Entropion in the Young Equine

Nov 2, 2011
Chris Thomas

Ulceration in a Foal's Eye - C. Thomas

There are some instances in which the foal may end up with an inverted eyelid. Causes and resulting concerns are looked into here.

It is important when checking over the newborn foal, to get into a routine so that the foaling attendant knows they haven’t missed anything. Although not a largely common occurrence, entropion or an inverted eyelid may be evident on the newborn foal. A foal or horse that is largely dehydrated with sunken in eyes may also be prone to entropion.

Ulceration of the Foal’s Eyes

Entropion can be of concern mainly due to the fact that the inverted eyelid results in hair of the lid resting against the eye. As the foal blinks and takes in its surroundings, these hairs rub against the eyeball and can cause great irritation. The end result can be ulceration of the eye, which if left untreated can in some cases result in loss of use of the eye.

The ulceration process can happen over a few short days. Consequently, once a foal is recognised to have entropion, corrective measures should be taken.

Managing Entropion

There are some instances where it is possible to manually solve this problem by manipulating the eyelid into the correct position with ones fingers. This may need to be done a number of times throughout the day over the course of a few days to see the problem rectified.

Other solutions involve the use of a vet. Some vets advocate the practice of injecting the affected eyelid with a form of penicillin. Utilising an antibiotic helps with any concerns of general infection, while the filling of the eyelid with a fluid helps to cause it to enlarge and change shape. It is possible for this method to result in the eyelid being forced into the correct position and once the penicillin dissipates into the system, the eyelid stays corrected.

Another method involves suturing. The eyelid can be stitched into the correct position with the stitches being removed at a later date. This is a fairly straight forward procedure, but can cause apprehension for some owners due to the use of a needle so close to the foal’s eye.

Signs of Ulceration of the eye

For any horse that has an issue with their eye, there may be a few prominent signs. These could include:

Having the eye closed or half closed
Consistent tearing
Swelling to the area
Evidence of a white or bluish-white circle on a part or all of the eye

This change in colour to the eye indicates ulceration and should be seen to by the vet immediately. It is worth considering in any eye case to get the problem assessed immediately so as to best avoid a loss of use for the horse.