kitty eye infections ..... tough to beat!

[kimlovescats]

My poor Tucker has an eye infection that has come and gone off and on for the past couple of months!!! It will be in one eye, then the other, then both! Right now it is in both again!!! My vet gave me some Terramycin ointment ... and it works ... but the darn things keep coming back a week or two later!!! Luckily my sweet boy is used to having me put goop in his eyes, and he doesn't hold a grudge!

I have read online that eye infections are very common in cats, and not of great concern provided they are treated. Any suggestions of what else to do to prevent or clear up these nasty things!!!?

[Barbara]

I have no idea. Filou had it 2 times, 2 years ago and a year ago. I was glad because the antibiotic ointment helped. It was always a drama to get in to the eye.

[jenluckenbach]

no advice here, sorry, but a lot of get well vibes for sweet Tucker,

[marysmerrycats]

how is Tucker now? is the eye infection feline herpes? my cats had that, caught it from Patches, and boy do I know how hard it is to get eye infections to heal !

[Russian Blue]

I don't have any experience, but found a good link with info.

Eye Problems in Cats

Hope Tucker is feeling better.

My Maya had an eye infection in Autumn. As soon as it was over in one eye, it started in the other one...
I kept putting ointment in her eyes, and cleaned her eyes as often as possible. After at least 5 weeks, it was over, and it hasn't come back since.
Be sure to keep your cats' eyes clean; use kleenex for that.
Success!

this is about Maya :
Maya looks with one eye now
Oh Maya, now it's the other eye!

[kimlovescats]

Thank you for the encouragment ... I guess we will beat this in time! Like you, I LOVE Tucker's pretty eyes, and now they are squinted all the time! Poor baby!!!

[carole]

good luck with treating the eye infection i think just keep putting the ointment in for some period of time is the only way to get rid of them, my sooti used to have trouble with it, and i notice little lexie has not any eye infection but gets mess in her eyes, where as ash never does, maybe black cats are prone to it who knows, i am starting with saline solution with her straight away so no infection has a chance to get in there, anyways keep on with the battle hope u win

[smokey the elder]

Smokey the Younger had a scratch that turned into a really stubborn eye infection. First she was on cipro (waste of money), then chloramphenicol (didn't work), finally a penicillin derivative with a steroid.

When using ointment, my vet recommended and I followed the following practice:

1. First clean the eye with warm water.
2. Put in the meds, not letting the tube tip touch. If you can get the meds on the inside if the loose upper eyelid, blinking will distribute it.
3. Clean the tip of the tube with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.

Good luck! Eye infections are the pits (along with URI, UTI, and anything else that requires dosing a cat!!)

[kittykay]

When we adopted Archie (4 year old male Siamese) three years ago from the Humane Society, he came to us with an upper respiratory infection and a stubborn eye infection. After treating his eyes with antibiotics and failing to clear up the infection, my husband took his boy to a veterinary ophthalmologist, who said that it was a viral infection rather than a bacterial one. He recommended L-Lysine, which is an over-the-counter vitamine supplement that is supposed to build up the body's defenses against viruses. It worked, and Archie's been free from infection ever since.

[Cinnamon2002]

Does anyone know if these would be able to spread to humans??
My cat has an infection and I now have one that looks just like his! I just really noticed it today when I was rubbign my eye a lot.


Cinnamon

[QueenScoopalot]

Originally posted by Cinnamon2002
Does anyone know if these would be able to spread to humans??
My cat has an infection and I now have one that looks just like his! I just really noticed it today when I was rubbign my eye a lot.


Cinnamon

Conjunctivitis is very contagious! I'd get your kitty to the vets, and you to the doctors for ointment for you both. I had it terrible a few years back, and ended up rubbing my eyes while I was sleeping to the point I go a huge blood blister on my eye. Always wash your hands after getting near your cats eyes....it's too easy to accidently rub your eye after.

[sugarpaws]

I agree with kittykay.
our boy Sammy has eye herpes and while we treated him with antibiotics, the infection reoccured - we put him on the Lysine and it helped tremendously. his eyes have been clear for months.
our girl takes it also and it has helped with her athma attacks!!!