Vetdle Archive Case #153: Equine Corneal Ulcer

Clinical Clues

A horse is presented for sudden onset squinting and tearing from one eye.
The owner noticed the problem after the horse had been in a dusty paddock.
The eye is very painful and sensitive to light.
Examination reveals corneal oedema and a focal epithelial defect.
Fluorescein stain adheres strongly to the lesion.
Corneal ulceration is a common and painful cause of acute ocular disease in horses.

Diagnosis

Equine Corneal Ulcer

This case is most consistent with Equine Corneal Ulcer because the horse has acute painful ocular disease with a fluorescein-positive corneal defect. The most important clues are the blepharospasm and stain uptake, which make simple conjunctivitis less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this horse case supports the provided diagnosis, Equine Corneal Ulcer, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

Clue 1: A horse is presented for sudden onset squinting and tearing from one eye.
Clue 2: The owner noticed the problem after the horse had been in a dusty paddock.

Clues 3-4

Clue 3: The eye is very painful and sensitive to light.
Clue 4: Examination reveals corneal oedema and a focal epithelial defect.

Clues 5-6

Clue 5: Fluorescein stain adheres strongly to the lesion.
Clue 6: Corneal ulceration is a common and painful cause of acute ocular disease in horses.

Self-review prompts

After clues 1-2, what evidence from this horse case shaped your initial interpretation?
When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Equine Corneal Ulcer?
How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Equine Corneal Ulcer?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.