Eye issue

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FurBabiesMama

FurBabiesMama

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Hi. The last few days, Mia has had some discharge from her left eye. It is rather dark, not unlike the normal, occasional dirtiness that appears in the corner of her eyes, but clearly more discharge than normal. Yesterday, she started squinting a bit with that eye. I wiped the eye with a warm, wet cloth and examined things to the extent possible. I found that the edge, particularly of the inner lids, was very pink. I have since wiped it and checked it a couple of other times. This morning, it seemed redder, and she was holding it more closed. Shortly thereafter, it seemed better, but just now, I saw her holding it mostly closed. This has never happened, and I have no idea the cause. I did not get far with trying to research it because there can be many different causes. So, I guess we are going to have to go to the vet (which we both hate). Her vet will not be in until tomorrow. So, I am torn as to whether I can let it wait until then or if it is something that she should be seen for today by another vet. I would appreciate input from anyone who has dealt with an issue like this, please. Thank you!
 
It is possible that Mia has an infection or something in her eye that is irritating it. You can use the eye wash that people use to flush out the eye to see if helps. Don't use plain water. Don't squirt it in but gently pour it in while holding the eye open to flush it out.

Is the eye swollen or has a bloody or puss like discharge? If so, I think you should try to get seen today. That could be an infection. You want to start treating it asap or it could spread or she could lose the eye.
 
Lisa and Witn (GA) said:
It is possible that Mia has an infection or something in her eye that is irritating it. You can use the eye wash that people use to flush out the eye to see if helps. Don't use plain water. Don't squirt it in but gently pour it in while holding the eye open to flush it out.

Is the eye swollen or has a bloody or puss like discharge? If so, I think you should try to get seen today. That could be an infection. You want to start treating it asap or it could spread or she could lose the eye.
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There is no blood or puss in the discharge. It is the 'normal' darkish discharge that she sometimes gets a tiny bit of in the corner of her eyes but never this amount coming from an eye. The eye area does not appear obviously swollen.. it could have very slight inflammation. I have been wiping her eye (closed) with a warm, wet cloth. I am glad you said not to flush it with plain water, because I was considering that. By the way, why is that bad? I do not have any eye wash and will not be able to get any until later today. She is gonna love that.. not!
 
You don't want to use plain water since it is not sterile and could have have either chemicals or bacteria in it. You don't want to introduce anything that could cause additional issues.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
You can buy sterile eye solution like this
https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/w...ye-irrigating-solution/ID=prod6051225-product
I would go to the vet soon since you do not want permanent damage to the eyes. The redness is what bothers me.
About 8-9 months ago my Mia experienced a similar eye solution. I was given eye drops and that cleared the eyes up.
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I'm going to get to the drug store as soon as I can today to get some eye wash and flush it out. There's a Walgreens very close, so I will look for the one you linked to. I am taking her to her normal vet tomorrow morning. I hope I don't cause her harm by waiting until then :nailbiting:, but I really wanted to be able to see her normal vet, if possible. The lady I spoke with at the vet's office when I made the appointment said she thought it would be fine to wait until tomorrow morning unless I see it get worse today. (Of course, I have no idea if she even knows anything.)

Thanks to you both, Larry and Lisa, for responding!
 
Hopefully it will be something minor that will clear up quickly.

Let us know what the vet says. If it is an infection, also give l-lysine along with the antibiotics. L-lysine helps with the immune system and is good to give when cats have an upper respiratory infection. I also give it to my cats if the have any type of infection. You can also find it at Walgreens in the vitamin section. However you also will need a pill crusher to crush the pill. You can find it in powder form at some health supplement stores and online.
 
I have been told that l-lysine only helps if herpes is involved, and that there is some question about whether it is good to give or not. https://www.petmd.com/blogs/nutriti...s-lysine-supplements-cats-under-scrutin-33508

I was just reading that you can use a saline solution to wash the eye : "This should comprise of a quarter teaspoon of salt to a cup of boiling water, leave the water to cool down until lukewarm before using it to wash your pet's eye. Every time you treat your animal's eye you must make a new solution, because bacteria can develop in saline water over time." I'm a bit scared to flush her eye with anything though. I just don't want to make it any worse. Also, she dislikes me wiping her closed eye enough that I know she would lose it if I started flushing it out. Poor babies. I wish these random things just wouldn't happen to them! :(
 
I wish you the best dealing with this FBM. We just went through the same thing with Idjit. Sounds like the similar symptoms, but we had eye discharge. Vet visit 4/30/19 Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Dexamethasone BID for 7 days, but back to Vet on 5/4/19 because I was not seeing any improvement. New Rx Erythromycin Ophthalmic Ointment BID for 10 days and it cleared up beautifully.
Don't know the cause, all I could think of was the huge amount of pollen in the air and got into his eye, causing inflammation.
It's awful to see them in discomfort and not be able to fix it immediately, hugs to you and Mia.
They tried to sell us Lysine chews, but I looked at the ingredients and they are not for diabetic cats. I ordered L-Lysine powder from Amazon, gave 1/8 tsp BID and will continue that.
 
Idjit's mom said:
It was a whitish matter, which I was able to clean away. His conjunctiva was swollen, very apparent, reddened, and he was either blinking or holding the eye closed. He looked downright miserable.
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Poor baby. I'm glad he is all better now. Thankfully, Mia's discharge is not weird, so I hope that is a good sign.
 
Oh, I hope so too. And although the treatment takes time..grrrr.. I hope that Mia will be much more comfortable very soon. :bighug:
 
We went to the vet this morning. The vet did not see any abrasions or foreign objects, but there is definitely inflammation and redness, particularly of the third eyelid. The discharge has been normal color, so it is possible that there is not any infection yet, but if not, she is on the verge of it. The vet said I could give her an antihistamine today and see if it looks better by tomorrow, if so, give another dose and see if things look completely normal by that next day. If not, we start the eye ointment. It is the Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Dexamethasone. I was standing there thinking, 'oh, no, that is the one that did not work for Idjit' :eek: but maybe it will work for Mia.

Here is a picture of my poor baby at the vet. The blanket was in the carrier, and I put her on top of it. When I got to the vet's office and uncovered the carrier, she had moved it around so that she was covered by the blanket. Only a little bit of her head was sticking out. (The photo was taken after we had moved the blanket some.) The sweet thing stayed like that the whole time except when the vet was doing something to her. The vet did everything with Mia still in the carrier. She is such a good, sweet girl. :cat:
MiaAtVet.jpg
 
Sweet baby girl! I think Idjit had ongoing infection because of the white discharge and was past the point of just inflammation. Hopefully the antihistamine is going to have effect, and if not enough then the ointment should do the trick.
I'm glad the vet visit trauma is over, I do really hate those visits also. Now both of you can take a break and get her better.
Keep us posted on her progress, please. :)
 
I just looked at the ointment, and I misspoke. It is actually Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Bacitracin Zinc.
 
How is Mia's eye looking? Idjit was limping this morning, but still was playing with his scratching mat and his catnip mousie. I am more worried than Dad is, and hoping it's just a little sprain. We both handled and examined the paw and leg as he would allow, can't find any wounds or scrapes, hopefully not another trip to the vet.
 
Idjit's mom said:
How is Mia's eye looking? Idjit was limping this morning, but still was playing with his scratching mat and his catnip mousie. I am more worried than Dad is, and hoping it's just a little sprain. We both handled and examined the paw and leg as he would allow, can't find any wounds or scrapes, hopefully not another trip to the vet.
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Mia started mysteriously limping a couple of times, and it freaked me out. Took her to the vet the first time but no cause was determined. It went away on it's own. I always worry about things with no explanation, but I guess maybe they can just hurt themselves jumping wrong sometimes or something. Who knows!

Mia's eye has not been having quite as much discharge, and it has not be 'squinty' There is still pinkness around it. Here's the thing... Mia is impossible to pill. I always think that surely I can figure out a way... I mean come on, I pill my other cat, and I give Mia shots and glucose tests.. but it just is not happening. So, after an epic fail, I tried crushing it and putting it in a few food items. I MAY have gotten a tiny bit of the powder in her this morning, but that's it so far. I think I am about to have to give up on the antihistamine and just start the ointment. Not that I think putting 'goop' in her eye is going to be a breeze, but I expect that it cannot be as hard as pilling (either directly or through sneaky means) the girl.

I just got back a little while ago from taking my other girl, Willow, to the vet. SO STRESSFUL!!! She cried the entire way there and the whole time we were in the waiting room. She also started panting and panted until shortly after we got home. I just hate it. She has to start Temaril P tomorrow. Her Zyrtec is just not cutting it right now. My poor baby.

This all becomes very taxing sometimes. I remember, once upon a time, when having cats was so easy. What happened? :(
 
Poor girls, and this is no picnic for you. :bighug::bighug::bighug: I think I would resort to the ointment too, my husband held Idjit and I applied the ointment. Only took a couple of seconds. I hope Mia will be as easy for you. Yep, pills don't work well with Idjit either, I bury his tiny Gabapentin in a small chunk of cooked chicken breast now that we don't use the pill pockets. So far this has worked. I am so aware now of what goes into his mouth, like the Lysine chews they tried to sell us at the vet office.

I do remember that it was simple to have cats, we have had many and it was nothing like this. I swear Idjit has been to the vet more times than all the others put together. I hope this is just a strain or a sprain. Called the vet and they can't see him until Monday morning. I can call tomorrow though and see if there has been a cancellation. They are only open half a day, and I don't expect we will get in. :( At least I do have the pain med and can make him more comfortable.
 
@Idjit's mom Do you have any tips on how to get the ointment to fall into the eye when you want it to? I squirt out the 1/4 inch I am supposed to apply, but getting it to drop into her eye at the moment I need it to is proving challenging. I have to be careful not to touch the tip to anything, and I just have two hands... one on her and one with the tube in it.
 
I always have help to hold Idjit when we test, clean ears or do things like the eye ointment. I spread the eye open with one hand and put the tip very near the lower edge of the eye, without touching anything, and squeeze the tube to get that ointment to just lay down on the eye right at the base or conjunctiva, very quickly. Even if you got it on the eyeball at all, that's a plus Then I massage very gently to spread it around a little. Will/can anyone help hold Mia while you apply the ointment?
The only thing I can think of is, if you can get down on the floor with Mia's rump right against and between your legs, and try to apply the ointment that way, like some people do to test. I can't get down on my knees, or even get down on the floor anymore, I hope you are more limber and in better shape than I am. :)
 
Idjit's mom said:
I always have help to hold Idjit when we test, clean ears or do things like the eye ointment. I spread the eye open with one hand and put the tip very near the lower edge of the eye, without touching anything, and squeeze the tube to get that ointment to just lay down on the eye right at the base or conjunctiva, very quickly. Even if you got it on the eyeball at all, that's a plus Then I massage very gently to spread it around a little. Will/can anyone help hold Mia while you apply the ointment?
The only thing I can think of is, if you can get down on the floor with Mia's rump right against and between your legs, and try to apply the ointment that way, like some people do to test. I can't get down on my knees, or even get down on the floor anymore, I hope you are more limber and in better shape than I am.
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I did it in her testing spot (right after a test) in her tower. The only issue I had was getting the ointment to drop off like I wanted it to. I did manage to get it in there.. she blinked, and I smeared the part that stayed outside of her eye across the closed eye. I could ask my husband to help, but I think that would complicate things. I find that the girls are less likely to feel a need to 'fight' something if it is just me. I also find that the less restraint the better, so putting my left arm over them when I am going to do something usually works out. Oh, well, I'll just have to get better at getting the stuff to fall. Thanks for your response.
 
FurBabiesMama said:
I did it in her testing spot (right after a test) in her tower. The only issue I had was getting the ointment to drop off like I wanted it to. I did manage to get it in there.. she blinked, and I smeared the part that stayed outside of her eye across the closed eye. I could ask my husband to help, but I think that would complicate things. I find that the girls are less likely to feel a need to 'fight' something if it is just me. I also find that the less restraint the better, so putting my left arm over them when I am going to do something usually works out. Oh, well, I'll just have to get better at getting the stuff to fall. Thanks for your response.
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DH and Idjit have a very special and loving relationship (two goofy guys enjoying each other). Even though DH does hold and gently restrains him, Idjit doesn't seem to hold a grudge, or really fight, more wriggling around or hiding his face in Dad's chest. It would be impossible for me to try any of it by myself, it's that only two arms and hands thing again.
Best of luck working this out. You are getting ointment in, and that's a very good thing. Let me know how her eye is doing please. Auntie Lou worries about her.
 
When I have to put ointment into an uncooperative cat, I put it on my finger an apply it that way. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly first. Not the best way to do it but is better than missing the eye completely.
 
Lisa and Witn (GA) said:
When I have to put ointment into an uncooperative cat, I put it on my finger an apply it that way. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly first. Not the best way to do it but is better than missing the eye completely.
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It isn't that she is uncooperative. It is that the gel doesn't 'fall' off of the tube. I squirt out the prescribed amount, and it just wants to hang there.
 
FurBabiesMama said:
when having cats was so easy
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You mean 30 years ago when they were kittens and you didn't know a cat could be diabetic? I vaguely recall that as well as the blue cans of Safeway Low Ash pig slop before there were big box pet stores. They pooped in a box and we knew Reagan would protect us from "the bear in the forest". :smuggrin:
This was before clumping cat litter, I suddenly feel very old.
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
You mean 30 years ago when they were kittens and you didn't know a cat could be diabetic? I vaguely recall that as well as the blue cans of Safeway Low Ash pig slop before there were big box pet stores. They pooped in a box and we knew Reagan would protect us from "the bear in the forest". :smuggrin:
This was before clumping cat litter, I suddenly feel very old.
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nope! if you are very old, I'm looking into my casket ... :D .. young at heart, just ____ (low number) plus shipping & handling

however, yes, I remember having kittens so long ago we didn't even know about panleukopenia; had "dirt boxes" because no fancy clay litter to be had
 
No casket for me, a small tin to be spread over the Spiral Tunnels is the plan. It's a train/Rocky Mountain thing. I don't own a suit to be buried in anyway, cans are everywhere here.
Everyone deserves kittens once in their life. I didn't like or dislike cats when I got two kittens in a cardboard box and that's basically what started 40 years of cats. The dogs came later.
 
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blessings on whoever suggested using equine stall bedding (fir or pine pellets) for litter boxes
particularly when we were transitioning newly-adopted feral barn cats to our property
had to use open litter boxes with nonclumping litter, part of the adoption procedure
worked well, particularly since once they were released to the barn, they used the fir needle piles in the adjacent forest belt, as their "necessary"

I use the stuff for Catcat too, as it's easy to see the size of the spot he uses .. no smell other than evergreen when I scoop the resultant sawdust either

it composts nicely in this frequently-damp climate

have an alternate litterbox set up with lentils, should I ever need to use it -- luckily Catcat really loves to eat, and we're fine tuning his insulin dose, or will when he quits bouncing and settles down
 
FurBabiesMama said:
We are in the fourth day of the ointment (out of 7). I have not noticed any squinting, and the drainage is less. I think it is still a little pink around the edge. I'm hoping that subsides very soon. Thanks for checking on her. :)
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Absolutely! It sounds like the irritation, infection or whatever was going on is definitely responding. Very glad to hear that.

Idjit has quit limping and I didn't have to take him to the vet yesterday. I guess he just sprained or strained that leg and resting helped. We had blocked off the upstairs and made him stay strictly on the main level of the house Friday night and Saturday. He was jumping up and down from my bed on Sunday morning, wanting FOOD!!!, and the limp just kept getting better. Now I don't see any hesitancy at all.

Onto the next crisis LOL
 
There are just 3 doses of eye ointment left to give Mia, it is still red (dark pink) around her eye. It seemed more red yesterday and does today than it did the day or two before that. :( I have to take Willow back to the vet for another test on Friday afternoon, so I am going to ask the vet about Mia then. At that point, she will have had the full 7 days of ointment.
 
I would be concerned about the continuing and possible increased redness also. Maybe the stronger med like Idjit had to have is an option. Are you only doing the ointment 1x a day? Idjit was BID both meds.
 
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