Pets become members of the family, go through difficulties, sorrow and joy with people, they love the owners because they simply eat. When a disease occurs, a person is obliged to provide help and relieve the ailment. It seems that the cat just ran around the apartment, played and frolic, but suddenly became less active, began to meow, hide in secluded places. This behavior indicates that the animal is bothering something. Most often, cats have eye diseases, so pay attention to their condition in the first place.
We will deal with this ailment
In modern veterinary medicine, doctors distinguish two of its types: inflammation of the eyeball and the disease of the eyelid. The causes and symptoms of eye diseases in cats are many. Let's consider some of them:
- Mechanical damage. If the animal is street, then most likely it is in contact with other cats. An example is a fight, which usually ends in numerous injuries. During the battle, eyes are more likely to suffer. The main symptoms of injury include: redness, swelling of the eyeball itself and the area around it. Most often it is the eyelid that is damaged. Scratches and cuts bleed. If you do not provide assistance on time, do not treat the inflamed area, then this can lead to sad consequences.
- Inflammation of the inner and third centuries. There are two stages of the disease. The first is edema, accompanied by purulent discharge. The cat begins to injure the inflamed area, combing the sore spot, trying to wash it with his tongue. Aggressive environment enters the eye and leads to the second stage - severe redness and deep festering wound.
- Consider the third reason. These are various infectious diseases. These include conjunctivitis, keratoconjunctivitis, iritis, keratitis and blepharitis. We will talk about them later, the symptoms of each infection are individual and are considered directly based on the type of disease.
- The last reason eye problems can occur is tumors. Indeed, unfortunately, they are no less common in cats than in humans. The first symptom is the appearance of severe swelling, not only the eyeball is swollen, but also the space around it. Sometimes the size of the tumor reaches impressive dimensions. The cat is tormented, her temperature rises. Cancer develops gradually, over time, the pet loses activity, appetite, and subsequently weight. Photosensitivity appears, the animal tries to hide its muzzle in a darker place.
If all these manifestations are found, the loving owner must take his cat to the veterinary clinic, where she will be examined and provided first aid. Below are the eye diseases in cats with photos so that you can provide first aid, based on your own knowledge.
Causes of conjunctivitis
If the owner began to notice that the cat had discharge from the eyes, it constantly scratches them, then this is not a good sign. The treatment and causes of eye disease in cats depend on where the disease originates from. When it comes to conjunctivitis, the following are most often distinguished:
- allergy to flowering plants or fungi (mold), household or decorative chemicals;
- foreign bodies;
- mechanical damage;
- infectious diseases.
The main symptoms of conjunctivitis in a pet:
- fundus inflammation;
- and places around the eyes;
- the appearance of pus;
- tear flow;
- redness;
- reaction to light;
- cloudy film.
We continue the description of the disease of eye disease in cats. So, they also distinguish: changes in behavior, the appearance of apathy, loss of activity, unexpected reactions to the owner, squinting and closing of the eye completely.
Conjunctivitis is a serious inflammation of the eyes, and it can not be treated with various folk remedies. A warm tea solution will help relieve only the first symptoms, but will not be effective in the later stages of the disease. It is important to contact your veterinarian, who leads the animal, as soon as possible, because the cat, feeling discomfort, will begin to comb its eyes and try to crawl out, thereby provoking a new inflammation.
Certainly, inflammation is the cause of eye disease in cats, but it contributes to the mechanical damage and infection that the cat reintroduces into the wound. Just think how many bacteria are on her pads of paws and wool. If the cat is active, then it does not miss a single corner, where dust often accumulates. Sometimes she can pick up something from the floor and eat, and then, with a dirty tongue, lick her paw to wash her eyes. Therefore, it is worthwhile to monitor the behavior of the pet and try to avoid additional contact until the inflammation passes.
Conjunctivitis treatment
Those remedies that are good for treating this disease in humans are not always effective for cat eyes. But if there is a solution of albucide in your medicine cabinet, it will significantly alleviate the suffering of the pet, relieve swelling and begin to fight with the pathogenic environment that injures the animal’s eye. Tetracycline ointment will also help the kitten in the fight against unpleasant symptoms. You need to use these funds, like people, twice a day, until complete recovery.
In the veterinary pharmacy you can buy special products that are prescribed by the doctor after the examination. All doses are aimed specifically at treating the disease in cats and will be more effective for them. All preventive measures that a person can take to avoid this problem again, is to remove all household chemicals and cosmetics in places closed from cats. Get rid of plants that cause allergies, carry out wet cleaning as often as possible, remove mold fungi. A major role is played by the pet's nutrition, which also needs to be normalized.
Keratoconjunctivitis, as a form of conjunctivitis
Keratoconjunctivitis is a type of conjunctivitis that is also called dry eye. If you notice that the cat has yellow discharge around the eye, then you should consult a doctor. This is one of the symptoms of the disease that is most dangerous for your pet, as the lack of telepathy leads to blindness.
The causes of this ailment are many. These are mechanical damages - dust, sand, dirt, and infection entering the lacrimal canals of the eyes - the pathogenic environment of herpes and other viruses.
The treatment of this disease is different from ordinary conjunctivitis. To relieve the pet of suffering, they use drugs based on antibacterial and antifungal agents. The drugs are quite expensive, prescribed only by a specialist. Therefore, immediately take your pet to a veterinarian who will help cope with the disease.
Irit before our eyes
This is one of the most common ailments of the iris. Inflammation of the latter as well as the ciliary edge of the eye are symptoms of cat eye disease. The infection appears after a viral disease or mechanical damage to the eye.
The symptomatology of this disease has a very vivid clinical picture. If the pet has severe lacrimation, the iris of the eye becomes yellow, and the pupil is constantly narrowed, then this may be the first symptoms of iritis. And also, if the cat has photophobia, purulent discharge from the inside of the eye, then this can also be symptoms of the disease.
In order to diagnose iritis and relieve the cat from pain through treatment, it is enough to pass an analysis (smears).
The next rule. First of all, ensure a comfortable cat stay. Set up a warm place for her, use bedding or a small blanket. Place a tray, drinking bowl, and feeder near. Speaking of nutrition, exclude meat from the human table, various sausages and special treats for cats from the diet.
Treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian. A set of measures also includes hypoallergenic and dietary nutrition, and thorough care. After discharge, observe sanitary standards. For first aid, instill a diluted solution of atropine, novocaine, hydrocortisone. A mild antibiotic is suitable. Providing a pet with cosiness and care will bear fruit and very soon the animal will recover.
Keratitis in a cat
It is one of the ophthalmic diseases. The cause of the appearance may be mechanical damage, for example, a hit on a hard surface or the ingress of dust and dirt. The disease sometimes goes away with infectious inflammation. If a cat has a cold, then its immune system will not be able to cope with elementary conjunctivitis, which, in turn, becomes keratitis. Sometimes a genetic predisposition acts as a symptom of eye disease in cats, when a kitten is born immediately with eye inflammation.
You need to start treatment as soon as you find symptoms. These include clouding of part of the cornea (rough-matte). Most often, the symptom is observed immediately in both eyes. There is also a flow of lymph, which can be confused with tears. And the main symptom is photosensitivity. The kitten hides his head when a bright light appears.
How to treat the symptoms of eye diseases in cats, only the doctor will tell, because the degree of keratitis can vary significantly. Treatment for cat eye disease depends on the severity of the inflammation. Sometimes, cats have ulcerative keratitis, which can lead to complete blindness. If treatment is not provided on time, then amputation of the eye or corneal plastic is possible.
Having found these symptoms, immediately take the kitten to the veterinary clinic with your mother. Timely treatment will save the cat not only from painful symptoms and photophobia, but also leave the possibility of a healthy existence without deplorable consequences.
Inflammation of the nasolacrimal canal
A terrible disease. Obstruction of the nasolacrimal canal in cats is a pathology that can be caused by a host of reasons. The disease itself is not so terrible as its consequences. If the cat is actively secreted by tears and there is no subsequent treatment, this can lead not only to stagnation of tears, but also to damage to the skin and coat, eczema, loss of eyes and chronic conjunctivitis.
The causes of inflammation of the lacrimal canals are many. This includes the ingress of foreign bodies, infectious ailments, neoplasms, environmental irritation and allergies. You can see cats eye disease in the photo.
It is important to find the root cause and make the correct diagnosis. This can only be done after examining a doctor. In order to diagnose this disease, you do not need to have a lot of knowledge in the field of veterinary medicine. If you observe that a clear fluid is intensely secreted by a cat, which leaves lacrimal paths on the hair, then this is nothing more than a clogging of the lacrimal canal. Sometimes the disease is accompanied by a discharge of a greenish or yellowish fluid from the nose. You should immediately consult a doctor!
Treatment is provided only by a veterinarian ophthalmologist. No folk remedies can save the cat from inflammation of the nasolacrimal canal. Prevention is proper, clean nutrition, care, compliance with sanitary standards in the apartment, as well as regular inspection by a veterinarian.
Panophthalmit Description
This is the most serious disease. It is accompanied by profuse discharge, inflammation of the fundus of the apple and the area around the eye.
The cause of the disease is an eyeball injury. The disease occurs due to a transmitted infection, which gets into the eye and begins to actively develop, causing acute pain and pus. Appears in the event of an injury, for example, after an animal has cast its eye on a rusty nail, dirty stone or wire.
Panophthalmitis treatment
The disease causes inflammation of the eye. The symptoms include not the presence of pus and puffiness, but opacification of the eyeball. The cat ceases to see, the iris opens with a dense white shell, through which nothing is visible. Sometimes red inflamed vessels are observed on top of the membrane.
In order to cure an animal, it must be sent to a hospital where a comprehensive treatment will be provided. In case of refusal to observe, the animal loses sight, after which infection of all tissues in the body begins and a fatal outcome occurs. Therefore, it is better to be more attentive to the health of the pet and to provide the right treatment in time.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma of the front of the eye occurs from increased intraocular pressure. Two main forms are distinguished: primary (non-hereditary) and secondary. The first is quite rare in domestic cats. The reason for its appearance can be understood from the name.
Secondary arises as a result of a lens disease, inflammation of nerve tissue. The first signs are cat blindness, lacrimation and redness. Diagnosis in the early stages is possible only thanks to an ophthalmologist who can measure intraocular pressure. Treatment is provided with antiseptic and pressure-lowering drugs.