There are various diseases that affect cats, this time we will talk about those diseases in the eyes of cats. This type of problem is one of the most frequent in cats. Due to this, in this article we are going to deal with this topic of great importance, since if they are not treated they can cause irreversible damage to our cat. So I invite you to continue reading and learn a little more about it.
Eye Diseases in Cats
Eye diseases in cats are characterized by suppuration, excessive tearing, redness or inflammation. There are other symptoms, but these three are the main ones in eye diseases in cats. These signs may be related to other pathologies, whether due to viruses, bacteria or others that alter the cat's health. These symptoms can also be linked to or be a consequence of foreign bodies or trauma.
Hence the importance of identifying yourself correctly, because if this disease is not diagnosed in time and is not treated, it can cost your cat its sight. And there are even situations where the veterinarian has been forced to remove the affected eye or eyes. Some of the eye diseases in cats are; corneal and dendritic ulcers, conjunctivitis, uveitis, glaucoma, and even nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
Next, we will describe each of these diseases, including their symptoms and possible treatments. So that in this way you can identify or at least have an idea of what is happening to your cat's eyes.
corneal ulcers
Within the diseases in the eyes of cats this is one of the most frequent. As for its severity, it will be due solely to the amount of damage caused and that, together with the reason or the type of ulcer, its treatment will be chosen. This type of ulcer produces some pain, which will be more or less intense, and you will have to see the magnitude of the depth of the injury. But it is certainly not how you think, since the most superficial injuries are the most painful. This is because a large number of different nerve endings are located in this area. And even the cornea undergoes a change in its appearance.
In general, the most frequent causes of this type of ulcers are going to be trauma, such as scratches, foreign bodies, hairs that grow and rub against the eye, and even these can be due to bacterial infections. Among these, those of origin due to the herpesvirus stand out, specifically for this reason the dendritic ulcer appears, which we will explain later. In order to clarify the difference between these two injuries that can appear in your cat's eye.
We must understand that the one who will have a diagnosis about the problem in your cat's eyes will be the veterinarian. This will be done by applying fluorescein to the diseased eye, but if these ulcers are much more superficial, a pigment called Rose Bengal will be used. As for the treatment, it will be related to the cause of the ulcer, but said medication must be administered very quickly since this injury can affect or perforate the cornea. This type of injury, which is much more serious, will require surgery for recovery.
Dendritic ulcers
This ulcer-type lesion is going to be the most frequent and most prominent of the diseases in the eyes of cats, specifically stray cats. Since this type of ulcers are produced by the herpesvirus, which is the cause of feline rhinotracheitis. This type of disease is highly contagious in those cats that live in groups. Within the group of cat eye diseases, rhinotracheitis is the cause of a large amount of eye discharge. This type of condition is seen mostly in the younger cat population.
Even though these sores are mild, it is possible that this very aggressive virus can cause much deeper sores. Which, if not treated with any treatment, could cause serious damage to the cat's cornea, even leading to the removal of one or both eyes, if the condition has worsened. These types of ulcers will not only originate in cats with rhinotracheitis, but will also appear in those that, once the "primary infection" by this virus has been overcome, will have it latent in their system.
This is reactivated either by stress, by the administration of corticosteroids, among other factors. Since this has an immunosuppressive effect. Commonly this type of ulcer is accompanied by conjunctivitis, which can appear in one or both eyes.
Conjunctivitis in Felines
Conjunctivitis will be highlighted as one of the most frequent diseases in the eyes of cats, especially in that very young population. This disease can be caused by a simple foreign body, but it is also usually linked to the aforementioned herpesvirus. This can occur even in those cases in which the cat does not present any of the symptoms associated with this pathology.
This disease will be characterized by its bilateral appearance, together with ocular redness. In addition to these symptoms, there will also be a very abundant purulent secretion, this secretion when it dries will stick to the eyelids. When this disease occurs or appears in cases of rhinotracheitis, it even presents with a respiratory condition. These types of cases will require a veterinarian urgently, supportive treatment, also including antibiotics to treat the condition.
Uveitis
This is another of the diseases in the eyes of cats that is frequent, they have a higher incidence than other diseases of this type. The most important thing you should know is that it consists of a very common symptom present in several conditions. However, in other cases, uveitis is usually related to trauma due to fights or even being run over. Some of these causes are toxoplasmosis, feline leukemia, immunodeficiency, FIP, some mycoses, bartonellosis, herpesvirus, among other factors.
Many of these pathologies end up being totally serious and deadly for feline friends. Due to this, it is important to go to the veterinarian to be able to administer the appropriate treatment according to the cause that has triggered this condition.
Uveitis can be classified according to its severity. This will depend on the structures that are going to be involved due to this condition. So it can be divided into anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis and posterior uveitis. The symptomatology that develops in the feline is pain, photophobia, abundant tearing and protrusion of the third eyelid. This leads to the feline friend's eye looking much smaller, which is why the treatment is focused on the cause of uveitis. In addition, drugs were administered to control the symptoms that arise from the disease.
Feline Glaucoma
Within the group of cat eye diseases, we have to highlight glaucoma, which is also one of the most common diseases among felines. This disease develops due to a series of causes that will have in common the increase in intraocular pressure. This is because much more aqueous humor is created than is going to be eliminated. This type of pathogenesis will damage the optic nerve, unfortunately causing blindness. The most outstanding cause of this type of condition is that of the inadequate direction of what is the aqueous humor.
Also, glaucoma is a disease that could be considered very common, but this is not the case in cats. For this reason, when it manifests, it does so in cats over 8 to 9 years of age. Apart from this, it is found to be related to uveitis disease, neoplasms, trauma and other types of causes. This is why it is important to go to the vet as soon as the first signs of a possible eye disease are noticed. Which, in the case of glaucoma, will be one of those diseases that cause it.
By the time glaucoma begins to cause pain, enlargement of the eyeball, or even dilation of the pupil, the eye may already be, unfortunately, blind. As for the diagnosis dictated by the veterinarian, it will be based solely on the measurement of intraocular pressure. When talking about the treatment of this eye disease, it will focus exclusively on the cause. In addition, other types of treatments will be administered to reduce symptoms, such as pain and even intraocular pressure. It will only focus on controlling these.
Crying eyes
When we see that our cat is constantly tearing, either in one or both eyes, it alerts us to a possible eye disease. This constant tearing can be caused by some friction or by a foreign body. But if it turns out to be continuous and abundant, then it is called epiphora. Which would be alerting us to a possible obstruction in the nasolacrimal duct. By this we mean that through this duct the excess of tears will be directed towards the nose, but when this duct is obstructed, the large amount of tears will come out through the eyes.
This problem can become temporary, either due to infection or even inflammation. Or it can become permanent, by this we mean that the duct was already blocked from the moment of birth. This feature is much more normal in those breeds that are brachycephalic, such as Persians. The veterinarian should be consulted first, since he will prescribe a treatment that will be directed at the cause of the disease.
Diseases in the Eyes of Newborn Cats
You should already know that kittens are born with their eyes closed and that after 8 days of birth is when they begin to open them. But this does not mean that during this period they will not suffer from this type of condition. In this type of case it is common to notice one or both eyes swollen. If we proceed to apply light pressure on them, we will see them come out of them and that when they dry they will form crusts. It is recommended to clean this type of scab with gauze or cotton that is already in physiological solution or even with warm water.
It is vitally important that you seek help from a veterinarian to prevent this infection, which is normally caused by the herpesvirus, from damaging your feline friend's eye. In order to counteract this condition, the treatment will consist of antibiotics. This drug will be applied by gently separating the cat's eyelids, since the eye will not open completely. In this way, it is necessary to take extreme care of the cat's hygiene, since this type of disease is usually very virulent. If you are wondering what you can clean your infected cat's eye with, then we will explain it to you below.
How to Clean Infected Eyes
First of all, long before you apply antibiotic treatment to your cat's eye, you must clean the eye for this treatment to take effect. The eye must be completely clean and for this you will need the following materials:
Cotton
This must always remain moist at the time of use, so that in this way it does not leave hair or gauze, since it can cause much more allergy to the feline. You must bear in mind that you should not clean both eyes with the same cotton or gauze, each one must take special care.
Physiological serum
Water usually works, either cold or if there are cases where the scabs do not come off easily, you should proceed to warm and clean the affected area with it.
smooth paper
It is also recommended to use gauzes to dry the treated eye. Since, if it is not dried properly and the treatment is applied, it will not provide the expected results and the objective will not be achieved.
Transmission
This medicine, which will be an antibiotic previously prescribed by the veterinarian, should be applied only and exclusively when the cat's eye is completely clean. This cleaning should be done every time the eye is dirty, with pus or long before the treatment is to be applied.
How to Clean Infected Eyes on a Baby Cat
Before you begin cleaning your infected cat's eye, your cat should remain calm. We can achieve it if he wraps himself in a towel leaving only his head uncovered, while we immobilize him with our chest. And with our hands we proceed to grab his head, you must bear in mind that all our movements must be smooth and not sudden that they can alter our feline.
We must have all the materials to use at hand, so that in this way we do not let go of the cat. First we must moisten the cotton or gauze with serum or water. After this we will proceed to pass the gauze or cotton through the eye from the inside to the outside, repeat this several times. Or until it is necessary to remove the crusts, in case this does not happen we can warm the solution. Leave the wet gauze or cotton for a minute on the scabs, so that they soften and are much easier to remove. We must bear in mind that we cannot rub as it may cause a wound.
We will pass the cotton or gauze until the area is completely clean, as mentioned before, we must use new materials for the other eye and repeat what was explained above. After this, we proceed to apply the antibiotic prescribed by the veterinarian, we must dry the excess of this. An important fact to keep in mind is that the antibiotic must be applied for the period of time indicated by the veterinarian and the same as cleaning.
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