing anything. Any way you can have a vet take a look see at it?

lindamoo · #16 01/10/12, 11:36 AM

Try to determine if entropion is the problem. Having someone else hold the doeling while you look at her eyelids helps determine if the eyelid is turned in. If it is minor it can be very hard to see. It may be only one corner of the eyelid that is turned in.

If this is the only case of possible entropion from this mating of 5 times, you may never see it again. I wouldn't get rid of either one of the parents nor would I test them. When you evently replace the breeders, question the seller about entropion in their herd.

Maybe it is parasitic?

hardworkingwoman · #17 01/10/12, 12:01 PM

I have determined that this is entropin. The bottom eyelid is rolled under so now I am taking steps to hopefully correct this problem.

Minelson · #18 01/10/12, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardworkingwoman

I have determined that this is entropin. The bottom eyelid is rolled under so now I am taking steps to hopefully correct this problem.

Shoot

yes rolled under is entropion. I hope you can find out how to fix it!

mary,tx · #19 01/10/12, 12:18 PM

I had this on some of my kids when we lived in Colorado, and it was inherited on the buck's line. At the time I had a good friend who was a vet, and she fixed the problem by placing a stitch in the eyelid, which was removed after a while. I can't remember how long we left it in. But watching her do it, I decided it wasn't something I wanted to try to learn, so I got rid of all those kids and that sire.

That said, it is an easy problem to fix. It just wasn't something I wanted to mess with on an ongoing basis.

hardworkingwoman · #20 01/10/12, 12:26 PM

I don't think I really want to deal with this anymore either. It is my first one and last. What do you think of this link? I might try it after I go buy some.

http://www.sheepmagazine.com/issues/...ie_Wilson.html