Recurrent eye infection in senior cat

Hi all!

I have a rescued cat who is about 14 years old. We've had her for 3 years now and she has battled a recurrent eye infection since we have had her. Of coarse I have taken her to the vet several times, and she has been prescribed several different meds, but nothing seems to work. Right now, we are using Voltaren eye drops and Erythromycin ointment, as prescribed by our Vet which seems to work OK but as soon as it clears up, it comes back within a few months and it is always the same eye (left eye). Just wondering if anyone has seen this before? Any ideas of what could be causing this or what we could do along with our Vet to help her? Thanks in advance!

 

Some cats are just prone to it, unfortunately. Is the discharge coloured (green, yellow, or white) or is it just clear or brown-tinged? If it is the former it is infection, the latter, irritation or a blocked tear duct. If it is the first and it continually comes back, it may mean that the cat's immune system is not where it ought to be. Have you had her SNAP tested? In any case, if you want to help her immune system you can try getting her to take an L-Lysine supplement, which can be bought from your veterinarian or from a reputable pet supply store. It comes in chews, syrup, or powder. If you start, don't stop. Good quality cat food often contains some of this amino acid to begin with. In my experience, most of them won't eat it willingly and the best way to get it into the cat is via syringe. As far as medication goes, tetracycline and chloramphenicol are the two that we usually use with our little rescues and the former tends to work better, but different veterinarians do different things depending on the situation.