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  Discussion on "Hollow spots" above both eyes swollen
Author Message
New Member:
Kelli

Posted on Sunday, Jul 2, 2006 - 3:24 pm:

Hi there. I really need some help. I have a 12 year old mare that was diagnosed with uveitis four years ago. We have been through it all. Ulcerating, infections, etc. One of her symptoms that never seems to go away is swelling above her eyes in the "hollows". She is not my main problem. Her yearling filly is showing the same symptom above her eyes. She also has redness, tearing, and her lower eyelids are puffed out like a pouch. This started last fall when she came down with a URTI. The nasal discharge and coughing disappeared, but the tearing, redness and puffy lower eyelids never went away. It has only been in the last two weeks that the lemon sized swellings have appeared.She has been treated with numerous antibiotics, anti-inflammitories. Tear ducts have been flushed. Antihistimines don't work. Bloodwork will be back sometime next week. Any ideas? She is a spotted draft.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jul 2, 2006 - 6:06 pm:

Welcome Kelli,
I am sorry to hear about your filly. Perhaps images might help but in the mare these are probably fat deposits and not that abnormal. Some horses are more prone to fat in this areas than others and as horses get older they seem more prone to it. But the inflammation in the filly needs to be addressed and should be treated as is described in the article associated with this discussion. I am uncertain how blood work is going to help with a local eye problem like you describe. If there are signs of corneal inflammation (cloudiness with or without ulcers) there may need to be further steps taken as described in the article Diseases of Horses » Eye Diseases » Corneal Ulcers, Fungal and Bacterial Keratitis.
DrO
New Member:
Kelli

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 5, 2006 - 7:48 am:

Hi again.
Most certainly not fat deposits,(?) as they change size. They also appear to be more "fluid filled". One day they are the size of lemons, the next almost nothing. The size of the swellings above the eye seem to correspond with the tearing and the amount of inflammation in the lower eyelids. Am very concerned as her dam exhibits the same symptoms and has uveitis.
Was grasping at anything I could as far as the bloodwork. Auto immune? Allergies? There is no cloudiness or ulcerating on the eye itself. She does end up with quite a few hives from insect bites, but I have 171 acres, and a huge problem with deer flies. What would you suggest as far as the next step? Have tried steroids (opthalmic). They did no good.
Kelli
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 5, 2006 - 9:49 am:

In your first post you state "One of her symptoms that never seems to go away is swelling above her eyes in the "hollows". Is this a misstatement Kelli or are we confusing the filly and the mare? If it never goes away but there is some varying in the size there may be fat behind a secondary swelling process? It does seem with the filly that the swelling is associated with the inflammed eyes.

Rather than throwing more medication at the problem you need a firm diagnosis. I would recommend you seek a equine, or at the least veterinary, opthalmologist for a firm diagnosis. Your past therapeutic attempts do not rule out any disease processes. It may well be an infection that is resistant to the chosen antibiotic or treatment method or a primary inflammatory/allergic disease that needs more potent therapy than what you have used. As oulined in the article it may be something else entirely but let's start with a diagnosis and then we can discuss therapy.
DrO
New Member:
Kelli

Posted on Friday, Jul 7, 2006 - 7:30 am:

The mare started out the same way, and eventually her swellings never went away. The filly swells, and then the swelling will go down, but never completely away. Her eyes (swelling in the lower lids,tearing) will get better, but never 100%. Now the tissue in the corner of her eye (third eyelid?) is covering about 1/5 of her eye.
The eyeball itself seems fine. Unlike her dam who squints, tears, ulcerates, and gets infections about once a year.
It just seems so strange that the filly is exhibiting some of the same symptoms the mare did. I guess that is why I did the bloodwork. Something genetic maybe? The mare is in foal again, and I am concerned this may be something that is passed on. The 2004 filly out of this mare is just fine.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 7, 2006 - 9:27 am:

It is not the swelling above the eyes that worry me Kelli, it is the inflammation in the eyes, or at least surrounding tissues, I am concerned about. KCS may be genetic but this may be a different problem than your mare. Ophthalmologist are also versed in diseases of the tissues that surround the eyes so I would still seek that second opinion if you or your vet cannot figure this out.

The article associated with this discussion area gives a list of common rule outs for this conditions and there are just too many possibilities to start throwing medications at it. However following a thorough exam for foreign bodies, I don't see anything, with approval of your vet, in your post to prevent the use of both systemic and local anti-inflammatories until you get there. You should also be managing for minimal irritation (sun, dust, long grass, insects, etc) to the eyes.
DrO
New Member:
warthog

Posted on Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 - 12:44 am:

No cases have ever been found in the US as far as I have read but the bulges described are a symptom for African horse sickness

Cardiac form

This subacute form of the disease has an incubation period longer than that of the pulmonary form. Signs of disease start at day 7-12 after infection. High fever is a common characteristic. The disease also manifests as conjunctivitis, with abdominal pain and progressive dyspnoea. Additionally, oedema, presented under the skin of the head and neck: most notably swelling of the supra-orbital fossae, palpebral conjunctiva and intermandibular space. Mortality rate is between 50-70% and survivors recover in 7 days.

It is caused by a virus of the genus Orbivirus belonging to the family Reoviridae. This disease can be caused by any of the nine serotypes of this virus. AHS is not directly contagious, but is known to be spread by insect vectors.

I wonder if there is something simmilar in this country?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_horse_sickness_virus
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 - 6:58 am:

Hello warthog,
If you would like to read more about AHS I suggest Diseases of Horses » Cardiovascular, Blood, and Immune System » African Horse Sickness.
DrO
Member:
chrism

Posted on Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 - 8:09 am:

My friend's mare is being treated for Cushing's. Besides the very slow to shed abnormally long, curly coat (people think she is a Baskir and she isn't), she had fat deposits in her eye hollows and a laminitic episode. She was quite round. Now her diet is very carefully managed and she is on peroglide, I believe. Eye hollows look much more typical, but not sunken like some horses.

Something to consider when evaluating the overall health of the horse.
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