Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2011 | Page 111

EQUESTRIAN

Case study
Jenny Wren - Day 1

Jenny Wren - Day 3

Jenny Wren - Fully recovered

equine veterinary diary
can be used to visualise the back of the
eye and check for damage within the
eyeball and to structures behind the
eye.
Enucleation
In the worst cases removal of the eye
may be necessary to prevent excessive
on-going pain for the horse. This is a
relatively simple surgery that can be
performed with the horse standing
under heavy sedation and so a general
anaesthetic is not required. Horses
will exist happily and continue to
perform well with only one eye.
Several horses with only one eye
compete at high level competitions.

pieces, the skull surrounding the eye
splintered and the surface of the eye
was damaged causing a superficial
corneal ulcer. Fortunately Jenny’s
owner sought prompt veterinary
attention allowing the eye to be saved.
Under sedation surgery was performed,
at our clinic in Newport, where the
small bone fragments were removed
from the wound and the upper eyelid
was reconstructed. A treatment tube

system was sutured into the lower
eyelid allowing regular application
of antibiotics to the eye, despite
the surrounding swelling. Happily
"Jenny" made a full recovery