Goat Eye Injury: Here’s Hay in Your Eye!
It was bound to happen sooner or later: Pinta got a nasty pointy bit of hay stuck in her eye over the weekend. GoatWisdom refers to these as “hay awns, seeds, or ‘stickers,'” and says it’s fairly common in goats. But let’s hope not!
Pinta after hay removed from eye
On Saturday when P and I were doing the evening water chores, I noticed our Pinters’ one eye was shut. P said, “Oh, she probably just poked herself in the eye with some hay.”
I was pretty much in agreement — but this Goat Ma leaves nothing to chance, so I got in there for a closer inspection.
When I finally got her head in a good position to pull down her lower eyelid, I saw the tiniest piece of something sticking out of the far corner on the top (away from her nose). I wish I could say I delicately removed it, but once I had a hold of it, Pinta whipped her head with all her might.
In any event, it was out. I apologize that I wasn’t thinking of the blog, or I would’ve put it aside to show you. It was a nasty little sucker in the shape of a V and furry on one of the parts. It seems like she had it stuck in her “third eyelid” just as GoatWisdom warns can happen.
Immediately after the offending object was out, she started to be able to open her eye a bit. It was still watery and swollen, though, so I looked up what I could do to help that — and one answer I found online was to flush it with saline solution.
Pinta recovering from hay in the eye
It was already dark by the time I found the saline suggestion, though, so I figured I’d just wait and see how she was the next day. It did look a little better, but since I had saline handy as I occasionally wear contact lenses, I flushed the eye for good measure.
She just LOVED that. Not. Ahem. But Pinta’s such a sweetheart and doesn’t hold a grudge. Especially when I come bearing watermelon rinds.
Watermelon always helps the healing process
Now, on Monday, her eye is just about back to normal, but I’m still watching it closely just in case there’s an infection brewing in there. As we’ve discussed many times, I’m a worry wart Goat Ma, and, by the way, looking for answers online can often be scarier than anything you’re actually facing — the photos of goat pink eye make me hope I *never* see that in person! Gah!
Never a boring moment in the goat pen, is there?!
Have your goaties had eye injuries?
5 Responses to “Goat Eye Injury: Here’s Hay in Your Eye!”
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GoatSpotting!
Goats that readers have spotted out and about. Send your photos to michelle(at)goatberries(dot)com!
No goats, but I think my cat would take a sticker for that fruit bowl!
Hee hee…Pinta does love her rinds 🙂
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So so relieved that Pinta is okay! It’s strange in 20 yrs of having goaties this had never happened, I am grateful that it didn’t, but there were always other things. I was the same kind of Ma, M…..so it’s normal….(smiling). Just glad all is okay in Italy’s Goat World once again!….Hugs to you all! xo
I’m hoping this is our only “brush” with stickers myself! Hugs back at you 🙂
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Well, I guess goats, like folks, will do almost anything for some watermelon (-;
All joking aside, I am glad it seems that things will be well with Pinta, and I know what you mean about the answers being scarier than anything one is facing; that’s why the practice of mindfulness, which you discussed in Bleeding E is so helpful, but when one is the crux of a difficult situation it is much harder to do.
Be good to yourself, Michelle, and let Pinta share some watermelon with you. The juice of it is nice on the rocks with cucumber slices and White Nights Vodka!
Sounds delish! Thanks!
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Yikes. It’s horrid when an animal in your care has a problem like that. Thankfully it seems that Pinta has come through it all OK, even if Ma has scared herself silly on her behalf!
Thanks Katja; it’s always an adventures, that’s for sure!
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I’m glad she’s doing better. I always have some terramycin on hand for these kinds of things. Keep a tube in your medicine chest and no worries about infections.
I’m sure she’s glad you came along and plucked that out.
Thanks! Actually on Monday (pharmacy was closed when this happened and then Sunday), I went and bought something called “collirio” here in Italy to keep on hand (for us too!) 🙂
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