Consider using a hood or flymask to help protect the SPL insertion site. | Photo: Ann Dwyer

Anyone who’s ever managed an equine eye issue knows how challenging it can be to administer treatment. Horses have an uncanny ability to morph into giraffes when they’d rather not have their eyes touched, and an owner’s inability to provide appropriate treatment can hinder a horse’s recovery. Fortunately, there’s an easier way: the subpalpebral lavage system.

During a presentation at the 2013 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Convention, held Dec. 7-11 in Nashville, Tenn., Ann Dwyer, DVM, owner of the Genesee Valley Equine Clinic in Scottsville, N.Y., reviewed with veterinarians how to insert and manage a subpalpebral lavage (SPL) system.

A subpalpebral lavage system consists of flexible tubing passed through either the upper or lower eyelid and stitched into place, with medication administered via the other end of the tube. Dwyer said SPLs can be used on any patient, “from babies to big drafts,” and can be left in place for as long as 12-15 weeks. She also noted that horses generally adapt quickly to having an SPL in place