Page 983 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

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Figure 21.8 The corneal ulcer shows up clearly following application of a coloured dye (fluorescein)

Treatment

Topical medication is applied as directed by the vet. The type of medication depends on the

nature of the lesion. In straightforward cases a minor injury will resolve following a few days
of the appropriate antibiotic drops or ointment. However, other cases require aggressive and
intensive therapy. Unfortunately some ulcers are very slow to heal and can be a source of

much frustration to both the owner and the treating vet. Treatment may include the following.

• Removal of any foreign material.
• Topical antibacterial, antifungal or antiviral drugs.

• Topical anticollagenases in cases where bacterial infections are causing the cornea to

liquefy or ‘melt’. This may be combined with serum from the horse’s own blood.
• Topical atropine to dilate the pupil and prevent the iris adhering to the lens. This can

happen if the iris is inflamed and the pupil is tightly constricted.

• Antibiotics or an antifungal drug may be injected underneath the conjunctiva from where
they are slowly released.