What To Do If Your Cat Has Signs Of An Eye Infection
The best thing you can do for your cat if you notice any signs of an eye infection or anything you think might be a sign of an eye infection is bring them to an animal hospital in Orlando, FL. A vet will examine your pet, looking for signs of an injury or infection. Based on what the vet finds, they’ll recommend the best treatment available to help clear up the infection and get your cat feeling their best again. If you have any questions about your cat’s eye health, Forever Vets Animal Hospital is here to help. Call 930-5151 to schedule an appointment for your feline friend today.
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Is It Bad If My Cat’s Eye Is Watering
This depends on how long and what type of discharge your cat has. If it’s temporary and not associated with pain or other signs then it’s most likely nothing to worry about. If, however, you notice that your cat develops a yellow, thick discharge, seems painful, has other signs or the discharge persists then you need to make an appointment with your veterinarian to have your kitty checked out.
Treatment Of Eye Injuries In Cats
Treatment for your cats eye injury will be recommended based on the severity of the injury and which part of the eye was affected. Penetrating injuries usually have a better chance of recovery than perforating injuries, and blunt traumas are more severe than sharp traumas to the eye.
Penetrating Injuries
Typically, if the injury is penetrating and has no opening, your veterinarian will suggest an Elizabethan collar to prevent your cat from further damaging the eye. Antibiotics or eye drops are used to ease inflammation and swelling. Corneal ulcers are often treated with antibiotic ointments.
Perforating Injuries
Surgical repair will be required for perforating injuries, including corneal lacerations and full-thickness wounds. If the foreign object remains in the eye, surgery will be needed to remove it. In most cases, lacerated corneas due to foreign objects can be treated. A specialist surgeon is usually drafted in.
Vision loss is possible if the injury is deep within the eye. If your cat is struggling with light perception, there may be an injury to the lens or a hemorrhage in the vitreous, the gel-like structure that gives the eye its shape.
After surgery, your veterinarian will recommend antibiotics and pain relievers as needed. These medications will vary depending on the severity of the wound.
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Symptoms Of Eye Discharge In Cats
Eye discharge in cats can show itself in a few different common ways. First, there can be the presence of a watery discharge coming from your cats eyes.
Secondly, you might notice a thicker, more mucus-like gunk around your cats eyes. Your cat could also be suffering from a crustier build up near the eyes.
In some cases, the condition is also accompanied by redness of the eyes.
How Is Pink Eye Diagnosed In Cats
Because pink eye is a symptom of a health issue and not a condition of its own, a diagnosis will focus on identifying the underlying cause of conjunctivitis.
Since pink eye is a symptom and not a specific disease, a veterinarian can declare that a cat has pink eye just by doing a physical exam.
However, its important to determine whats causing the pink eye, and to rule out concurrent issues such as an eye ulcer that could cause permanent scarring of the cornea or even blindness or loss of an eye if severe.
In addition to a physical examination, a vet may perform tests for tear production and intraocular pressure , and use a special stain to look for ulcers or abnormalities on the surface of the eyes.
If further evaluation is indicated, especially if the eye condition is severe or recurs frequently, additional diagnostics such as bloodwork, biopsies, or infectious disease testing may be the next step.
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Treating A Cats Eye Infection
The right cat eye infection treatment ultimately depends on the root cause of the infection. There are various ways you can go about treating a cats eye infection, such as:
- Cleaning your cats eyes
- The best cat eye infection home remedy is to just clean your cats eyes yourself to get rid of eye discharge. Eye discharge can accumulate in your cats eyes and be quite uncomfortable for them, so its important to do this regularly if your cat is experiencing any eye discharge. You can do this with a cotton ball to wipe away the discharge. Gently wipe starting from the outside of the eye and make sure to use a fresh cotton ball on each eye. Never touch the eyeball itself. If the discharge is not easily cleared away, then do not wipe harder and seek care from a veterinarian.
- Medication
- Topical treatments, including ointments or drops, should be applied directly onto a cats eyes. You may need a second person to help to properly apply the medication to your cats eyes.
- Oral antibiotics, which are usually only prescribed if an infection is present.
- Treating root cause
- If your cats eye infection is a result of an underlying condition, your vet may prescribe oral antibiotics, which may also clear the eye infection.
Symptoms Of Eye Injuries In Cats
Eye injury symptoms tend to occur rapidly, increasing in intensity as the foreign object remains in the eye or the wound worsens. The following symptoms indicate that your cats eye is injured:
- Clouded cornea
- Visible blood in the eye
- Distorted pupils
- Visible foreign object in the eye
- Eye discharge
- Swelling or inflammation of the eye
- Pawing at the eye
Types
- Penetrating: The wound or foreign object has entered the eye, but does not puncture the cornea or sclera .
- Perforating: The wound or foreign object has passed through the cats cornea or sclera. These typically are more serious injuries.
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Tips To Care For Your Cats Eyes
There are things you can do to help keep your cats eyes bright, shiny, and healthy. For instance:
- Check their eyes Look into your cats eyes on a regular basis. If you notice issues like redness, cloudiness, black spots on the colored portion of the eye, or discharge, you should contact your veterinarian.
- Schedule wellness exams Routine veterinary visits are important for our feline friends. They can help keep your cats overall health on track and give your veterinarian the opportunity to detect eye issues and other problems in the early stages.
- Clean their eyes gently Cats generally take care of their own grooming, but if you notice gunk around the eye, you can clean it carefully with a damp cotton ball. Take care not to touch the eye itself, or you could damage the cornea. If you give your cat a bath, you can use that time to clean around the eyes.
- Keep your cat inside All cats should be kept indoors to help them stay safe and healthy. If your cat goes outdoors, they could injure their eyes while running through the bushes or fighting with another cat or animal. They could also catch a contagious disease, which can cause issues like pink eye or uveitis.
If your cat ends up with an eye condition, a pet health insurance plan can help you manage your veterinary bills. Get a personalized quote for your cat.
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Is Pink Eye In Cats Contagious
Infectious pink eye is highly contagious between cats!
Affected cats should be isolated in a small room if possible, to avoid spreading the infection to other cats in the home.
Wear a smock or coverup while tending to your cat with conjunctivitis, then wash your hands before petting or feeding other cats in your home.
Fortunately, viruses tend to be species-specificwhich means that you cant catch feline herpesvirus. But certain types of bacteria may be picked up by other species, including humans.
While the spread of bacterial conjunctivitis from cats to humans is rare, its always best to be on the safe side and wash your hands after petting or medicating a cat with pink eye.
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Many Of Our Members Deal With Chronic Feline Herpes What Can You Tell Us About Ocular Herpes In Cats
Dr. van der Woerdt: Feline Herpes virus is the most common cause for eye infections in cats. They typically get this as young kittens and the virus goes dormant in the body. It can resurface in times of stress or as the cat ages with a decrease in the immune system.
It is difficult to protect cats from this as the virus is so common. Especially if cats come from a shelter environment, they will likely have been in contact with the virus. It is always a good idea to keep cats with active disease separated from the other cats.
Feline herpes is a very frustrating disease because we can never cure it. Eliminating stress is important in cats prone to recurrences. Fortunately, medications are available nowadays that only need to be given a few times per day, rather than the 6-8 times with the traditional medications.
Cat Eye Infections And Other Eye Issues
If your cat’s eyes are looking cloudy, red, or swollen, your cat might have an eye infection. Also, if you notice cat eye discharge and your cat pawing at his or her face a lot, these could also be signs that your cat has an eye infection. Here are a few types of cat eye infections and eye problems you should be on the lookout for.
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Treatment Of Red Eye In Cats
The treatment of red eye in cats depends on the condition that is causing your cats eye to turn a reddish color. If allergies or irritants are to blame for your cats red eye, the doctor may advise a few simple changes at home and prescribe an antihistamine. However, if the cause of your cats red eye is caused by a structural abnormality, foreign obstruction, trauma or growth, a surgical procedure may need to be completed to restore your felines eyes to their original state. Chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy could also be a part of your cats treatment plan if cancer is the source of your cats red eyes.
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Can Eye Problems Be A Symptom Of Other Underlying Medical Issues
Dr. van der Woerdt: The eyes can be the “window to the rest of the cat’s body”. There are several conditions which can first manifest themselves in changes in the eyes. Anterior uveitis is often associated with systemic diseases. Systemic hypertension often manifests itself first as bleeding in the eye or a decrease in vision.
Only your veterinarian can diagnose eye conditions. He or she will also perform an overall check that will help them decide the cause of the cat’s eye symptoms.
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How To Identify Cat Eye Infections
Eye infections in cats can be uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. If your cat has an eye infection, they may have any number of symptoms. How can you know when your cat may be suffering from an eye infection and what can you do about it?
Protect Your Cats Eyes
There are ways to help keep your feline friends eyes healthy and sharp! Here are 6 ways to care for your cat’s optic health.
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Causes Of Eye Injuries In Cats
Cats possess complex vision systems that allow them to hunt at night and see objects clearly from yards away. Cats have also a third eyelid, a thick membrane that protects the eye from scratches and debris. Despite this, cats eyes are prone to injury. Causes of eye injury in cats include:
- Fights with other animals
- Scratches from leaves or branches
- Playing with objects in the home
- Car accidents
- Chemical splashes from e.g. shampoo or insecticides
Avoid Cat Eye Problems With Vetericyn Preventative Care
While conjunctivitis can be a hassle, aging cat eyes are inevitable, and congenital issues are unavoidable, feline eye problems can usually be treated or managed. But, in the case of bacterial or viral infections, prevention and treatment go hand-in-hand.
At Vetericyn, weve pioneered prevention, treatment, and wellness solutions tailored to your cats health, comfort, and happiness. Our innovative line of pet-safe formulas can help prevent some of the most common cat eye problems. Whether your cat is in the throes of a pesky conjunctivitis flare-up or they wont stop scratching at their seasonal allergy rash, Vetericyn is here to help.
Check out our line of soothing, non-toxic feline care products today, and see the difference in your cats comfort level for yourself.
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When To Contact Your Vet
Contact your vet as soon as you notice a problem with your cats eyes. Leaving your cat without treatment could lead to much more serious problems or even loss of vision.
Consider insuring your cat as soon as you get them, before any signs of illness start. This will ensure you have all the support you need to care for them.
- A change in the size/shape of the pupil
Diagnosing Cat Eye Infections
Eye infections are bothersome to cats, so dont delay scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian to have your cats eyes examined if they are showing symptoms of an infection.
Your veterinarian will want to know the history of your cats eye problem. Provide as much information as you can, such as when you first noticed something wrong with your cats eyes and what symptoms you have observed.
Your veterinarian will then perform a physical exam and comprehensive eye exam. For the eye exam, they will use an instrument called an ophthalmoscope to examine all parts of your cats eyes. They will also perform a few eye diagnostic tests to determine the potential cause of the eye infection.
A fluorescein stain test is typically used to detect damage to the cornea, the clear protective covering of the eye. Your veterinarian will apply the stain to your cats cornea, turn off the light and look for a fluorescent green stain. A green stain indicates corneal damage, which could be causing an eye infection.
Your veterinarian will also take a few small samples from the affected eye to look for signs of infection with a microscope.
Because viral diseases in the body can cause an eye infection, your veterinarian will also perform bloodwork to check your cats overall health.
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What Is Red Eye
If you notice redness of the felines orbit, she might have experienced trauma to the eye, an allergy or irritant, a viral infection such as distemper, a bacterial infection, glaucoma, cherry eye or cancer. Red eye in cats could be a serious medical problem that could worsen over time, causing blindness and further destruction of the orbital structure.
Red eye in cats is a symptom of an underlying disease, ocular irritation, or injury to a felines eyes. A red coloration of one or both eyes is an indication that a feline is suffering from an unknown health condition that should be addressed by a licensed veterinary professional.
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Common Eye Problems In Cats
Theres nothing quite like the eyes of your cat. Whether your furry friend sports the captivating clear blue of a Siamese, or the brilliant green of a Russian blue, seeing those captivating colors dart along after their preyeven if its just their toy theyre stalking!are mesmerizing. From their vertical pupils to the fascinating third eyelid that slides across like a curtain , and even the magic of cats with two different colored eyes cats eyes are easily one of their most distinctive features.
That’s why it can be particularly worrisome as a cat owner to see your favorite feline’s eyes change from crystal-clear. Cloudy eyes, or eyes that become watery or show discharge, and even an increase in blinking or squinting can mean your cat could have an eye infectionor something worse.
“It’s wise to seek veterinary advice with any new discharge from the eyes, regardless of what it looks like or if the cat is acting painful,” says veterinary ophthalmologist Mark Bobofchak, DVM, DACVO, with Eye Care for Animals. “Cats are very good at hiding discomfort and will often act normally even with serious eye conditions.”
Keep your own eyes peeled for trouble in your cats eyes, and learn to recognize common conditions that may cause infections, discharge, pain, and damage so you can get your cat treated quickly and effectively with help from your vet. Here’s a rundown of six common cat eye problems and what to do if your cat is exhibiting symptoms.
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