# blind newborn?



## sstavinoha (Oct 12, 2009)

I have a 2-day old buckling and just realized that both of his eyes are cloudy and blue. since he was born, he hasn't been very active. just standing or laying around. not playing with the other kids, and not nursing unless we put him on the teat. earlier, i found him standing in a corner right next to his dam just baaing like he had no clue. he seems healthy, just clueless and strange. his sister is fine. any ideas?


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## Red Mare (Apr 23, 2011)

Have you flicked your fingers at his eyes and noticed any movement or retraction?
(With Out touching the eyelashes)
Do you have a pen light? Shinning it directly into his eye from the side should make the pupils change (get smaller) in size- If he is negative to both of those, I would say there's a good chance he's blind, and that you need a professional opinion.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Ditto what Whitney said. 

Also check to see if the eye lashes are all growing away from the eye and not into the eye. Entropic (I think is the term, memory is getting bad)eyelashes can cause ulcers, blindness and pain.


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## In it for the Bucks! (Mar 12, 2012)

We have heard that blindness at birth is caused by a mineral defficiancy. I belive it is Selium (sp?) or Iron? I am really not sure if this is true, have just heard it from a few people around here. Sorry, I know, not too much assistance on the matter. I hope someone else pops in with some hard researched info. I would love the answer myself. Good luck.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

If the diet was so deficient it would certainly cause problems in both kids, not just one, let alone the dam. Inverted eyelids, entropin would be my guess also.

Entropin is hereditary, I would opt to put him down rather than a vet visit to fix it. Rolling back the eyelids can work if you do it forcefully enough, and most new folks won't, snipping the eyelid works the best, gives the edge of the eyelid more room, like unzipping your pants after thanksgiving dinner. Using antibiotics in the eyes afterwards, from simple penicillin used as drops or terramycin ointment used very sparingly. They do very well afterwards and after the scratches to the cornea heal. Wether him now, no matter the cause. Vicki


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

At school I took a sheep production class, and on the lambs with entropion we used some pliers to pinch the eyelid and cause it to become inflamed, or there were these clips you could put on them. It was sort of disturbing, but worked I guess, or they wouldn't have done it.


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

Thiamin deficient? That's the only experience I have had and after several shots he came around real good.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

I bet it's entropian.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Goatlings have very little need for thiamin/B1 until they are ruminating (nearly all a does B1 is made in her healthy rumen), so to see defficency in it, in an infant, a doe would be down. Selenium, you would see white muscle disease symptons (muscle weakness) way before you would see blindness.


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## Aja-Sammati (Oct 26, 2007)

True entropianism (is that really a word? :lol) is hereditary. Folded under eyelids are not always true entropians however and can be seen in pregnancies with multiples, especially in cases where the dam may have had feed deficiencies or a lack of adequate placental attachment for some kids. In these cases, treating the eye with antibiotics and frequently rolling the eyelids back out by hand (if you don't have the guts to 'bead' the underside of the eyelid as described above) should clear up the eyes in about a week.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Michelle-how can you tell the difference between a true entropion, and one that you described above?


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## Aja-Sammati (Oct 26, 2007)

The shape of the eyelid, ease of it clearing up. In the false cases it is because the kids didn't put in a layer of fat in the eyelid- as you feed them up, you don't need to roll the lid anymore. If you are in doubt it is best to ask a vet to evaluate- _if_ you can find one experienced with sheep/goats.


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