Sticky Eye Discharge, Need Advice Please

[Khrad]

Hi all, my cat has had a sticky watery discharge for a couple months now and I don't know what to do. I took him to the vet when I first got him he was 8 weeks and the vet said that it was an eyelash that is growing in awkwardly. She gave me an ointment to put in his eyes. Unfortunately I have not been successful in putting the ointment on a regular basis. Then I took him for a wellness checkup and asked a different vet about the eye. He said the same thing about the eyelash and said that the cat will grow out of it. So now my cat is almost 8 months and he still hasn't grown out of it and I took him in and a different vet said that he has an eye ulcer. She prescribed two different drops even after I told her I'm having a hard time giving him the other ointment. Needless to say I haven't been able to give him the eye drops because he's runs every time I try to give it to him. It's causing a lot of anxiety for both of us. I'm already out $500 in treatment and I don't know what else to do. I am taking him to yet another vet and hoping this one might be different and hopefully can fix the issue. Has anyone else have a cat that's gone through this? Do you have any advice. TIA.

 

[verna davies]

I have a cat with eye issues who has to have daily ointment. Firstly ulcers are really sore and have to heal on their own so the medication wont help heal but is needed to soothe the eye and I would imagine is an antiseptic to prevent infection, therefore it is important that you give it to your cat. The eye needs medication to sooth the eye. If it is an ointment, try putting it on the end of a damp cotton bud and gently applying it to the corner of the eye. It should be a gel tupe that will desolve onto the eye. If it is drops, hold the bottle in your hand to take the chill off before using. Follow with a favourite treat. I know it is difficult but must be done. Why cant the vet remove the eyelash? What medication have you got?

 

[jcat]

It sounds like entropion, which kittens can outgrow, though surgery is sometimes required to correct it. It causes discomfort, so it's important to administer eye drops or ointment, as V verna davies said. That can be very tricky, and it helps if you have another pair of hands to hold the cat, but that's not essential.

What works best for me is to kneel on the floor and cross my ankles, back the cat between my knees, and hold him/her there with a towel around their chest and shoulders with one hand. I use the palm of my other hand to gently slide back the skin on the top of the head just a bit to keep the eye open and squeeze in the drops or ointment from above. Have the bottle/tube open before you start. It takes some practice, but is doable in just seconds once you get the hang of it. The hardest part is catching the kitten with a towel. Giving a tasty treat afterwards makes the ordeal more bearable.

 

[Khrad]

Thank you both for your advice, I really appreciate it. The new vet referred me to a pet ophthalmologist which we'll be seeing on Tuesday. So hopefully can get some answers and cure soon.

 

[verna davies]

Good luck on tuesday. Let us know the outcome.

 

[Khrad]

Update: So I went to the vet and they said that Anakin has feline herpes and prescribed him some eye drop meds for maintenance during his outbreaks. The vet prescribed Famciclovir $125 and Cidofovir $85. But said that I could try to maintain with remand and lysine since I have those on hand if meds are not an option right now due to expense.
The Remend does seem to help him so I will continue with that for now. But I am a new cat parent and I don't have any experience with feline herpes. I just want to do what's best for my kitties and could definitely use some advice. So does anyone else on here have a cat that has feline herpes? If so, what are some of your treatment remedies? Please let me know. TIA!

 

[Furballsmom]

Khrad , I'm working to find some members to help another poster as well - hang in there... @bluepine, are you available to help the OP? catsknowme , can you provide thoughts?

There's this post and post #13 in this also, that might help;
Cat Herpes Virus Flare Up

 

[catsknowme]

I use L-lysine and herbal supplements to treat herpes. My vet has me use a strong L-lysine dosage for 3-5 days and then back down to a maintenance dose for 2-4 weeks. Because the dose is 500mg, I break it down into 2 or 3 doses a day. Additionally, I give slippery elm bark and marshmallow root decoction that I prepare myself by adding the herbs to a pan of cold water (try to not use tap or other chemically laden water) and slow simmer (covered) for 15 min then remove from heat and allow to cool off, covered (tradition says that there is medicine in the escaping steam). The decoction is easily administered in wet food or Gerber stage2 baby food (chicken, beef, Turkey or ham) and can be given as needed, but usually at least 2-3 times per day. If mouth discomfort is too painful for the cat to eat, you can apply the soothing decoction to the gums using an eye dropper or something similar. In those situations, I often add a 50/50 unflavored pedialyte-clean water solution, either as a stand alone or blended with the herbs. As some people have mentioned in other threads, slippery elm is believed to hinder the absorption of some medications so if that is concern, try to stagger the meds and the herbs. Slippery elm is thickening and is especially soothing for sores in mucus membranes and the digestive tract. You should consult your vet about using herbs and supplements, especially when adding medicines.
In my experience, as the cats get older, their body gets better at resisting the virus until they become elderly.
Please keep us posted!