Help with fawns

[West Michigan Whitetails]

I have a bottle fed fawn that has matted eyes. It started out as just one eye and I would clean it off at every feeding, but it has gotten to the point where both eyes are completely matted shut. I really need to know how to prevent this from happening. Can I use Visine or another eye clearer?

[Scott Heinrich]

Clean the eyes with a wash rag and water until all the gook is gone. Then apply a light coat of 5% antibiotic ointment to the eyes. This condition can be caused by a number of things, but is normally an infection that will eventually clear on its own. In the wild, the doe licks the eyes clean. I guess you could do that too, but I would imagine the tast to be quite bitter.

[ZZ Whitetails]

Dan, conjunctivites (sp) Scott is right on. Tell your vet he'll give you some antibiotic cream to put in the eyes or use cream you may have on hand for when you knock down deer. Keep clean with warm water as Scott said and they will be fine. Tell everyone at the flats hello for me and we are all anxious to see what Grizzly does this season! ZZ

[PaintedMeadowsBJs]

You can buy Optic Terramycin (Antibiotic ophthalmic Ointment)for $13.00 at Tractor Supply....As stated above, I put it in there eyes after darted to keep them moist and just in case dirt scratches them ,infection won't set in...
It may be cheaper than from your vet, but may not be right for everything???

[West Michigan Whitetails]

Thanks for the info, I will get right on that.
ZZ, I will pass that on to everyone at the Flats, Grizzly is doing great, I will have to dig out the camera and get some shots, just hard to find time with fawns on the bottle and hitting the ground, but you gotta love it.