Hello everyone! My cat has a problem with her eyes that lasts for months, never clears completely and recurrs after treatment. Her third eyelid is showing, she has tears and her eyelids get red. The first vet gave her 3 corticosteroid shots every 1,5 month for supposedly stomatitis (which is irrelevant I think and I don't know if she even has it). This used to clear her eyes for a month but as soon as I realised the sideeffects she could suffer from it, I switched vets. The second vet prescribes eye drops but the problem recurrs. She tried some different ones, but lately she gets tobramycin drops for a week (one drop in each eye two or three times a day) every third week. But the problem persists and I also have no diagnosis. Her appetite and behaviour doesn't seem affected. Do you have any similar experience? Is there any online vet help service you could recommend? I am quite disapointed by vet service here.
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Cat Persistent Eyes Problem
- Thread starter kalypso
- Start Date
Hi! Welcome!!
I don't know about online vets, however, I was wondering if there is something in your living area, or if she goes outside in the environment around your neighborhood, that is causing this?
Borrowing from a wise TCS member
Jcatbird
Do you have (new from the time that her eye issues started) "furniture, or toys, cleaning fluids, bug spray, flea treatments, feliway, clothes washing powder, perfumed items, potpourri, soap, even medications you take that can be emitted through your skin?"
Also, do you have scented candles, air fresheners, relatively new carpet, chemicals from a hobby or in-home job, relatively new paint that wasn't low/no VOCs --anything that is strongly scented or is toxic?
Is the litter you use very dusty? Do you live near a manufacturing plant that is emitting any fumes?
If she goes outside, you will want to try and walk the areas that she frequents to see if there is something problematic that can be changed/eliminated - if so, this could help other animals as well.
If you can't do that, and she is an indoor/outdoor cat, try keeping her indoors for a while and see if the eye problem goes away.
If she's an indoors only kitty, in order to better determine if there's something she's reacting to, try this if you can; empty a room (that doesn't have new carpet or other flooring, or new paint) of anything that could be a problem such as new furniture.
Don't clean it with any spray cleaner, wipe down any dust with a cloth but no furniture cleaner, and then vacuum. Close the windows if possible, set up an electric air cleaner with a filter if possible, contain her with her food, water and litter (unless it's really dusty - try and get a less dusty litter first) and see if her eye problem clears up.
I don't know about online vets, however, I was wondering if there is something in your living area, or if she goes outside in the environment around your neighborhood, that is causing this?
Borrowing from a wise TCS member
Jcatbird
Do you have (new from the time that her eye issues started) "furniture, or toys, cleaning fluids, bug spray, flea treatments, feliway, clothes washing powder, perfumed items, potpourri, soap, even medications you take that can be emitted through your skin?"Also, do you have scented candles, air fresheners, relatively new carpet, chemicals from a hobby or in-home job, relatively new paint that wasn't low/no VOCs --anything that is strongly scented or is toxic?
Is the litter you use very dusty? Do you live near a manufacturing plant that is emitting any fumes?
If she goes outside, you will want to try and walk the areas that she frequents to see if there is something problematic that can be changed/eliminated - if so, this could help other animals as well.
If you can't do that, and she is an indoor/outdoor cat, try keeping her indoors for a while and see if the eye problem goes away.
If she's an indoors only kitty, in order to better determine if there's something she's reacting to, try this if you can; empty a room (that doesn't have new carpet or other flooring, or new paint) of anything that could be a problem such as new furniture.
Don't clean it with any spray cleaner, wipe down any dust with a cloth but no furniture cleaner, and then vacuum. Close the windows if possible, set up an electric air cleaner with a filter if possible, contain her with her food, water and litter (unless it's really dusty - try and get a less dusty litter first) and see if her eye problem clears up.
Furballsmom
hives great advice! It could possibly be an allergic reaction to something. Maybe the vet would give you ointment instead of drops. Might stay effective longer. I would want a diagnosis from the vet. Is it a cold virus? An allergy? Do they know what it is? Maybe they are not sure but I would keep asking and trying new things. If you get no help you can try a third vet. Sometimes we have to pursue the answer. I can’t suggest a vet but You can ask friends or neighbors who they recommend. You can research vets online and see if they have good feedback. You can also research your kitty more here on TCS by checking to see if anyone has posted eye help in the forums. Please let us know how things go. I think putting kitty ones a room that is kind of cleared of anything that could make her eyes sensitive is a good idea. It might give you some answers if she gets better. I am so sorry she is having these issues. I will put your thread in my watch. Maybe she will be better very soon.
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I'm sorry your cat's problem with her eyes is what brought you here but glad you joined the site for advice and support. Were either one of the vets you saw a veterinary ophthalmology specialist? The reason I'm asking is because it could make a difference in her diagnosis and treatment.
Here is an Article about eye conditions in cats that may be helpful for you:
Eye Problems In Cats: What Every Owner Needs To Know
Best of luck, please keep us updated on your progress.
Here is an Article about eye conditions in cats that may be helpful for you:
Eye Problems In Cats: What Every Owner Needs To Know
Best of luck, please keep us updated on your progress.
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Did your vet say anything about trying an antibiotic like Amoxicillin?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
Hello all thanks a lot for your time and answers!
I live in Athens, Greece, and my cat Kalypso is an 11 y.o. indoor applehead siamese cat that sleeps on the balcony in the warm months of the year. Here you can see her in her balcony home and you may notice that her third eyelid is visible:
She did take amoxicillin for a month which was prescribed by the first vet and her eyes were ok for the month although I don't know how much she swallowed (she would spit it out in the means of foams coming out of her mouth) and she was on corticosteroid during that month too.
What do you mean by ointment?
It hadn't occured to me that it could be allergy, but mabe it is, since her symptoms are not always the same (eg her eyes are not always watery). It is difficult to isolate her in an empty room or know everything that could have changed in the household. She uses Catsan Hygiene litter and eats wet food (omnomnom, granatapet, bozita, katz finefood, animonda carny), greek yoghurt (of course :-) ) and occasionally boiled chicken (could it also be caused by different food?). I will try and note how her symptoms change over time.
I was recommended a third vet which will see her tomorrow and I will let you know how it goes. I hope she will help because I am altogether very disappointed by vets I've visited.
I live in Athens, Greece, and my cat Kalypso is an 11 y.o. indoor applehead siamese cat that sleeps on the balcony in the warm months of the year. Here you can see her in her balcony home and you may notice that her third eyelid is visible:
She did take amoxicillin for a month which was prescribed by the first vet and her eyes were ok for the month although I don't know how much she swallowed (she would spit it out in the means of foams coming out of her mouth) and she was on corticosteroid during that month too.
What do you mean by ointment?
It hadn't occured to me that it could be allergy, but mabe it is, since her symptoms are not always the same (eg her eyes are not always watery). It is difficult to isolate her in an empty room or know everything that could have changed in the household. She uses Catsan Hygiene litter and eats wet food (omnomnom, granatapet, bozita, katz finefood, animonda carny), greek yoghurt (of course :-) ) and occasionally boiled chicken (could it also be caused by different food?). I will try and note how her symptoms change over time.
I was recommended a third vet which will see her tomorrow and I will let you know how it goes. I hope she will help because I am altogether very disappointed by vets I've visited.
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Hello,
K
kalypso
- I thought I'd just check up on you, and see if you ended up seeing that third vet at the end of September?
I'm wondering if the vet did an actual test for a variety of Upper Respiratory Diseases, especially for FHV-1 (feline herpes), which can really affect the eyes? Also, has the vet checked her eyes for any corneal ulcers?
( New Kitten Probably Has Herpes. Worried For My Resident Cat. )
Ocular (eye) Herpes In Cats
Most cats have feline herpes, and can carry it inside them for years (after their first issues with it as a kitten or young cat). Some only have an issue with it when they first contract it, but it can also come back at different times later in the cat's life if the cat is stressed or ill. It's very contagious, and getting regular booster vaccines are often what is recommended, as a cat can pick it up any time in their lives. Although vaccines don't necessarily prevent FHV-1 if the cat already has it, they usually lessen the severity of the symptoms while they are experiencing it, in most cases. However, you need to be a bit more careful with vaccines if your older cat has a weaker immune system.
Feline herpesvirus (FHV) infection | International Cat Care
Vaccinating your cat | International Cat Care
If your kitty is about 11 years old, when was the last time she had an overall vet check-up, with blood work and urinalysis and things like that? Have you just been going to the vet and only discussing her eye symptoms, and maybe not other possible issues too? Maybe there is more going on with her, like some underlying disease that has developed that has taxed her immune system, and the chronic issues with her eyes (if FHV-1) is a secondary thing to something else.
I am not a vet, but (as you saw by my first link above) I do have a cat that definitely has the FHV-1 virus in her, and though it is hard to tell in the photo you gave, some of what I can see of your kitty's eye and the symptoms you describe do make me think of FHV-1 as a possibility. Having a feline Upper Respiratory Disease Real PCR panel done can help you to rule any of those diseases in or rule them out.
I'm wondering if the vet did an actual test for a variety of Upper Respiratory Diseases, especially for FHV-1 (feline herpes), which can really affect the eyes? Also, has the vet checked her eyes for any corneal ulcers?
( New Kitten Probably Has Herpes. Worried For My Resident Cat. )
Ocular (eye) Herpes In Cats
Most cats have feline herpes, and can carry it inside them for years (after their first issues with it as a kitten or young cat). Some only have an issue with it when they first contract it, but it can also come back at different times later in the cat's life if the cat is stressed or ill. It's very contagious, and getting regular booster vaccines are often what is recommended, as a cat can pick it up any time in their lives. Although vaccines don't necessarily prevent FHV-1 if the cat already has it, they usually lessen the severity of the symptoms while they are experiencing it, in most cases. However, you need to be a bit more careful with vaccines if your older cat has a weaker immune system.
Feline herpesvirus (FHV) infection | International Cat Care
Vaccinating your cat | International Cat Care
If your kitty is about 11 years old, when was the last time she had an overall vet check-up, with blood work and urinalysis and things like that? Have you just been going to the vet and only discussing her eye symptoms, and maybe not other possible issues too? Maybe there is more going on with her, like some underlying disease that has developed that has taxed her immune system, and the chronic issues with her eyes (if FHV-1) is a secondary thing to something else.
I am not a vet, but (as you saw by my first link above) I do have a cat that definitely has the FHV-1 virus in her, and though it is hard to tell in the photo you gave, some of what I can see of your kitty's eye and the symptoms you describe do make me think of FHV-1 as a possibility. Having a feline Upper Respiratory Disease Real PCR panel done can help you to rule any of those diseases in or rule them out.
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If your vet diagnosed stomitits and her 3rd eyelids are protruded, my guess would be that they are absolutely correct and your cat has an oral infection causing the protrusion. I say this because it sounds like the exact same thing I’m dealing with right now.
I’ll explain why stomitits is not irrelevant when dealing with protruded eyelids and why antibiotics don’t always work, speaking only from my personal experience, as Moon had severely protruded eyelids which were caused by the periodontal disease/stomitits.
First, you need to understand that protruded 3rd eyelids can be caused by a number of things ranging from head trauma, to parasites, to inflammation from dental disease, Haws disease or dehydration (this is not a complete list). It is generally a secondary cause to a much more serious issue. Protruded eyelids generally mean the cat is in pain and is suffering.
When all other underlying causes have been evaluated & ruled out, the antibiotics aren’t working and there is a diagnosis for stomitits, I would strongly urge you to listen to your vet and seek out oral care from them or a vet that specializes in dental care.
For Moon, the pressure from the oral infection was causing her 3rd eyelids to protrude. We are only 11 days post op at this point, (they extracted all of her top teeth)so she is still healing from surgery and while her eyelids are still protruded at this point, I can already see slight improvement. Although it could be a month or more before they fully retract.
When I first rescued her, we tried antibiotics for a month as suggested by our vets, but the infection came back within weeks of getting off of them. A visit to a dental specialist explained why the antibiotics didn’t work for Moon and why it actually caused her more suffering: If the periodontal disease/stomitits is so advanced that it kills the nerves, lymphatic tissues and blood vessels in the tooth or teeth, blood flow to the tooth stops, causing the tooth to “die” thus making it impossible for antibiotics to reach the infection/bacteria inside the tooth, in turn never actually ridding the body of the infection. Only masking it.
So while the antibiotics will appear to “cure” the surface of the issue (inflamed gums, abscesses, etc) while the animal is being treated, once off medication the infection will come right back (in the case of dead teeth). Which it did in our case.
You won’t know if the teeth are dead unless you get X-rays. Has your cat had any oral x-rays to determine if there is any root reabsorption lesions or further tooth/bone decay under the gum line? I’d start there as with a stomitits diagnosis, that is the most likely underlying cause of her eye issues.
Sorry for the long reply, this is much longer than I originally intended, so I’ll just leave a few articles at the bottom. Hope your kitty gets better and you get answers.
Why do cats have an inner eyelid as well as outer ones?
Cat's Inner Eyelid - Why is it Visible?
Feline Stomatitis | Diagnosing This Painful Dental Disease
http://www.toothvet.ca/PDFfiles/fcgs.pdf
I’ll explain why stomitits is not irrelevant when dealing with protruded eyelids and why antibiotics don’t always work, speaking only from my personal experience, as Moon had severely protruded eyelids which were caused by the periodontal disease/stomitits.
First, you need to understand that protruded 3rd eyelids can be caused by a number of things ranging from head trauma, to parasites, to inflammation from dental disease, Haws disease or dehydration (this is not a complete list). It is generally a secondary cause to a much more serious issue. Protruded eyelids generally mean the cat is in pain and is suffering.
When all other underlying causes have been evaluated & ruled out, the antibiotics aren’t working and there is a diagnosis for stomitits, I would strongly urge you to listen to your vet and seek out oral care from them or a vet that specializes in dental care.
For Moon, the pressure from the oral infection was causing her 3rd eyelids to protrude. We are only 11 days post op at this point, (they extracted all of her top teeth)so she is still healing from surgery and while her eyelids are still protruded at this point, I can already see slight improvement. Although it could be a month or more before they fully retract.
When I first rescued her, we tried antibiotics for a month as suggested by our vets, but the infection came back within weeks of getting off of them. A visit to a dental specialist explained why the antibiotics didn’t work for Moon and why it actually caused her more suffering: If the periodontal disease/stomitits is so advanced that it kills the nerves, lymphatic tissues and blood vessels in the tooth or teeth, blood flow to the tooth stops, causing the tooth to “die” thus making it impossible for antibiotics to reach the infection/bacteria inside the tooth, in turn never actually ridding the body of the infection. Only masking it.
So while the antibiotics will appear to “cure” the surface of the issue (inflamed gums, abscesses, etc) while the animal is being treated, once off medication the infection will come right back (in the case of dead teeth). Which it did in our case.
You won’t know if the teeth are dead unless you get X-rays. Has your cat had any oral x-rays to determine if there is any root reabsorption lesions or further tooth/bone decay under the gum line? I’d start there as with a stomitits diagnosis, that is the most likely underlying cause of her eye issues.
Sorry for the long reply, this is much longer than I originally intended, so I’ll just leave a few articles at the bottom. Hope your kitty gets better and you get answers.
Why do cats have an inner eyelid as well as outer ones?
Cat's Inner Eyelid - Why is it Visible?
Feline Stomatitis | Diagnosing This Painful Dental Disease
http://www.toothvet.ca/PDFfiles/fcgs.pdf
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Very interesting, thanks for sharing. I wonder if this applies to human teeth too.
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I would assume it applies to humans as well. I have a cleaning for myself coming up in the next few months so I’ll inquire about it to my dentist.
I was pretty disappointed with the last vet I saw (who was confident in treating it with more antibiotics instead of an “unnecessary surgery”) before we went to the specialist because it seemed so logical once the specialist enlightened me on the subject. But I guess, that’s why he’s the specialist lol.
I was pretty disappointed with the last vet I saw (who was confident in treating it with more antibiotics instead of an “unnecessary surgery”) before we went to the specialist because it seemed so logical once the specialist enlightened me on the subject. But I guess, that’s why he’s the specialist lol.
