Tips/tricks on administering eye ointment?

misterwhiskers

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Hi, Robin's been to the vet, he has conjunctivitis, secondary to probable herpes, and the vet (against my wishes) prescribed an erythromycin ointment. Well, Robin wants NO part of that!

Any tips? He does eye drops well, even nose drops. But for the life of me, I cannot get ointment in his eyes. YouTube videos don't help...I'm stumped. How do I get the stuff in his eye?
 

donutte

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I feel your pain. Honestly, with Oliver, I gave up on the ointment after the third dose. He was only 8 weeks old at the time and he was having no part of that. Got super-scratched that third time. I can't blame him, if anyone was trying to put that crap in my eye, I'd scratch them too. Somehow it ended up working after three doses but I think I just lucked out.
 

talkingpeanut

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When I have to use eye ointment on my cat I squeeze the ointment onto my pointer finger on my left hand. Once my cat is wrapped up in a blanket (burrito style) and under my right arm, I can put use my finger to get the pre-squeezed ointment above her lower eyelid.
 
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misterwhiskers

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Donutte, that's what worries me and that's why I begged the *new vet from the fancy dancy expensive place* for drops instead (old vet always did what I asked in these circumstances, understanding). If I can't get the stuff in his eye, what good does it do?

Talkingpeanut, I'm a little afraid to have it touch my hand....but I might have to try this, thank you.

Ya know, it isn't the medicine that's the issue here, it's the applicator. I wish somebody would invent something. I'm half tempted to put a little saline in a tiny syringe, then a little of the ointment, just so I can drop the stuff into his eye.
 

talkingpeanut

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I'm not a doctor, but I wouldn't worry about this medication touching your hand. It looks like it is often prescribed for humans as well. Just wash your hands after and I'd chance it.
 
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misterwhiskers

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Oh, I'm not worried about me, though it's a good point. The worry is contaminating the ointment.

I think I will try it your way. Last night I was able to get it in his eye via a damp qtip but today, no luck, and now his eye is all squinty with tears. They are no longer red (blood, the vet said, not a normal color), at least. But it's like I made a good thing bad, because his eye was open and bright this afternoon before medicine time. Sigh.
 

talkingpeanut

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The way I've always thought about it is that the ointment that touches your hand stays on your hand. I wash my hands first, so I feel like the contamination risks are low. Thankfully this is a rare occurance at my house!
 
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