" Cat eye infection can be due to scratches on the cornea, bacterial infection or other eye injuries. If your cat has any kind of eye problem, it's best to visit the veterinarian for a complete examination and to rule out anything more complicated. Infections can also caused by the Feline Herpes Virus or the bacterial infection Chlamydiosis. The most common symptoms are redness and discharge in the eye. Bacterial infection need to be treated with antibiotics or medicated eye drops prescribed by your veterinarian."
As mentioned in this video from the Cat Health Guide You Tube Channel on cat eye infection, Dr. Patrick McHale, DVM describes the common causes of this type of cat eye problem and provides treatment advice.
Dr. Patrick McHale from our Cat Health You Tube Channel
Conjunctivitis in cats or cat pink eye refers to inflammation in the lining of the inner surface of the eyelids. It can be due to an infection or something in your cat's environment.
The conjuntiva has antibodies
which work to both fight of infection and
lubricate the eyeball. Often, when an organism triggers a feline immune
system response to a viral or bacterial invader, the result is feline
conjunctivitis.
Causes of Conjunctivitis in Cats
Cat eye symptoms due to feline conjunctivitis:
Cat conjunctivitis will often heal with no treatment. However, if a cat is in pain or has eye discharge, be sure to consult with a veterinarian. The most common treatment is antibiotics and antiviral medications (for herpesvirus.
This virus is unique to cats and is the most common cause of conjunctivitis. It is spread by infected cats and in rare cases from a virus that is on a contaminated surface. Treatment includes medicated eye drops.
Other problems that tend to occur as a result of this virus include:
Feline Herpes Conjunctivitis Picture
Feline Panleukopenia is a vaccine preventable disease that is part of the core recommended vaccines. Panleukopenia is very contagious and can be fatal. It is often found in wild cats that were never vaccinated.
This infection can cause the retina in the eye to take on an abnormal (retinal dysplasia) and can cause lesions on the eye.
Other symptoms that accompany changes in the eye include:
There is no effective treatment for this condition.
Inflamed lesions may occur including eye inflammation and a detached retina. It is not easy to diagnose this disease with tests only suggesting its presence.
Cats with FIP will only survive for a few months. Treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs such as prednisone will help to provide a good quality of life during this time.
This condition can effect any portion of the eye. This virus is caught by direct contact with an infected cat. Associated symptoms include anemia (reduced number of red blood cells) and lymphoma which is unusual cell growth in the lymph glands.
The feline immunodeficiency virus is transmitted when one cat bites another. It starts with a long period without signs of the disease. This period is followed by increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections. The virus resembles the human aids virus.
Symptoms include weakness or lethargy, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss, chronic diarrhea, chronic upper respiratory diseases, chronic inflammation of the lining in the mouth (stomatitis), ginigivitis and chronic skin infections.
Treatment of FIV is with drugs used for aids in humans including antiviral drugs and Interferon alpha. Supportive care is provided for symptoms including transfusions, fluid therapy. Life expectancy for cats with this disease is 2 years.
Almost all cats with an upper respiratory infection have this virus. Conjunctivitis accompanies this disease.
Symptoms can include fever, inflammed membrane in the nose (rhinitis), redness in the eyes (conjunctivitis) and nasal discharge.
Treatment is with antibiotics.
The condition is treated with Tetracycline.
Toxoplasmosis is common in cats. It causes of many cases of inflammation that occur inside the lining of the eye (feline anterior uveitis). It is difficult to diagnose this condition.
Treatment is with the oral medication clindamycine.
Cryptococcosis is caught from your cats environment. Eye problems associated with this infection are peripheral blindness, dilated eyes, and pupils that do not respond to light, detached retinas, an inflamed retina and blindness.
Eye problems are a sign that the cryptococcosis is effecting the central nervous system.
Other symptoms include changes in your cats temperament, odd behavior, depression, seizures, circling behavior, seizures, head pressing, head tilt, uncoordinated movements (ataxia) and dementia.
The prognosis for cats with this condition is good with long term administration of oral anti-fungal medications (triazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole).
While no substitute for medicated cat eye medications such as antibiotics, natural remedies could provide some support if eye redness is a common problem. Pet Alive Eye-Heal is worth researching since it is made specifically to provide an option for natural treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in feline eye infection. Discuss this option with your veterinarian so that she or he can track progress.
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References Cat
Eye Infection:
Feline Infectious Peritonitis - News in Diagnosis and Treatment
K. Hartmann
Medizinische Kleintierklinik
Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases
Ocular Manifestations of Feline Systemic Diseases
Maurice ROZE. DVM. DECVO
Ophthalmology. Clinique
Feline Corneal Diseases
A. Regnier
Department of Clinical Sciences, Ecole Nationale
Major Infectious Diseases of Dogs and Cats
G.R. Carter
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Conjunctivits
Cornell Feline Health Center
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
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