Home Remedies & Acupressure for 'Gunky Eye'

First of all, I'd like to preface this post with the statement:  I'm not a vet.  If your horse has a condition that your unsure of, take him to a vet for a diagnosis.  With that said, occasionally my horses get gunky eyes for one reason or another, and I usually just treat it myself.  Three of them have the eye gunk currently, so I'm guessing that it's some sort of viral conjunctivitis (pink eye).  I thought I'd share a couple homemade remedies for treating conjunctivitis in horses and a few acupressure points that can help clear up eye problems.


Here are the remedies (borrowed from an equine rescue website):

Conjuntivitis Remedy #1:  
Steep several tea bags ( black tea is strongest ) in a cup of hot water (distilled water is safest). Bring to lukewarm temperature.  Wash each eye with soggy tea bag saturated in tea.  Wash carefully, do not break open the tea bag.  Use several tea bags for each eye to make sure the eye is thoroughly cleansed and do not use same tea bag on both eyes, it could cause contamination.  Do not dip tea bag back into tea, this will contaminate tea mixture, also.  The tannin in tea has antibiotic properties. 

Conjunctivitis Remedy #2:

Using unpasteurized honey, mix 3 tbs. honey in 2 cups of boiling water (distilled water is safest).  Stir to dissolve, cool, and use as an eye wash.  Unpasteurized honey has antibiotic properties.   

Note:  I haven't used either of these remedies yet, but I plan to as soon as I can get the ingredients. I'll probably try the first remedy since tea is cheaper!

Acupressure Points for Eye Problems

You can apply slight pressure with your forefinger to these points.  Hold for about 10-15 seconds or until you see a 'release' from the horse, such as head-lowering, licking, or chewing. The points are bilateral so use them on both sides of the horse.  If the horse won't tolerate you touching a certain point, just skip it.

Bladder 1: benefits eye disorders; located just in front of the inside corner of the eye (not on the eye itself)

Bladder 67:  clears the eyes; located just above hoof, 2/3 of the distance from the front to the back of the hind hoof on the outside of the leg

Stomach 1: used for all eye problems; located directly beneath the center of the eye

Large Intestine 4: benefits the eyes; located in the 'valley' on the inside of the 'knee' when you pick up the front leg (you have to feel for it by running your fingers around the backside of the 'knee' when the leg is held up as you would hold it when cleaning the hoof)

                                                Acupressure Points for Eye Problems

These are just a few natural remedies for treating gunky eyes or other minor eye problems.  Again, if you suspect your horse is ill or there may be something else going on, please see your vet!

Ta-ta!

Acupressure--What the Heck Is It?

Over the last three years since I've become certified in equine acupressure, I've had to do a lot of explaining to people of what it is exactly.  The first thing that comes to people's minds is needles.  That, my friends, is acupuncture.  Acupressure is also an ancient Chinese healing modality, but it uses pressure from your fingertips instead.

Acupressure is seen by many as a form of massage.  It's basis is much deeper than that, though.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are twelve major meridians that flow throughout our bodies (animals, too).  They can be seen as 'energetic pathways'.  Within these pathways flows Chi, which is somewhat difficult to translate into Western terminology, but probably the best way to describe it is 'life energy'.  Chi flows continuously throughout these meridians on a twenty-four hour cycle (Western medicine refers to it as the Circadian rhythm), keeping the body functioning as a whole.

Problems arise when Chi becomes 'blocked' in a certain meridian.  According to TCM, this is the beginning of illness or pain.  The theory behind acupruessure (and acupuncture) is that one can release the blocked chi by applying pressure to certain points along the meridians, known as acu-points.  These acu-points often have very specific anatomical locations, so finding them can be a bit tricky for the layperson.

If all this sounds a little hokey to you, just remember that we often shun what we don't understand.  I was once completely skeptical about all of this, too.  Learning about TCM and acupressure was part of the larger paradigm shift that I went through a few years ago, though.  I've realized that there is much more out there than what's in our little American bubble of 'medical treatment'.  Not to say that we haven't made some amazing discoveries and advances in treating illnesses here.  We definitely have.  But our way isn't the only way.

What I love about TCM is that it addresses the person or animal as a whole.  When a horse is experiencing pain of some sort, the problem is looked at from a whole-body perspective, not just that one area where the pain is manifesting. 

Anywho, I'll get off my soapbox now.  I just wanted to explain acupressure for those of you who may be interested in learning more about it.  Don't knock it 'til you try it!  I've done acupressure sessions on myself and my husband with noticeable effects.  Horses can't tell you if it's helping them, but once you've been doing acupressure for a while, you can see how it affects them as well.  My horses all love it!  More information on animal acupressure can be found at www.animalacupressure.com, if you're interested.

Ta-ta!