There many things that can cause redness and irritation of the eye, but cat fanciers want to know how to decide when to seek professional help and what is an emergency.
Corneal injury is common in cats who sometimes even injure their own eyes with their claws. It is something that will require veterinary assistance and needs to be handled quickly. The cornea is a few cell layers thick and injuries can quickly penetrate it and rupture the globe of eye, causing irreparable harm. If your cat seems painful and squints his eye, your vet can apply a special stain that will highlight corneal ulceration or injury and treat aggressively to save your cat’s eye. Don’t delay.
The conjunctiva is the mucous membrane between the globe of the eyeball and the eye socket. It can become inflamed and irritated easily. Things like pollen and dust can serves as irritants that cause redness and itching. Many common viruses and upper respiratory infections can cause marked conjunctivitis also. If your cat’s eyes are both affected and they seem more itchy than painful, you can probably wait for your vet’s regular business hours and skip the animal ER. But if you think there is a possibility for corneal injury or ulceration (these patients squint and act painful when you try to open the eye), don’t delay.
Chemosis is a medical term for severely swollen conjunctiva and sometimes such swelling with actually protrude from beneath the eyelids, making the cat’s eye appear as though it has turned into the pink tissue. The actual eyeball will not be visible beneath the swelling and although it isn’t quite as horrible as it looks, you will still want to see a vet to make sure what is going on.Eyelid lacerations are common also. As with any injury seeking help quickly is the best chance for successful suturing and minimal scarring. Again, if you feel that the eye itself has been injured, don’t delay.
There are other ophthalmic disorders, of course, but some of these are not as obvious to untrained observer. Squinting and light sensitivity are not normal and if you feel there is something wrong with your cat’s eye, odds are you’re correct. Apply common sense if there is pain, bleeding or trauma to the eye or drainage. Don’t try to medicate eyes at home with human medications. This is an area where you can do more harm than good. Let your vet help you or you could cost your cat her eye.
Eyes are precious windows on the world and although your cat would probably cope well with vision loss or even eye loss, it is always better to act quickly and save the eyes when you can.
About The Vet: Dr. Kathryn Primm is a practicing small animal veterinarian. She has consulted on articles for national magazines, done numerous radio interviews and appeared on local television. She has contributed to an article for Prevention magazine and Woman’s Day in Feb 2014 and June 2015 on shelves now.
She has a social media presence on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ and enjoys interaction with others about her passions, animals and communication. She is a regular contributor to Boomeon, the online community which can be found at www.boomeon.com . She has also written a book, Tennessee Tails:Pets and Their People. The book received recognition as Runner Up in the Memoirs category at a national book festival. You can read more about Dr. Primm and how to get the best value for your pet care dollar at her website, www.drprimm.com.