In Ethiopia, Zinger the horse was suffering from chronic conjunctivitis. Find out how treatment from SPANA vets gave her the relief she needed.
Zinger the horse is extremely important to her owner, Wagaye, helping him earn a basic living by transporting people and carrying out agricultural tasks.
Wagaye had not owned Zinger for long, but he soon noticed that she was squinting in the harsh sunlight. Her left eye looked swollen and sore, and was often weeping. Concerned that Zinger was in pain, Wagaye took her to the SPANA mobile clinic in Debre Birhan.
At the clinic, SPANA vets closely examined Zinger’s eye. It was immediately obvious she had suffered an eye trauma in the past that had been left untreated. She had swelling of the cornea and inflammation of the tissue around the eye – a condition called conjunctivitis. It was a wonder she was able to open her eye at all.
The vets carefully stained her eye with a completely harmless fluorescein dye, which helped them identify a small corneal ulcer. Her eye was then thoroughly checked for any foreign material that could have become trapped under the eyelid and could be causing irritation. The vets gave Zinger anti-inflammatories and started an eye ointment treatment.
Wagaye was advised to return in a few days, or earlier if the eye looked any worse, for a check-up. He was also shown how to administer the ointment to Zinger at home.
Wagaye was relieved that SPANA vets were able to help Zinger. He said: ‘My horse is a huge help to me, especially at harvest time. Thank you SPANA for stopping her pain.’
Every year, SPANA vets treat thousands of working animals like Zinger suffering from painful eye conditions. Sadly, even the most minor infections can easily develop into chronic problems and even blindness, which is why our centres and mobile clinics need to remain well stocked with sight-saving medication. Thanks to your help, our dedicated teams can continue to protect the sight of working animals in need. Thank you for your ongoing support.
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