My poor goat Dixie! Dixie the one eyed...? :(

[noobiechickenlady]

Friday, during the feeding frenzy, DD dropped the chicken feed right near the goat's shed. Of course the nosy heifers came out to see what the ruckus was and waded right in, chicken feed being much tastier than alfalfa pellets, corn & boss.
Sometime during that, I can only assume that one of the chickens pecked Dixie. Right in the eye.
When I saw her Friday afternoon after work, she was holding it closed so I wrestled her down and checked it. She had a spiderweb of white with a white center right over her pupil. Over the weekend that has narrowed into a white spot right in the center of her pupil. The spiderweb has mostly cleared. Her eye is weeping a bit, but no pus or swelling, so maybe she won't lose the eye. It doesn't seem to be distorted in shape from the other eye.
She isn't really moving the eye and she's keeping her lid mostly closed on that side. Although the pupil is responding to light.
She really doesn't want me to look at it, so I'm betting it's tender. I haven't been putting anything on it, since it was weeping a bit (and thus cleansing itself). Just watching it close and checking it as often as I can without stressing her out.
Gave her extra loving. Her temps were normal (102.8)
Is there anything else I can do? Should I call the vet (who IS NOT a goat doc)?
Should I go ahead and put some antibiotic drops in, just in case?
My poor girl!!!

 

[freemotion]

I always used "triple eye" antibiotic cream in eye wounds when I managed a horse farm. You get it from a vet, it is probably $5-10 for a tiny tube by now. It has been a while! Don't use anything not made for eyes and don't use anything with steroids. It is probably a corneal tear, which can heal up nicely. She probably will lose her pilot's license, but she couldn't afford an airplane anyways, right?

If you go this route, you just pull the lower lid out and quickly squirt a little glob in the pocket created, and she will blink it all over her eye. I used a fresh tube for each eye/injury. It may itch as it heals, watch for her rubbing her eye. You'll want to prevent that, but that is another post.

 

[glenolam]

I'm not sure, but is this a case where you could use oxytetracycline (as in LA200)? If you have that on hand I've read you can put that in a goat's eye - but only really read that for pink eye.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Okie day! Yeah, and I don't think her hooves will really let her grip the throttle anyways
I've got(<-- typed goat right there... ) a call into the "good" vet, got to call back after she gets back from lunch. She's a small animal vet but the receptionist seemed to think she'd want to look at Dixie. Okaaaay...
Dixie's more used to me pulling down her lower lid than raising her upper (worm checking) so that should be easier. And thanks, I now have this image in my head of her with one of those lampshade thingies. Oh man, the drama that would cause...

On the good side, she's in good spirits. She was romping around in the full moon this weekend

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Sounds like an ulcer, not really a big deal even though it looks bad. Like Free said, you can use an opthalmic ointment, like terramycin if you can find it. If not, triple antibiotic (the regular kind, not with lidocaine) will work. Or, you can give a single shot of LA-200 (I do IM) and it should clear up!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Thanks! She's holding it a bit more open now and the white has retracted a bit more. It is looking better already, although she is still a bit skittish on that side.
The vet sold me a container of terramycin powder for eye and ear infections. Which struck me as weird, eye powder...
I gave her a squirt when I got home and also used a plain brewed tea bag several hours later. She great disapproved of both of my endeavors