How do you recognize uveitis in horses?

December 01, 2022

Uveitis is an increasingly common ocular pathology in horses. It is characterized by a particularly painful internal inflammation of the eye, which in many cases recurs. Although there are treatments available, the main difficulty lies in avoiding after-effects and relapses. It is the leading cause of blindness in horses.

Equine uveitis: mask and goggles protection

Uveitis, an inflammation of the uvea

The symptoms of uveitis vary according to the intensity of the inflammatory crisis, its stage of evolution and its location in the eye. In most cases, however, the main symptom of uveitis is pain manifested by the horse's closed eye, which is highly sensitive to light.

Leptospirosis, a major cause of recurrent uveitis in horses

This disease, which can affect horses with no clinical signs or sometimes just a fever, is an infection caused by bacteria. With each successive attack, hence the name "recurrent uveitis", a definitive change in iris color is observed, as well as more or less diffuse cataracts, deformed pupils and changes in the size of the eyeball. It should be noted that with each new attack of uveitis, in addition to the pain, the inflammation worsens the condition of the animal's eye, leading to numerous after-effects. Lyme disease is also often the cause of recurrent equine uveitis.

You think your horse is suffering from uveitis

Uveitis is a worrying disease that should not be taken lightly. Apart from the loss or reduction of vision, it is often the management of pain that becomes complicated over the long term, and can be a real nightmare for the owner. Some horses are genetically predisposed, notably Appaloosas. Age is not a discriminating factor. Most of the time, the horse will receive only symptomatic treatment, based on eye drops, to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and try to limit after-effects. As far as possible, the horse should remain in the dark or away from light. Whether your horse is the victim of an isolated attack or a recurrence, our products have been designed to help you manage this problem and protect your horse's eyes as effectively as possible. They enable your horse to continue living normally, both at work and at rest, while being protected from the elements and light. Their field of vision is preserved. If in doubt, consult your veterinarian. The earlier you intervene, the less difficult the crisis will be to manage.

> Also read : Medicinal and surgical treatment of uveitis in horses

What size should I choose for my equidiva mask/cap?
All measurements are approximate and for guidance only.

Premium mask size guide

Using a tape measure (or string, which you can measure later), go around your horse's head as shown in the photo:


Mask size Head circumference
XS - Shetland 84 cm
S - Pony 90 cm
M - Cob 94 cm
L - Full 100 cm
XL - XFull 110 cm
If your horse's head measurement is between 2 sizes, we recommend taking the nearest larger size.


Size guide - Equivizor masks (Light, Arso, Convalescence models)

For these masks, the main measurement is that of your horse's forehead. To do this, add up 3 measurements:

  1. start at the outer corner of one eye and measure upwards at a slight angle to the middle of the forehead (measurement A),
  2. continue along your horse's forehead (measure B),
  3. finish the measurement by pointing the line slightly downwards to the outer corner of the other eye (measurement C). In this way, you measure the widest part of your horse's forehead.

Add these 3 measurements (A+B+C) to obtain the size of your horse's forehead.

IMPORTANT: do not measure directly from one eye to the other, as this will probably give a measurement that is too small.

measures-masks-equivizor

Mask size Forehead size
XS - Shetland 18-21 cm
S - Pony 22-28 cm
M - Cob 29-33 cm
L - Full 34-37 cm
XL - XFull 38-43 cm

Rambo mask size guide

Take these 3 steps:
Size A B C
XS (large shetland) 60 cm 84 cm 20 cm
S (pony) 70 cm 96 cm 23 cm
M (cob) 70 cm 96 cm 25.5 cm
L (full) 75 cm 105 cm 27 cm

If your horse is between two sizes, we advise you to take the smaller size.


Size guide - Equivet mask

Measure the distance between the center of the horse's eyes:

Mask size Distance between eyes
S - Pony 18 cm
M - Cob 21 cm
L - Full 24 cm
XL - XFull 26 cm

Size guide - eVysor glasses

The eVysor mask is available in one size. It is suitable for "cob" or "full" size horses. It may also fit larger ponies (D ponies).
measure-evysor


Are you mistaken? An exchange is always possible, and we'll do it as quickly as possible, as long as you return the item, undamaged, within 14 days.
> See return conditions