Readers Story
Uveitis or Moon Blindness
By Catherine Licata-Grobarek
T
also well-intentioned barn colleagues there is no cure for Uveitis and with who would say to simply close his each time, the horse will slowly go stall window or apply compresses of blind. black tea. Meanwhile, Jouke’s eyes were clear If only that were the trick to cure him and beautiful between “episodes” of this horrible disease, we would all and we had no idea what was actually happening within the deep recesses be better off. of his eyes. We had the trust in The problem with Uveitis or Moon our Vet and dutifully followed his It was back in 2009 that my six (6) Blindness is that it will show up at directions to apply the topicals only year old Friesian gelding Jouke (YOW random times and in certain breeds when needed. - Kay) started to display some eye though any type may be affected; symptoms that we honestly thought that is how the Cowboys coined the When he finally started displaying were due to dust or wind. The very phrase ‘Moon Blindness’. There will “different” behavior and one of his first “outbreak” happened during a be times when the eyes will seem eyes went an opaque color almost cold winter and during our 2nd (and perfectly fine, and when this is the a year and a half later, that is when still very new) a year together. We case you naturally believe all is OK. I realized something was well and had to rely on the reassurances of, not Unfortunately, there will be another truly wrong and sought additional only my Veterinarian at the time, but episode and another after that, since help. However at this stage it was to 89.. his is a plea to all horse owners that no matter how trivial a problem may seem, don’t hesitate to get that 2nd or even 3rd opinion. As a horse owner, think of this as your duty since our beloved companions cannot speak and tell you what is hurting them. If only this were so…