Today, in almost every second family live pets that give joy to their owners. It is important to understand that any animal needs proper care, attention and care from its owner. Cats are incredibly cute creatures that can feel the mood of their owners and adapt to it.
However, keeping them is not as easy as it might seem, since these animals are susceptible to a large number of diseases. One of these is conjunctivitis. This ailment is considered one of the most common. It can develop when foreign objects and infections get into the eyes. Although the pathology does not seem severe, it can lead to various serious problems.
To prevent this, you need to contact your experienced veterinarian on time with your pet. Let's figure out what to do if the cat has conjunctivitis. This article will consider not only effective medications, but also alternative methods with which you can quickly cure your four-legged friend.
The main causes of the disease
This aspect should be given special attention. Before we talk about how to treat conjunctivitis in a cat, let's first understand why it develops. The reasons can be quite a lot, because the animals have a very weak ocular cornea.
The nature of the occurrence of this ailment is as follows:
viral;
-fungal;
bacterial.
To understand how to treat conjunctivitis in a cat, you must first find out what caused its occurrence. Based on this, medications are selected. Determining the cause yourself is difficult, so you should contact your veterinarian. Too long to delay it is impossible, because the disease can develop into a chronic form and periodically manifest itself in the form of relapses.
Symptomatology
How to treat conjunctivitis in a cat at home? Before answering this question, it is necessary to study the symptoms of the disease. Every person who has pets needs to know them. The disease is manifested by characteristic clinical signs.
Among the main ones are:
- Constant lacrimation.
- The animal begins to wash more often than usual.
- Various secretions accumulate on the eyelids.
- In the morning, the pet has stiff eyes.
- A cloudy film forms on the cornea.
- The cat reacts negatively to bright light.
Based on all these symptoms, we can conclude that the animal began inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes.
Diagnostics
Consider how it is carried out. An accurate answer to the question of how to treat conjunctivitis in a cat can be given only by a qualified specialist after an examination. First you need to determine the nature of the disease, and only then pick up any medications. To do this, make a selection of secretions for biochemical analysis. In addition, the veterinarian can also make a preliminary diagnosis by the nature of the discharge.
They may be as follows:
- Serous - with viral and infectious lesions.
- Mucous - with an allergic reaction.
- Purulent - with fungal and bacterial infections.
When an accurate diagnosis is made and the nature of the disease is determined, an appropriate treatment program is selected. How to treat conjunctivitis in a cat in various cases will be described in detail below. You will learn about the most effective ways to quickly restore your pet’s health.
Medications
The treatment of conjunctivitis in a cat at home is possible, but it will not be very effective. To achieve a quick result and make the animal feel better, an integrated approach is required. Therefore, it is better to seek the help of a veterinarian who will select the optimal treatment program.
As a rule, it includes such drugs:
- Painkillers.
- Antibiotics.
- Drops.
- Ointments.
- Corticosteroids.
- Means for washing.
- In some cases, antimicrobials.
If an animal has one eye sour, then both need to be treated. Otherwise, there is a high likelihood of the infection passing to the second eye.
Rinsing
Treatment of conjunctivitis in a cat is best done by a veterinarian. Noticing the first signs of the disease, you need to immediately show the animal to a specialist. In advanced form or with an acute course of the disease, the likelihood of developing many serious complications is high.
But before going to the clinic, you can provide your pet with first aid, which will slightly improve his health. The most effective way will be washing the eyes with herbal decoctions, such as chamomile or calendula. The liquid should not be too hot or cold. You can also use strong black tea for the procedures.
How to wash the eye of a cat with conjunctivitis in order to quickly defeat the ailment? The best option is a solution of furatsilina. To prepare it, you need to dilute 1 gram of the drug into 5 liters of warm boiled water. Some people claim that you can use potassium permanganate, but veterinarians do not advise doing this, because it dries the mucous membrane too much, and at high concentrations it can leave burns.
Another good rinse is boric acid. It is bred with water at the rate of 1/2 teaspoon per 200 milliliters of water. To relieve pain twice a day, two drops of a two percent Novocaine are dripped into each eye. This drug also relieves puffiness.
But do not stop at just washing. Self-medication cannot be carried out, since it can distort the clinical picture, which will negatively affect the results of future therapy.
Antihistamines
How to treat purulent conjunctivitis in a cat? As a rule, it is a consequence of an allergic reaction, therefore, antihistamines are prescribed. Alternatively, they can take measures to improve the affected environment, but taking medications is considered a more effective and gentle treatment.
Among the best medicines can be identified:
- Diphenhydramine. Not only relieves an allergic reaction, but also relieves pain. However, the dosage prescribed by the veterinarian must be strictly adhered to. Otherwise, the animal may die.
- "Diphenhydramine". It has a sedative effect. It is forbidden to give cats during pregnancy and feeding of cubs.
- "Hydroxyzine." One of the best medications for conjunctivitis in animals. Its main advantage is a wide spectrum of action. Pills relieve allergy symptoms, soothe, improve breathing, inhibit vomiting and anesthetize.
- Chlorpheniramine. Used to relieve the intensity of symptoms. It is administered intramuscularly. It is forbidden to use more than three days due to the large number of side effects.
- Clemastine. It has a prolonged action. But do not give it too long, as this can lead to digestive upset and a short-term change in the pet's behavioral factors.
- Pipolzin. Another effective drug that is used to treat allergic conjunctivitis. Among the contraindications, it is possible to distinguish diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver failure and disorders of the central nervous system.
If the cat has conjunctivitis, it is not recommended to start giving antihistamines without first consulting a veterinarian. After all, an ailment can be caused not by an allergic reaction, but by some viruses or fungi.
Drops
This is one of the best methods of treating inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes. Most often, conjunctivitis is treated in a cat with "Albucid". These drops have a wide spectrum of action and are used for the following diseases:
- Blepharitis.
- Keratitis
- Blennorrhea.
- Barley.
- Corneal ulcer.
"Albucid" has a bactericidal effect, so it can also be used to bury the ears in various diseases of bacterial etiology.
The following drops are good analogues:
- "Leopard". A drug of domestic production with high efficiency. Two drops are introduced into each eye from 3 to 5 times a day. The duration of therapy depends on the severity of the course of the disease. The main advantage is the complete absence of contraindications and side effects.
- "Iris". It is produced on the basis of gentamicin, which has a wide spectrum of action. Drops are completely safe even with prolonged use. Among the contraindications, only individual intolerance of the active substance can be distinguished.
- Lacrican. If the cat has severe conjunctivitis, then you can try these drops. They have a bactericidal effect and have a wide spectrum of action. According to the reviews of many veterinarians and pet owners, with their help, you can defeat many pathologies of viral origin in just 2 weeks.
- Phloxal. Although these drops are human, they can also be used to treat conjunctivitis in pets. The drug has a bactericidal and antibacterial effect, practically has no contraindications and side effects.
Using the drops listed above for treating conjunctivitis in a cat at home, you can not only ease the pet’s well-being, but also defeat the disease in just a few days. In addition, veterinarians advise periodically to drip pets eyes in order to prevent the development of a number of pathologies.
Ointments
As mentioned earlier, treatment of conjunctivitis in a cat should be comprehensive. Together with medicines and drops, it is recommended to use ointments. It is best to apply them with cotton buds after washing the eyes. Before use, sticks should be doused with boiling water.
Among the best, the following funds can be distinguished:
- Tetracycline ointment. It can be purchased at any pharmacy. The tool has virtually no contraindications and has a wide spectrum of action. It is applied directly to the eyelid under the eyes 2-3 times a day for 7 days.
- Erythromycin ointment. It has an antimicrobial and antiparasitic effect. The drug belongs to the group of antibiotics designed to increase the protective functions of the body. The active substance has a detrimental effect on the vast majority of pathogenic microorganisms.
- Mizofen. It is produced on the basis of a broad-spectrum antibiotic. It is prescribed for conjunctivitis of viral and bacterial origin. It has no side effects, but can not be used with hypersensitivity to any of the components that make up the ointment.
- "Optimmoon." An ointment intended for the treatment of various eye diseases. According to the instructions, it has no side effects and contraindications. It has antimicrobial and immunosuppressive effects.
- Conjunctivin. The drug effectively copes with any form of conjunctivitis and almost never causes side effects. The ointment quickly removes edema, inflammation and pain, which positively affects the entire treatment. It contains antibiotics that inhibit the vital activity of harmful microorganisms.
If the cat does not pass conjunctivitis for 2 weeks or more, then it is worth stopping the treatment and show it to the veterinarian. This may be due to improperly selected ointment, so some adjustments will have to be made to the treatment program.
Folk methods
Many people are interested in the question of whether there are any folk ways to treat conjunctivitis in a cat at home. Undoubtedly, in traditional medicine there are a huge number of different recipes, but they can only be used as an auxiliary measure aimed at relieving symptoms and improving the well-being of a sick animal.
It is recommended to periodically rinse the eyes with a decoction of chamomile. This should be done very carefully, as the pet will behave uneasily and may be injured. It is best to carry out the procedure together, so that one person holds the cat in his arms, and the second performs the necessary manipulations. In the prepared medicine, it is required to moisten a cotton swab, and then with its help carefully remove the plaque from the eyelids.
Also well established broth of eyebright. To prepare it, you need to add 3 tablespoons of dry grass to 500 milliliters of water, after which bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and let it brew for 30 minutes. When the product has cooled, you can start washing.
With severe puffiness, essential almond oil helps well. It is dripped one or two drops in each eye of the animal 2-3 times a day. The tool is completely safe and can be combined with any medications. However, it is worth noting that self-medication should be handled with extreme caution, since it can cause an exacerbation of the disease and lead to many negative consequences.
Preventive actions
Conjunctivitis is a contagious disease that quickly spreads from one animal to another. To protect your pet, you must adhere to the following tips:
- Periodically give medications for worms.
- Provide the animal with comfortable conditions.
- Every six months show the cat to the vet.
- Give vitamin supplements to strengthen immunity.
- Make sure that the hair does not get into the eyes of the pet.
If the animal has conjunctivitis, then you need to immediately begin to rinse your eyes with a decoction of chamomile. It is necessary to show the animal to the veterinarian. If this is not possible, you can drip into the eyes any drops created on the basis of silver. If, after all the measures taken, the disease continues to progress, then in this case it is necessary to find the opportunity and show the pet to a qualified veterinarian.
Expert Advice
In conjunctivitis, the treatment program is selected individually for each animal. This takes into account many criteria, among which the main is the etiology and form of the disease. Veterinarians recommend contacting the clinic for help immediately after discharge of eye discharge from their four-legged friends.
Together with the main treatment program, it is advisable to drip eyes with drugs that have an analgesic effect. They will improve the health of the cat. Then he will behave more calmly and will provide an opportunity to carry out medical manipulations. Also, to maintain immunity, the animal should undergo a course of vitamin therapy.
Conclusion
This article described in detail how to cure conjunctivitis in a cat. It is worth noting that this disease is very serious. It is not always easily amenable to therapy, therefore it is better not to delay it, but to contact a clinic immediately. If you value your pet, you need to show it to the veterinarian at least twice a year and carry out preventive measures. This will reduce the incidence. Then the animal will certainly be in a playful mood. It always pleases owners and cheers them up.