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Discussion on Puffs above the eye
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 8:27 pm:
Dr. O, or anyone? I was wondering what the puffyness above Levi's eyes would be. At times it is like a wind puff above his eyes. For several days it seems like it is very puffy. Once when he hit his head on his stall, I thought it was from that. But today I looked and there is no puffyness at all. I don't look all the time, but have noticed it on different occassions over a long time.
Or is this fat, and maybeeeeee we are loosing some face weight. 
My other horses don't have this, and I wondered if it was anything to watch?
thanks
suz
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 8:33 pm:
Suz, do you mean puffiness over the temple . . . that indentation above horses' eyes?
If so, overweight horses usually have less indentation. It may also depend on whether or not your horse's head is down to the ground or held upright.
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 8:51 pm:
I have a couple of mares that get puffy around their eyes on really windy, dusty days...as do I. I assume they have allergies similar to mine.
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Member:
Juliem
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Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 11:40 pm:
Suz, horses with "Equine Metabolic SynDrOme", "Insulin Resistance", or whatever the current term is (I think it's now officially EMS)often have fat pads above both eyes where other horses have a sort of indentation, but I don't think they vary from day to day. They may go down as the diet gets under control. Is your horse an "easy keeper?" Overweight? They may also have soft fat pads at the base of the tailhead, around the shoulders, sheath, and sometimes just downright odd places. Julie
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Sunday, May 28, 2006 - 10:03 am:
Hi, thanks all, yes the puffyness is at the temple area, right above the eye. Yesterday it was sunken in and today it is a bit puffy. It is not like solid fatty, more like airy puffyness. Seems more pronounced when head is down. And yes, it has been 800 mile per hour winds around here, very hot 94 with high humidity today.
It just seems odd, the other younger horse seems more puffy and the 2 older ones sunken. Could this be just age related also?
thanks
just curious, not really too worried, enough other stuff to worry about.
suz
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, May 28, 2006 - 11:03 am:
Hello Susan,
If it is changing daily up and down this is probably fluid and could be inflammatory or simple dependent edema. For explanations on how this happens see, Equine Diseases » Skin Diseases » Swellings / Localized Infection / Abscesses » Diagnosing and Assessing Swellings in Horses.
DrO
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 10:26 pm:
Dr. O, I can't wait till I am no longer constantly examining my horse. From the reading in the articles, I am not sure, but I think it must be the dependent edema. He does have more fluidy above the eye when he has been out grazing. He also has a weird breathing sound when his head is down grazing. I don't hear it all the time, and never when he is just standing around, head up? He clunked his head on the stall about 6 weeks ago, but I am sure he has had this eye puffyness coming and going for a long time.
I remarked to the vet who did the x-rays, who was also in a hurry to go hunting, and he checked his lungs, asked me if he coughed and that was the end of the discussion. He does not cough. He never replied.
The breathing is slightly deeper sounding than normal breathing. He has been confined so much, and it has been windy. He eats every morsel on hay that may have DrOpped into the saw dust in his stall. Could he be breathing in the sawdust, and causing problems???
I guess my question is, would the breathing and eye thing have any relation? Like sinus congestion?
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Member:
Scooter
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Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 10:17 am:
Hi Susan, I can give you a from my experience with this stuff. When the old mare was quite overweight she had the bulges above the eye, which has almost disappeared since her weight loss. Theory is this is a sign of IR. When Hank and another mare I use to own were overweight, they did that weird breathing thing while eating also, actually Hank still does. He still needs to lose about 75-100#'s tho. How is Levi I've been wondering?
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 11:41 pm:
Hi Diane, Thanks for responding. I think his puffyness is different. It is not fat. It only occurs when his head is down grazing. I would think fat would not go away on a daily basis.
We are working on the weight thing. I have not actually measured his weight lately, but physically he does look trimmer. When he can get out and really move about, I think he will get even trimmer.
The farrier is coming again this weekend, and we will re-set his shoes, possibly lower his heels a bit more, and see how he is doing
I have been leaving him out for short periods of time to graze a bit, and on the dry lot to hang out with his friends. He walks completely sound, but if he takes off on a trot, to play, he tosses his foot out at first.
I have been wearing his old mac boots daily just to protect his sole, probably as much for me as for him.
He does not have a fatty deposit by his tail head, but he does have a swollen looking sheath. I need to have blood work done to check on the IR possibility. He has been on pasture 12/out of 24 for the past 6 years. Plus grain and lots of treats, so I don't know if there would be other symptoms of IR besides the founder problem, or if this is the club foot diagnosis that the first vet talked about, with the long toes.
Sometimes me thinks toooooo much. Will let you know how it goes with the farrier this weekend. I do have him on lamina saver, cut back grain, grass hay only and little pasture. You know, suprisingly he is surviving! I have even cut out his daily goodies and treats. that has been hard for mom.
good luck with Hank too.
suz
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Member:
Scooter
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 7:10 am:
Hi Susan glad Levi is on the mend! The puffs above the eyes don't look like fat you can push them in. Flash's were much more pronounced with her head down. The IR thing doesn't mean they HAVE to have fat deposits, Hank doesn't except a cresty neck. He has been doing VERY WELL since his low carb diet and I even ran barrels with him last night! Now if I could get the farrier to get his toes back I would be very happy (always something with these creatures). Good Luck with Levi! I hope he makes a full recovery
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 9:01 am:
There could be some relation between the two but only indirectly. If the mucous membranes in the sinuses are also swelling and narrowing the air ways, that may cause a mild respiratory noise. Without any other clinical signs I would not be too worried as this is a pretty common event. However the next time he is out I would have a good physical and lab done including a chemical panel to see if there is something specific going on.
DrO
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