# Blocked tear duct



## nikicb (10 July 2012)

About 6 months ago one of our ponies had a regularly runny eye - nothing infected, just tears.  Vet came out to do one of the other one's vaccinations so got him to have a look.  He said that possibly the tear duct was blocked, so to keep an eye on it (no pun intended) and if it got worse then we would put a dye in it to see if it was blocked and if it was, then the simple but unpleasant task of unblocking it (requiring sedation and shoving something up a nostril).

Anyway, it got to the point of having to wipe the eye once or twice a day (but I am quite fussy and they're kept at home so this was mostly for cosmetic reasons rather than being crusty or anything).  So, when I had new horse vetted had another chat with vet and he gave me a capsule of the dye to use to do the test.  Typically after that the eye seemed to improve again and now there are rarely tears (so I didn't do the test, but still have the dye).  I'm wondering whether because I was wiping it a couple of times a day I could have 'massaged' and cleared the blockage.  Are the tear ducts that close to the surface or could it have cleared itself?  Just wondering really in case the problem comes back.  Thanks.


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## Stinkbomb (10 July 2012)

I have had two horses with blocked tear ducts. The first one had it unblocked by syringing saline up through the duct in the nostril as you describe which initially cleared it. After a week it just blocked again. The vets recommended leaving it and described it as purely costmetic, he was old and as long as i regulally cleaed the eye, to prevent flies then there would be no problem. And there wasnt!!
Second horse was a mini and had the duct unblocked. However the runny eye continued despite the ducts were now clear. Due to the fact it was now causing him problems i.e. he kept rubbing his eye and making it swell, further tests were done. These showed that he actually had entropian which meant his bottom eyelids were turning in and his eyelashes were rubbing his eyes. He had to have his bottom lids stitched back for a few months as he grew. he still gets a little bit of clear fluid but nothing more than normal.
Its worth if it reoccurs doing the test for blocked ducts but if the runny eye keeps reoccuring and its not blocked then personally i would ask for further tests. I was told had i not had my horses eyelids stitched back the eyelashes would have eventually caused ulcers on his eyes and he could have eventually permanently damaged them.


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## nikicb (10 July 2012)

Stinkbomb said:



			I have had two horses with blocked tear ducts. The first one had it unblocked by syringing saline up through the duct in the nostril as you describe which initially cleared it. After a week it just blocked again. The vets recommended leaving it and described it as purely costmetic, he was old and as long as i regulally cleaed the eye, to prevent flies then there would be no problem. And there wasnt!!
Second horse was a mini and had the duct unblocked. However the runny eye continued despite the ducts were now clear. Due to the fact it was now causing him problems i.e. he kept rubbing his eye and making it swell, further tests were done. These showed that he actually had entropian which meant his bottom eyelids were turning in and his eyelashes were rubbing his eyes. He had to have his bottom lids stitched back for a few months as he grew. he still gets a little bit of clear fluid but nothing more than normal.
Its worth if it reoccurs doing the test for blocked ducts but if the runny eye keeps reoccuring and its not blocked then personally i would ask for further tests. I was told had i not had my horses eyelids stitched back the eyelashes would have eventually caused ulcers on his eyes and he could have eventually permanently damaged them.
		
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Thanks for your reply.  It does sound more like the first case.  The pony is 19, and my vet (who I really like, because he is a realist, but very caring) said that it was quite common in older horses/ponies for it to develop.  My pony has never rubbed his eye or shown any sign at all of irritation.  When I say I'm fussy, I really am - at the most these days every 2 or 3 days I have to wipe an inch of clear tear streak.  But if it gets worse again I will definitely get it checked out.  I'm terrible - always have to have something to worry about.


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## carmenlucy123 (11 July 2012)

Just an idea but same thing is happening with my rabbit unfortunatley it's a chronic problem and one she will have to live with as she is so old an the vet said its sometimes untreatable
BUT it could be related to teeth or at least it could be in rabbits so it may be the case with horses?


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