Some ophthalmological (eye) diseases can cause irreparable harm to a pet’s body and cause death. If you notice characteristic symptoms, is this a reason to think about what to do if your cat has a swollen eye?
What to pay attention to
Not all changes can be noticed by taking a quick glance at the cat. A daily examination of your pet will help prevent not only eye disease, but also many other pathologies. Do this while brushing and petting your cat.
Cats have very large, expressive eyes. They always strive to consider everything new. This could be either new furniture or a new person in the house. When you enter the room, the cat immediately turns its gaze to you. Don't miss a moment, look at your pet's eyes. You should be wary if you see the following changes:
- the eyelid has increased in size;
- the cornea is swollen;
- Fluid accumulates in the corners of the eyes;
- the iris and pupil became cloudy and whitish;
- the eyelid is in an unnatural position;
- the eye is red and swollen;
- The third eyelid (nictitating membrane) covers most of the eye.
Causes of development of inflammatory eye diseases
Clinicians identify the main etiological factors of eye diseases
:
- contact of an infectious agent (virus, bacteria, fungi) on the surface of the conjunctiva with dirty hands, when swimming in contaminated bodies of water;
- hematogenous spread of pathogenic microorganisms from foci of chronic infection;
- prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation (including “snow blindness”);
- allergic reactions to medications, pollen;
- eye fatigue, constant work at the computer;
- injuries, ingress of foreign objects;
- irritating effects of smoke, atmospheric pollutants, chemical reagents.
Causes of eye disease
Less common causes of eye disease
: long-term wearing of contact lenses, metabolic disorders, vitamin A deficiency, endocrine diseases, atherosclerotic and other vascular lesions of the eyeball.
The most common diseases
The eyes are an extremely delicate organ. A cat can damage them after an unsuccessful jump or another street fight with representatives of its species.
Important! If you are sure that the cat suffered an eye injury after a walk, examine the rest of the body. Your pet could be the victim of a rabid animal. Rabies can be fatal within a few days. Moreover, your pet can infect you. Contact the specialists!
The cause of such changes in the functioning of the cat’s visual organs can be infections and hereditary diseases. If you have even slight suspicions, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Perhaps the disease is in its early stages, and treatment will not take much effort or money.
Causes of swollen eyes in cats:
- mechanical injuries;
- allergy;
- contact of foreign objects with the mucous membrane of the eye;
- conjunctivitis;
- glaucoma, cataract;
- change in the position of the eyelid;
- infectious, viral disease;
- tumor.
Injuries
Traumatic swelling of the eyes can be seen in active cats after another unsuccessful acrobatic performance or after a comic fight with a fellow cat. Very often, adult kittens, when flirting, get a paw in the eye from their older comrades. Cats are smart animals that know how to calculate strength. Don't worry, if the swelling and redness are slight, the eye will recover after a while.
Cold compresses can help facilitate recovery. Add foods and food that contain vitamin A to your cat's menu. It helps speed up regenerative processes.
Monitor the changes: if your cat begins to secrete copious amounts of fluid and the tumor continues to grow, contact your veterinarian immediately. Such symptoms are observed when the cornea is damaged. Without timely intervention, this leads to partial loss of vision.
Allergy
We are what we eat. This aphorism can also be applied to our smaller brothers. If you don’t know what to do if your cat’s eye is swollen, try to find the cause in his diet. A new food, an exotic type of meat, one of your pet plants - all this can cause an allergic reaction in a cat. Consult your veterinarian, he will analyze your cat’s diet and help you create a diet.
Allergic reactions also include swelling after insect bites. Cats are very inquisitive, playful animals. They often play with flying insects. Wasps and bees can also be a source of entertainment for a playful kitten. The result is a swollen eye for several days. To reduce itching and burning at the bite site, apply cold compresses.
Foreign objects
If you find a foreign object in your cat's eye, think twice before removing it yourself. One careless movement can cause your pet to lose the ability to see. Do not poke into the eye with bare hands under any circumstances; use sterile gloves and tweezers. Prepare a solution for rinsing the eye after the procedure. For these purposes, use furatsilin and boiled water.
If the animal is in critical condition, call specialists to your home. In this case, carrying out treatment on your own is extremely risky. Several thousand are not worth the loss of such an important sense organ as vision.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis occurs in a cat's eye due to infection. The main symptoms of this disease are constant discharge of pus and fear of light. Before going to the clinic, experts advise rinsing your eye several times a day to slow down the development of symptoms. For these purposes, use specialized drops, a weak solution of potassium permanganate, boric acid, black tea, and chamomile decoction.
Conjunctivitis is often a symptom of a more serious illness, so consultation with a veterinarian is necessary in any case. The doctor will examine the animal and prescribe the necessary tests.
Glaucoma
A sure sign of glaucoma is a noticeable increase in the size of the eyeball. This occurs due to increased pressure of the eye fluid. To treat this disease, ointments and drops are prescribed. Do not try to choose medications on your own. Your pet may have an individual intolerance.
Cataract
Cataracts are a disease that affects almost all older cats. It is characterized by slight swelling of the eye and clouding of the pupil. If you notice these symptoms, then you no longer have time to think about what to do if your cat has a swollen eye. Immediate surgical intervention is needed. Don't waste time.
Changing the position of the eyelid
This symptom may be a consequence of other ophthalmological diseases. The inversion of the eyelid goes away on its own after some time. To speed up the process, you can use soothing ointments and drops. If the eyelid does not return to its original position after a long time, surgery is performed.
Infection
This concept covers a wide range of causes of redness and swollen eyes in cats. Keep in mind that some infectious animal diseases that are caused by parasites can be transmitted to their owners. Protect the sick animal from people with weak immune systems and children. Visit your veterinarian regularly. Constant surveillance allows you to track the dynamics of the disease and provide effective treatment.
Tumor
Feel around the cat's eye. If there is a solid formation there, this is a reason to sound the alarm. Pets are not immune to tumor development. The sooner you contact a veterinarian, the better the chance that the tumor will not have to be removed surgically.
How to treat?
When a cat's visual organs are swollen and lumps appear above the eye, it is important to take him to the veterinarian. Self-treatment can cause serious harm to your pet's health. The treatment regimen is selected by the veterinarian depending on what disease has been diagnosed. If the problem is minor and swelling is observed due to inflammation of the mucous membrane, it is recommended to resort to a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide. Dip a cotton swab into the liquid and gently wipe the cat's eyelids.
You can treat a cat using Furacilin solution. Medicinal herbs, for example, sage and chamomile, will also come to the rescue. They have a bactericidal effect, help relieve swelling and stop inflammatory processes. If the cat is calm, veterinarians from the Zovet clinic recommend using a cold compress. It should be applied to the affected organ, which will eliminate pain and swelling.
What to do if your cat has a swollen eye?
A swollen eye can easily frighten an impressionable owner; he will not know what to do. If a cat's eye is swollen, you should never poke your fingers into it. Carefully take the animal's head and position it so that the eye is clearly visible. Don't forget to pay attention to whether the cat can see. This can be easily determined by shining a bright light into the swollen eye: the pupil should narrow.
Any responsible breeder should practice disease prevention. The pet needs to be vaccinated, monitor its diet, examine it every day, and groom the cat. Do not self-medicate, pay attention to the slightest changes in the behavior and general condition of the cat’s body. It is better to go to a veterinary clinic for a preventive examination than to lose a pet due to your own carelessness.
Injury
If your cat is active, plays a lot, runs and jumps, then the eye may be swollen due to a bruise. And if your pet is very warlike, then most likely he could get damaged in a fight. In any case, you definitely won’t be able to find out on your own, because the cat won’t be able to tell you that it took part in the fight for territory. And cats don't bruise.
If your kitten is acting restless, or you notice swelling, redness or tears, then he is most likely damaged. Cold compresses can help in this case.
Feed your cat food rich in vitamin A, which speeds up the regeneration and restoration of the skin.
If the amount of tear secretions increases, then you should not delay visiting the veterinarian, since during a fight the cat could damage the cornea of the eye. Without timely treatment, your pet may lose the injured eye.
Reference
In almost 60% of cases of conjunctivitis infection, symptoms appear in only one eye, and after a few days the second eye is involved in the process.
When the first symptoms are detected, to alleviate the condition, you need to provide the animal with rest in a room with dim light, and also rinse the eyes with an antiseptic solution. Next, contact a veterinarian to make a correct diagnosis, conduct diagnostics and prescribe treatment.
There is also a risk for humans of contracting conjunctivitis from a cat.
Preventive procedures
If there is no obvious problem at the moment, you can use the recommendations for prevention. A warm decoction of medicinal plants, which are also intended for humans, drops that do not contain an antibiotic, or green tea are suitable for this.
If your cat's eyes are watery due to an infectious disease confirmed by a veterinarian, then tetracycline ointment can be used.
To treat bacterial infections, “Diamond Eyes” drops or some of their analogues are used.
Kinds
Swelling of the upper eyelid can be of three types: inflammatory, non-inflammatory and allergic .
Inflammatory
Inflammation during edema occurs with any bacterial pathology , accompanied by the accumulation and release of pus.
For your information! Inflammatory processes are caused by the accumulation of such secretions in the glands of the organs of vision. If such symptoms are ignored, serious complications may develop.
Non-inflammatory
Non-inflammatory edema is characterized by less pronounced symptoms , which are most pronounced in the morning.
Most often, this type of swelling is bilateral and affects both organs of vision. The cause of the development of pathology is diseases of the internal organs (in particular the kidneys) or the accumulation of fluid in the periocular area.
Allergic
Allergic swelling occurs due to contact of the mucous membranes of the eye or skin above the eye with allergens of various origins.
If there is direct contact of the allergen with the organ of vision, the development of swelling occurs in the next few minutes.
If the allergen enters the body with food, liquid or medications, such a disorder appears only after a few hours.
This type of pathology is the most severe and is accompanied by a deterioration in the general condition and the occurrence of headaches, while swelling can spread to the entire face.
