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Cat Eye Health and Care
This informative article on cat eye care is not a substitute for a veterinary exam or advice. If your pet has a problem with its eyes, please seek veterinary care as soon as possible.
The cat eye is a very complex system. Many diseases and problems can affect the cat and kitten eye. This information about the feline eye and its care is only aimed at a few to the most common problems that deal with the outer eye and its membranes.
Anatomy of the Outer Cat Eye:
Cornea – The cornea is the outer part of the eye that is normally clear. It is composed of around seven layers of skin that are spread so thin that they become transparent. Normally the cornea does not have vessels that provide nutrients, so it relies on adequate tear production. The cornea is very prone to injury and infection.
Sclera – The sclera is the tough white part of the outer eye. The sclera is so tough it hardly ever gets injured. It does contain blood vessels that you can see run across it. Sometimes, these vessels can burst with minor exertion.
Conjunctiva – The conjunctiva is the normally pink membranous tissue that is attached to the underside of the eyelids and to the sclera. Any type of insult or injury to the feline eye will cause the conjunctiva to become red and enlarged. This is called conjunctivitis.
Third Eyelid – The third eyelid is not easy to visualize in the normal healthy eye. It is a thin membrane that can cover almost the entire outer cat eye starting at the bottom. Causes of it becoming visible include: injury to the cornea, injury to the nerves that innervate the face and eye, fever, illness, or infection of the eye.
Common Conditions Affecting the Cat Eye:
Viral Infection – The most common eye problem in the cat is viral conjunctivitis. Feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus are the two main culprits of viral conjunctivitis in cats. This condition is very contagious and only a small percentage of cats completely eliminate the virus from their body. This means later on in life they can have recurrent episodes of eye inflammation and discharge along with sneezing. During this time they are contagious to other cats. It can be very frustrating in households where there are multiple cats. A secondary bacterial eye infection can also occur as a result of a moderate viral infection.
Bacterial Infection – Chlamydia bacteria is also a cause of eye infection in cats. This is not something that we can catch from cats, but is very contagious to other cats. It is impossible to distinguish between feline herpesvirus and feline Chlamydia bacteria eye infections. They both look the same and cause the same symptoms to the cat eye.
Corneal Injuries – The cornea can be injured by trauma (something scratching the eye) or as a result of an untreated eye infection as mentioned above. If left untreated loss of the eye can result. This is a very serious condition and a veterinarian should always examine the affected eye. Corneal injuries can cause different symptoms. Usually the cat will be squinting the eye and the cornea will have a bluish tint to it. Sometimes there will be excessive tearing and conjunctivitis also.
Treatment of Viral and Bacterial Conjunctivitis in Cats
Cat or kitten conjunctivitis from a viral or bacterial infection can be treated with a broad-spectrum eye ointment such as Terramycin. Terramycin is also beneficial because the tetracycline in Terramycin also has an effect on the Chlamydia bacteria. Even in viral conjunctivitis, Terramycin will keep the eye moist and prevent a secondary bacterial infection. A small strip of ointment needs to be applied twice daily in each affected eye for 10 – 14 days.
Treatment of Corneal Ulcers in Cats
Although Terramycin ophthalmic ointment may help a corneal ulcer, it is not advisable to start treatment without a veterinary examination. Corneal ulcers may require surgery and other medicines besides Terramycin in order to cure them.
Prevention of Cat Eye Infections
The best prevention of bacterial and viral conjunctivitis in cats is early vaccinations and routine boosters. Starting at 5 – 7 weeks of age, all kittens need to be vaccinated against feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, and feline Chlamydia. Although vaccination is not 100%, it will greatly reduce the symptoms of the disease process and increase the chance of not having a lifelong infection. It is important to make sure the kittens and cats receive the entire kitten vaccination series and stay up to date on their boosters. Also, when introducing new cats with unknown vaccination histories it is a good idea to have a period of quarantine until those cats can be properly vaccinated.
You can find Terramycin eye ointment and other pet health products and other informative articles at www.ACatDog.com.
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