Eosinophilic Kerititis

[verna davies]

My 3 year old has just been diagnosed with Eosinophilic Kerititis and I am a bit lost as what the best thing for her is.
Has anyone dealt with this or can offer advice please.

 

[silkenpaw]

How is she being treated right now?

 

[verna davies]

Optimmune eye ointment twice a day and Isathal twice a day. My vet referred her to an eye specialist who prescribed them yesterday when it was diagnosed.

 

[silkenpaw]

I don’t have experience with this disease. Optimmune is cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant, and Isathal is an antibiotic. It makes sense to give her the cyclosporine because Eosinophilic Keratitis is an autoimmune disease, so if you can suppress the immune system in the eye, it should make things better. I guess the antibiotic is to protect the eyes from infection.

Twice a day is a lot but it could be worse: my pug gets four types of eye medications three times a day!

I hope your kitty does well! Keep us updated, please.

 

[verna davies]

Your pug has a lot of medication poor thing. I see the specialist in 4 weeks so will update this thread then. Thanks for responding.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Sorry to hear about your kitty, V verna davies

 

[verna davies]

Thank you PushPurrCatPaws . lets hope we can get it under control.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Well, best of luck with the medicine-giving...

I think it calls for a setting on my Fun Meter button (I got this button at my city's art museum a few years back)-- the dial is adjustable:

​

 

[verna davies]

Pickle has been having drops in her eye for the past 8 weeks..6 times a day. My vet thought it was a deep ulcerated scratch that would not heal hence the referral to the eye specialist. Pickle has been marvellous putting up with the drops so I am not worried. Thanks for the fun meter. Much needed.

 

[golondrina]

Hi verna davies,
how is Pickles getting on? Hoping his eyes problem has improved.

 

[verna davies]

Thanks for asking golondrina . The last visit to the specialist 11 days ago showed she was in complete remission so we reduced the steriod ointment from 3 times a day to 2 but on day 9 she had a relapse so had to go back onto 3. This apparently is common. Its going to be a long process but it will be worth it to be able to get and keep her in remission. Lots of cat treats on thst day!!!

 

[silkenpaw]

Oh no! Poor you, having to remember the meds three times a day. I have to set a timer, would forget otherwise. How long does she need to stay on this regimen before trying to taper again?

 

[verna davies]

She has 5 lots of ointment per day. Its at the stage where she runs from me, Its heartbreaking but needs to be done. I checked her eyes today and they look clear so I will speak to the vet and hope to reduce by 1. It can take months to get to the maintenance dose which is usually either once or twice per day for life.

 

[golondrina]

Verna davies I am happy to hear that Pickles's eyes look clear today. Hopefully you will be able to reduce the daily ointment applications giving you and Pickles a break. I admire your courage and dedication as I realize now that this is a life long situation. Pickles is very fortunate to have you at her side.

 

[verna davies]

That's very kind of you. She didnt choose to have this illness but as long as she is not in pain and can have a good quality of life then it's all worth it.

 

[madamemultari]

Hi verna davies, I'd like to ask if your cat ever sneezed as well?
My Leopold also had/has Eosinophilic Keratitis (supposed from the feline herpes virus FHV). He developed a corneal lesion and was sent to the eye specialist who cleared his lesion with drops of Idoxuridine (3x day) and Tacrolimus(1 x day), and was put on maintenance dose of 2 x Tacrolimus drops per week (no tapering even though we asked)

The perplexing thing is we notice a very occasional sneeze from him and today we have photographed his eye and the lesion is faintly returning!
The specialist wants to up the dose to 3x week (which I'll do every two days to keep an even schedule).

I'm trying to understand the link between the occasional sneeze persisting without signs of a 'proper' URI, and/or the lesion (EK) and/or FHV.

Sharing to see if any of this sounds like it makes sense!

 

[verna davies]

I'm sorry your cat has this, I know how hard it is for you and your cat. Pickle's treatment has been very different to Leopold. Pickle's started in May of last year. No sneezing at all, eye ulcer and lesions. Put on Optimmune x 2 daily and Maxitrol steroid x 3 daily. Tapered Maxitrol to x 2 then x 1 daily over a few months but still on Optimmune x 2 daily. Then in November she had another eye ulcer and all steroid removed. The eye specialist now things it is herpies related. For the last 3 weeks she has been on a ciclosporin 1% the specialist mixes as it cant be bought anywhere (Optimmune is 0.2%). At the end of the month she will drop to x1 per day for a while and hopefully x1 every other day but wont get below that and it will be for life.
My vet has told me that she will have relapses but how far apart we dont know.
I dont know what part of the world you live but I am in the UK. It appears that this condition is treated different from vet to vet and country to country. It would be good if we could exchange symptoms and treatment and discuss with our relative vets.
I understand that slow tapering is important so I certainly would discuss with your vet/ specialist