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  Discussion on Tearing eyes resulting in hair loss below both eyes
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New Member:
horsgran

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 4:58 am:

Our horse's eyes constantly run - clear fluid - vet has checked tear ducts, they are fine. Eye balls perfect. no itching not scratching - doesn't seem to both him but looks dreadful. vet has taken biopsy and we are waiting for the results. we have washed in salt water for weeks then used vaseline petroleum jelly and then paw paw ointment and vet has now suggested we use a diluted iodine wash and we are now doing this on the bald areas of his skin under his eyes and we are washing his eye lids with weak black tea.camomile. He also has lost a patch of hair on his hip diameter 2inches across and a small patch 1 inch in diameter on his chest. Any suggestions?
Member:
canderso

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 7:04 am:

Does your horse wear a fly mask?
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 12:29 pm:

Vaseline or other oils, including fly deterent like Swat that is oily, can cause the area around the eyes to go bald. At least it can in Arabians. You don't say if you were using products around the eyes before the hair loss started or not, but if you were, the oils could be the cause. The other patches are probably unrelated and caused by scrapes, bites, reactions to fly bites, etc. unless you have some skin desease or fungus going on. If you suspect the latter, the biopsy or skin scrape shoulds show something.
Member:
paardex

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 4:39 pm:

Cold tea on a cotton pad is an old method of cleaning eyes softly[camonille herb tea is even better] it has no adverse effects so you could give it a try.
Jos
Member:
shirl

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 6:37 pm:

Ditto what Sara says. Sedona has a constant clear drainage. Tear ducts checked out okay. Late this winter, barn owner suggested wiping baby oil around her eyes so the drainage wouldn't stick to her hair. Well, that worked wonderfully in winter, but in June she lost all the hair around her eyes. Stopped the oil and I just wipe her eye area with clear, cool water each day. She wears a fly mask daily, but is obviously allergic to dust, wind, of which we have plenty in AZ.
New Member:
horsgran

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 7:17 pm:

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. It is winter here in South East Australia and so no flies at the moment. Tried a fly veil in summer - made no difference. Perhaps I have worsened the problems using vaseline - stopped using it about 1 month ago. will the hair ever grow back? and what do you think about the few bald batches on his body? If it is an allergy should I start giving him 5 claratyne tablets a day? Somebody here suggested that. otherwise do you have any advice for allergic horses? I am coming closer to thinking it is an allergy.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 7:50 pm:

I think that you will have good results simply by cleaning the horse's face with either plain water or saline solution, as needed. Sometimes I have rubbed on some MTG lotion, which encourages hair regrowth. I've got a boy with problem similar to yours. It almost seems as if he is allergic to his own eye discharge. Though clear, the discharge is rather sticky, and it irritates his face badly.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2008 - 11:41 pm:

Welcome horseagram,
What breed is your horse and is there unpigmented skin around the eye? I am uncertain how cleaning around the eyes is likely to prevent the excessive tearing. If a solution cannot be found to decrease the tearing, I disagree with the assessment that protection with Vaseline will make things worse. The constant tearing will (has) cause(d) irritation to the skin that can be protected by petroleum jelly but frequent application will be necessary. If I were going to try an alternative I would recommend a diaper rash ointment which may be preferable if this turns out to be a problem with sun irritation.
DrO
New Member:
horsgran

Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 3:55 pm:

American Saddlebred purebred, chestnut, aged 7, skin under his eyes is black. Vet has taken a skin biopsy 11 days ago, still waiting for results, she suggested wiping the skin around his eyes with highly diluted iodine (in case there are mites or caused by a fungal infection) which we are doing and we are washing his eyes with weak cold tea each morning as they are crusty. the bald patch on his hip is not growing hair. Will post a photograph.
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 4:34 am:

Just to let you know that the vet phoned today biopsy has shown that there is a bacterial infection in the skin at the top layer. The diluted iodine is starting improve the situation and the hair has started growing back. Vet also says to use alpha keri bath oil to prevent the skin from drying out. Another vet said yes to using 5 clarityne a day for a time in case there is an allergy and his eyes are not weeping as much. So looks like he's on the mend.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 7:04 am:

I do have problems with the diagnosis as it is not consistent with the history above: it started with the eyes tearing excessively and then the hair started to be lost. If the skin around the eyes the primary problem, we should have seen symptoms there first. Let us know how this works out horseygran and I would still like to see those pictures if you have them.

For more information we cover many of the differentials of unexplained tearing (even in eyes not inflammed) at Diseases of Horses » Eye Diseases » Inflammed, Tearing Eyes, Swollen Lids
DrO
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 7:01 pm:

Dear Dr O
thank you for taking such an interest. we really appreciate it.
we too are concerned about the diagnosis given that it doesn't seem to have treated the cause just the effect i.e. the weeping seems to have caused the skin infection. will ring our vet again today. the runny eyes has slowed (maybe this is due to the claratyne?) his eyes have always looked clear and healthy - it is just that they run with clear tears. vet suggested using anti bacterial eye DrOps but as the eyes are not infected this seems odd! she also talked about cortisone eye DrOps but then went onto to explain the potential horrors of using such! we will photograph today and post this evening. Many thanks
horsgran
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 12:03 am:

Here are the photos.
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 12:14 am:

Here are the photos nearside and offside eyes and patch on hip







his overall condition is very good. the marks are where the vet took biopsies. We are a bit concerned about these marks - hoping that hair will grow back.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 8:02 am:

horsyegran, the bit on the hip looks like trauma or possibly mild dermatophilus, it will heal.

The eyes are an entirely different deal. First the eyes are not normal: the sclera (the whites of the eyes) shows signs of both being acutely and chronically irritated in your first photo: acutely they are reddened and chronically there is new pigmentation laid down adjacent to the cornea. It looks like classic chronic actinic irritation caused by a large eye opening and exposure of a lot of the sclera to sunlight. However this should be referred to a ophthalmologist for ruling out other possibilities including fly irritation, congenitally misplaced hairs, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye counter intuitively causes excessive tearing), glaucoma.

Treatment should follow a specific diagnosis but in the meantime flymasks specifically designed to shade the eyes or better out of the sun totally. Because of the long term irritation this may not prevent running completely but if this the cause will decrease the problem and prevent further worsening. If I was convinced infection not a problem I would also be using steroid based eye ointments.

To get to your original question the skin immediately around the rostral fornix (inside corner) has lost their follicles and will not grow hair back. Slightly more distally I would think a light coating of Vaseline or zinc oxide based skin protector (sun screen or diaper ointment), applied often enough to be constantly in place, will protect the area and allow the hair to regrow.
DrO
Member:
dres

Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 9:37 am:

Dr. O in your statement above you say.. "chronically there is new pigmentation laid down adjacent to the cornea."
I have a young appy colt that has this condition in his eyes, all tho not red or tearing.. Is this something that needs to be address? I figured it was his appy blood lines ?

Thanks

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 5:42 pm:

Can you post a image of your horses eyes in a new discussion Ann?
DrO
Member:
dres

Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 6:33 pm:

Will get some photos in the next day or two.. Thank you..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 - 5:35 am:

Dear DrO et al

As you advised we sought an appointment with an horse ophthalmologist and we were lucky to obtain an appointment with the Eye Clinic for Animals, Crow Nest, NSW, Australia today (Dr Jeffrey Smith an ophthalmologist for animals) and thankfully he has given this horse a clean bill of health stating that his eyes are perfect, no damage to the eye ball and that the pigmentation around his corneal is normal. His third eye was fine but did not have pigmentation and that he should wear a sun mask which we are doing. He said that this horse is sensitive to dust, wind and sun. We are using very diluted iodine wash on his skin, drying off and using very diluted Alpha Keri bath oil, and using camomile tea to wash his eyes clean - we are doing this twice a day and the amount of tearing has reduced. We are also giving him 5 Claratyne tablets each day. Do you think the hair in the bigger area will grow back? guess we will just have to wait and see.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 - 7:13 am:

That is super horseygran and delighted you do not have any more serious problem and have the cause sorted out a bit better.

The skin in the larger area of hair loss looks normal to me and will grow hair back. What sort of sun mask did he recommend? It should be noted that some horses with fly masks with sunglasses darted in still have problems that is relieved when placed in a clean barn during the day.
DrO
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Friday, Aug 29, 2008 - 6:22 pm:

We have started using just a commercial fly veil but have purchased some 90+ cream sun shade material and make our own using the commercial fly veil as a template. Just a bit worried that he may not be able to actually see too much - is this a worry? perhaps we should have purchased the 70+? The 90+ will keep a lot of dust and wind out also. We desperately need rain here, it is heading for spring, and it is already very dusty!! What do you think about giving him the Claratyne tablets? It seems to work as the weeping from his eyes have significantly reduced - no longer running down his face! if we still have problems re the dust we will put him in a stable when it is windy. Please can you explain about the lack of pigmentation in his third eye lid? How unusual is this?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Sep 1, 2008 - 8:29 am:

It is likely the improvement is from the combination of treatments and to what degree the Claritin contributes is uncertain. In the case of allergic reactions that are histamine based an antihistamine will be helpful. From the information provided so far it remains unclear how significant this is in your case.

Many horses have unpigmented third eyelids. Whether pigmented or not is a genetic factor that is then may be effected by inflammation.
DrO
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Thursday, Sep 25, 2008 - 2:02 am:

the horse has improved a great deal - see recent photos. we have been washing skin with very diluted iodine, waiting 30 mins and then bathing with very diluted alpha keri bath oil and using Amacin eye ointment and then wiping eyes with Littleeyes, gentle cleansing wife for babies and children.



Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Sep 25, 2008 - 7:24 am:

Hello horseygran,
Delighted to hear things a bit better. Are you continuing to manage the sunlight exposure of the eyes and what are the active ingredients is in the Amacin ointment?
DrO
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 - 5:34 am:

Amacin contains Neomycin sulfate; Polymyxin B sulphate; Sulfacet amide sodium. We have made a fly veil with 70 protection shade cloth with a cover for his nose but he has worked out how to remove (he flicks it over his ears and then steps on the nose part to remove!! and we are spending our time walking the large paddocks to find it - so we are making another without the nose protection!! and we will see how that goes!!
Member:
horsgran

Posted on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 - 5:43 am:



the fly veil that he can remove in 1 minute!! At least we tried!!
Member:
dres

Posted on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 - 9:49 am:

When you start to market them i would like to order a couple please... are they UV material.. ?

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 - 10:23 am:

Since he works the mask loose are you doing anything else to avoid sunlight exposure?
DrO
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Sep 28, 2008 - 4:57 pm:

Good looking fly mask. It's amazing how easily horses are able to get out of fly masks, and mess up or tear every article of horse wear they can't get out of!

I found some 3" wide industrial strength velcro in a big roll at the hardware store and have replaced the velcro on a couple of our fly masks with it. The masks stay on the horses that have the heavy duty velcro. I wonder if that combined with a second strap further down his neck from his ears, or a wider strap behind his ears, would work?
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