Kitten Eye Problem. I Am So Scared, Please Help.

[Tagrendy]

Hi, my kitten yesterday started to have eye problem on the right eye. And I think I am at fault =/ he had a crust on his eye & without googling how to clean it I just took it away with my finger. The kitten squinted & I think I damages his eye! (( Today I took him to the vet & he said it was fine, but I am really not sure about that. Right after he wakes up he can't even open his eye, than when it's open there is white stuff in the corner, it clears up in a few hours then when he sleeps starts over again. Today he started getting irritated & uses his paw on his eye often I called the vet he told me to drop some medicine, but I am just panicking now. I am not sure I am dropping anything in there or dropping to much. I don't want him to lose his eye, he is so cute! Should I go to another vet, or am I panicking too soon? Has anybody had problem with this. Otherwise he seems his old self - eats, hops around like crazy, but his eye is watery & different =/

 

[maggiedemi]

What medicine are you putting in his eye? Is it from the vet?

 

[Tagrendy]

What medicine are you putting in his eye? Is it from the vet?

I am not sure I can translate it accurately, it sounds like furacilin, yes the vet told me to get it. As much as I understand it's common human eye medicine.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hello. Regarding whether you scratched the eye, even if you did the surface of the eye heals well. I think the continuing irritation is from whatever started the crustiness in the first place. It's possibly some small bit of debris that stubbornly won't come out.

 

[Furballsmom]

But in any case, I know it's hard with a wiggly squirmy kitten but keep trying to get that medicine in and maybe double check with the vet regarding how much would he consider too much, then you'll have a better idea. If things don't improve fairly soon and your vet doesn't take a really close in, detailed look at that eye perhaps a different vet would be the way to go. Hang in there!

 

[Tagrendy]

But in any case, I know it's hard with a wiggly squirmy kitten but keep trying to get that medicine in and maybe double check with the vet regarding how much would he consider too much, then you'll have a better idea. If things don't improve fairly soon and your vet doesn't take a really close in, detailed look at that eye perhaps a different vet would be the way to go. Hang in there!

Thank you so much! He just woke up & his eye is completely shut now, I have never seen him anything but healthy & this freaks me out, but I will follow your advice. Thanks.

 

[maggiedemi]

Yeah, I would go to a different vet and have them show you how to do it properly.

 

[Geoffrey]

I am a human doctor, not a vet, but Furacilin is the same as Nitrofurantoin, an anti-infective agent that used to be used in humans for bladder infections. I no longer use it by mouth because of side effects (of which nausea is common) but it is used as an ointment locally for eye infections and is tolerated better in this form in humans. As an ointment it could be used for conjunctivitis and from your description it may well be that your vet has diagnosed this condition.

The fact that the eye is deteriorating suggests that the bacteria causing the eye condition are not responding to Nitrofurantoin, this is not necessarily a disaster as another antibiotic ointment may well cure the condition.

I suggest that you take the cat back to your vet as soon as possible and tell him/her what has happened. In humans I would take a swab of the eye for antibiotic sensitivity and treat with the appropriate antibiotic. DONT PANIC!
With all best wishes,
Geoffrey

 

[houseofnine]

I agree with Geoffrey--please at least call your vet and see what they say. Also a tip about applying ointments--wash your hand first, OR use a latex-free surgical glove (if you can), but also wrap the kitten gently in a towel to reduce the squirming.

 

[Tagrendy]

I am a human doctor, not a vet, but Furacilin is the same as Nitrofurantoin, an anti-infective agent that used to be used in humans for bladder infections. I no longer use it by mouth because of side effects (of which nausea is common) but it is used as an ointment locally for eye infections and is tolerated better in this form in humans. As an ointment it could be used for conjunctivitis and from your description it may well be that your vet has diagnosed this condition.

The fact that the eye is deteriorating suggests that the bacteria causing the eye condition are not responding to Nitrofurantoin, this is not necessarily a disaster as another antibiotic ointment may well cure the condition.

I suggest that you take the cat back to your vet as soon as possible and tell him/her what has happened. In humans I would take a swab of the eye for antibiotic sensitivity and treat with the appropriate antibiotic. DONT PANIC!
With all best wishes,
Geoffrey

Hi Geoffrey, thank you so much for the info. The kitten's eye does seem to be getting much better, when he wakes up now his eye isn't closed shut anymore and there is no white stuff in there. The crust was back but I think he wiped it away. During his active time they are the same size & I even have hard time knowing which eye was bad, but around the time he slows down that one eye still gets smaller, he squints it more & uses his paw on that one. I am somewhat successful in getting the drops in now when he is about to fall asleep, there is 2 more days to go with the drops, I will definitely contact the vet if improvements stop or it gets worse.

I am a bit calmer now seeing him almost okay. Thanks.
P.S. it took me forever to write this & some letters might have been typed the kitten

 

[Tagrendy]

I agree with Geoffrey--please at least call your vet and see what they say. Also a tip about applying ointments--wash your hand first, OR use a latex-free surgical glove (if you can), but also wrap the kitten gently in a towel to reduce the squirming.

I do have gloves, will use them, thanks.

 

[BluenIsaacBoys]

My older kitty tends to get "goopy eye" from time to time. Sometimes it almost looks like his eye is a little bloody. My mom's cats tend to get this issue too, I think it is pretty common. My vet prescribes a human eye medicine (Dexacidin by Bausch and Lomb) for him that I put in as needed. It seems to help a lot. I'm so glad your kitty is improving!! Best of luck

 

[Tagrendy]

My older kitty tends to get "goopy eye" from time to time. Sometimes it almost looks like his eye is a little bloody. My mom's cats tend to get this issue too, I think it is pretty common. My vet prescribes a human eye medicine (Dexacidin by Bausch and Lomb) for him that I put in as needed. It seems to help a lot. I'm so glad your kitty is improving!! Best of luck

Thank you so much! I freaked out when I saw his eye shut, thought it's already gone. It's my first kitten, maybe I will handle things better down the road. Everybody here helped so much!

 

[Furballsmom]

Your concern is terrific and your furbuddy is lucky to have you

 

[Tagrendy]

Hi guys, just wanted to let you know kitten's eye has healed up completely & he doesn't use his paw anymore. I stopped putting the eye drops in, will miss the days of wrapping him like a baby with just his head sticking out haha.

Thanks everyone for helping. Today he will get his shots from the vet, poor baby doesn't get a break from things being done to him

 

[Furballsmom]