# Newborns with goopy eyes



## supermom (Feb 24, 2009)

My friend had Nigie quads on Sunday and I just received a call from her. SHe said they all have goopy eyes so that they are almost sealed shut. No other symptoms at all...no raspy breathing, cough, nasal discharge...just the eyes. She said there is no pink around their eyes, so she didn't think it could be pink-eye. What would you suggest she do? Thank you.


----------



## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

I would try just washing with salt water or a vinegar solution several times a day for a day or two unless it seems like the surface of the eye looks bad. Is she using a heat light or something that could be irritating the eyes?


----------



## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Pink eye is just a colloquial term for conjunctivitis, which is an inflammation/infection of the membranes of the eye lids. They aren't going to look pink around the eyes, but the inside of the eyelids (that is, the part you can't ordinarily see) might be redder than usual, and the eyes themselves will often be very bloodshot looking. However, the main symptom being the eye goop, that is almost certainly what they have. She really ought to treat them as if they have it even if she is not sure...there is an opthalmic ointment that you can get for it, likely at a feed store, or else from the vet or someplace like Jeffers.


----------



## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

I saw this on a few boards last year around kidding time. Think about humans--so many bacteria in the birth canal, that human babies are always given eye ointment at birth to take care of any possible eye infections. My two homebirthed kids didn't get enough ointment, so we treated infections on them. My two hospital birthed kids had ointment from head to toe, it seemed, and no infections. So, why couldn't this happen with goats? I'd slather them with neosporin.


----------



## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

Salt Water? eepwall Ouch! You can go to Tractor Supply and get an antibiotic opthalmic ointment for the eyes and treat them twice a day until it clears up.


----------



## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Salt water made in the correct solution feels refreshing to the eyes. After all, our normal tears are salty. Even a vinegar solution will clear and refresh the eyes.


----------



## supermom (Feb 24, 2009)

She used neosporin and they got better right away. Thanks for your input.


----------



## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

Great news!  Glad it worked!


----------



## Nana (May 12, 2010)

I had this and it wasn't pink eye. The eyelashes were turned inward. They also may have been irritated by the pine shavings.


----------

