Why are my kitten's eyes watering?

Allergic rhinitis - what is it?

Allergic rhinitis (popularly called “hay fever”) is an inflammation of the nasal mucosa due to various allergens. Determining that it is allergic rhinitis ( runny nose
) is quite simple: if a person does not have signs of inflammation, but has symptoms of rhinitis, then most likely it is hay fever. Sometimes it is almost impossible to understand which allergen causes rhinitis, because the patient is sensitive to several groups of allergens at once (polysensitization). In this case, you need to immediately visit a doctor so that he can prescribe the correct treatment, since just removing certain allergens may not be enough.

Corneal ulcer

This is an inflammation of the cornea, accompanied by its defect.

Symptoms:

- Squinting (blepharospasm)

- Watery or purulent discharge, pain.

— You may notice a roughness, indentation, or whitish spot on the surface of the cornea.

Treatment:

Depending on the severity of the process:

1. Medication (antibiotics, keratoprotectors, etc.)

2. Surgical.

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What to treat: allergy medications

During the period of illness, it is first recommended to carry out non-medicinal measures, such as eliminating allergens (removal):

Group of pollen allergens. It is necessary to keep windows and doors closed indoors and in the car, limit your time outside, use air conditioning indoors, and take a shower or bath after every walk.
Mold spores. Doctors recommend cleaning rooms frequently, cleaning air humidifiers and hoods, using fungicides, and maintaining indoor humidity at about 50%.
House ticks and cockroaches. It is important to remove all carpeting, replace them with wooden floors or laminate, choose leather sofas, wash bed linen once a week in hot water (60°C and above), and clean with a special vacuum cleaner with a built-in HEPA filter and a dust container with thick walls. At the same time, it is important to remove the root cause - insects using chemicals and insecticides for baiting insects, as well as carry out preventive treatment of residential premises. At this time, it is better for the allergy sufferer to stay in another room until the chemicals have completely evaporated.
Allergens from animals. Limit the presence of an animal with allergies, bathe the animal weekly, and use HEPA filters.
Food allergens. They appear in young children on certain types of food and should be excluded from the diet.

The following medications are used in treatment: nasal corticosteroids (hormonal sprays that help relieve swelling), decongestants, antihistamines, moisturizers, vasoconstrictor drugs. Sometimes for severe rhinitis, a procedure such as desensitization (specific immunotherapy) is performed. Each of these types of treatment has its own characteristics.

Nasal corticosteroids such as beclomethasone and fluticasone relieve swelling. They are used 1 or 2 times a day (the daily dose is determined by the doctor).

Decongestants include acrivastine, ebastine, cetirizine, promethazine, loratadine, and others. They block the release of inflammatory and allergic mediators, have antiallergic, antipruritic, decongestant and sedative effects.

Antihistamines come in 1st and 2nd generation; 2nd generation medications are used more often because they are more harmless. In addition, these drugs are divided into nasal (azelastine, levocabastine) and those used for the conjunctival sac (azelastine, olopatadine, epinastine, emedastine, ketotifen, olopatadine).

Structure and functions of the cornea of the eye

The cornea looks like a concave-convex natural lens. This section of the eye is up to 10 mm in diameter.

The structure of the cornea is represented by 5 layers:

anterior (integumentary)
, consisting of epithelial cells, providing protection to this part of the eye from damage;
Bowman's membrane
, which helps the cornea maintain its shape;
stroma
, formed by collagen fibers and leukocytes, making the cornea of the eyes quite strong;
Descemet's
, which increases the cornea's resistance to harmful factors;
posterior (endothelial)
, supplying the cornea with nutrients.

The cornea performs several important functions - it participates in the process of light refraction, protects the eye from injury, and maintains the normal shape of the eyeball. If its transparency deteriorates, a sharp deterioration in vision occurs, requiring immediate eye treatment.

External factors of tearing eyes

In addition to internal reasons associated with diseases and features of the anatomical structure of the visual analyzer, there are external factors that increase tear production. Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups. The first is foreign objects trapped under the eyelid. A cat cannot always remove specks, dust, and dirt on its own. Sharp objects can mechanically injure the eye. If foreign particles linger on the mucous membrane, they cause itching, redness, and inflammation. Increased tear production in such a situation is a physiological reaction of the body. The liquid helps to wash out foreign matter.

The second group of irritants does not reach the mucous membrane directly. Tear secretion begins under the influence of volatile compounds contained in the air. The reason may be the aromatization of the room, chopping onions, the release of an increased amount of natural gas, smoke from cigarettes or a fire. There is no need to treat the cat, just rinse the eyes with saline solution.

How to put drops in a cat's eyes

Dropping medicine into your cat's eyes is quite simple. The pet is picked up and soothed by stroking. Then the cat is placed on its knees with its back down, the paws are fixed by an assistant, but you can carefully wrap it in thick fabric, leaving only the head outside.

The eyes are cleansed of pus and other secretions using cleansing lotions and drops (Cliny, YUGI, EYE Cleaner, etc.). To do this, they are dropped into the eyes and then removed with a cotton swab or gauze.

The lower eyelid is carefully pulled down, and with the other hand the required number of drops is applied to the mucous membrane. After treatment, the pet must be held in your arms to prevent it from scratching its eyes.

IMPORTANT! Any eye treatment is carried out in the direction from the outer corner to the nose. Thanks to this, the discharge will not remain on the mucous membrane.

Morning tears

The normal scenario for the formation of discharge is that a kitten’s eye runs in the morning or, especially at a young age, after a nap. During rest, all vital processes enter a passive phase, tear production slows down, the fluid becomes more viscous, and clots may even form.

Awakening activates the withdrawal of these substances, which cleanse the body of unnecessary elements.

If your kitten's eyes are watery in the morning, you can give him a small rinse with a hygienic solution at home. At the same time, the crusts in the corners of the eyes are carefully removed and the pathways for new tears that are clogged by them are opened.

Causes of lacrimation in cats and dogs

Excessive tearing is not normal. This condition can be caused due to the following reasons:

The most common reason why a cat's eyes water is due to physical discomfort. These can be foreign bodies - dust, sand, plant seeds. There may be irritating substances - smoke, chemical solutions. If a foreign body gets into the animal's eyes, the normal physiological reaction will be a copious secretion of tear fluid, which will wash the foreign body out of the eye. And once it is completely removed and there is no damage to the eye, the tearing will quickly stop. The goal has been achieved - the body has gotten rid of a foreign body that has gotten inside the eye, for example, a speck of dust or a hair.
Another reason why a dog's eyes are very watery may be a deformation or change in the condition of the tear duct. This can occur as a result of congenital pathology of the canal, or it can also happen after mechanical injury to the eyes. The reason why a dog's eyes are watery may also be an inflammatory process. When an inflammatory process occurs (conjunctivitis), even blockage of the tear duct may occur. This provokes the release of a large amount of tear fluid. In this case, you will observe that the animal’s eyes have turned red, and the tear has become cloudy and has a yellowish or greenish tint.
If your dog's eyes are watery or your cat's eyes are watery and purulent , the animal is most likely developing an eye infection. In this case, you need to show your cat or dog to a veterinary clinic specialist to find out why your pet’s eyes are watering , what caused the inflammatory process and how to treat it . Eye infections can cause irreversible consequences - the animal can go blind or lose its visual organs, so it is necessary to immediately begin proper therapy. And this, as you know, can only be done by an experienced veterinarian. Infections - the most common in cats - are herpesvirus infection, chlamydia, toxoplasmosis. In dogs, infectious diseases rarely manifest as inflammation of the eyes.
Allergy. If you notice that your cat is sneezing and its eyes are watery , this is most likely due to an allergy. Take a closer look at your pet. You will probably notice how the animal tries to rub its eyes with its paw, thereby exposing them to additional injury. Remember, one of the main symptoms of an allergy is that your cat's eyes become very watery and experience constant itching in the eye area.
Anatomical defects are most commonly seen in dogs. These include inversion and eversion of the eyelids and distichiasis (double row of eyelashes). Typically, these pathologies are specific to certain breeds of dogs, but can occur in dogs of any breed. Spitz often as a result of eyelashes and fur often growing incorrectly in their eye area, causing constant discomfort and irritation. In cats, these ophthalmological disorders are much less common than in dogs, but this can also happen. When inverted, the eyelashes are in close contact with the cornea, scratching and “cutting” it. As a result, the same inflammation and swelling develops, and the organ often becomes severely festered. When eversion occurs, the “insides” of the eyelids dry out, crack, and therefore become inflamed and swollen.
Such a pathology as a violation of the outflow of tears, in most cases, occurs in cats. As a result of this disorder, tear fluid accumulates on the surface of the eye and overflows over the edge of the eyelid onto the muzzle. One gets the impression that the animal’s eyes seem to be running. At the same time, due to constant moisture around the eyes, a dark coloration of the fur and crust appears. Normally, tears wash the cornea and collect in the inner corner of the eye, where the tear lake is located. From the lacrimal lake, tears enter through the lacrimal puncta into the lacrimal ducts, then into the lacrimal sac, and from there along the nasolacrimal duct into the nasal and oral cavities. When there is an obstacle to the outflow of tears, lacrimation occurs. Obstacles can be observed in any part of the lacrimal drainage system, for example in the area of the lacrimal openings; possible inflammation of the lacrimal sac (dacryocystitis); compression of the tear ducts by swelling or swelling as a result of injury.

For diagnosis, a special fluorescein test is performed. To do this, a colored solution is dripped into the cat’s eyes and the time after which it appears in the nasal or oral cavity is noted. Under normal conditions, this process takes 1-5 minutes. If after 5 minutes the solution is not detected in the nose or mouth, this indicates a violation of the patency of the lacrimal ducts. Let us immediately reassure you that if your cat’s eyes are watery for this very reason, then you have nothing to worry about, and what to do with the animal after passing the test. Let us note once again that this problem is mainly of an aesthetic nature.

Weak immunity. If the pet is too small and fell into human hands too early, the problem may be a weakened immune system. A proper diet is the key to the health of any animal, and thoughtless changes in diet can cause a cat’s eyes to start watering profusely . In this case, adjusting your diet and adding immunostimulating drugs will help. Only a veterinary clinic specialist can prescribe them. Do not prescribe the drug yourself, but seek professional help.
Parasites in pets. The reason why a cat's eyes are watery may also be helminths. In order to avoid this, it is necessary for preventive purposes to regularly, once every 6 months, carry out antiparasitic therapy. A veterinary clinic specialist will be able to select the appropriate anthelmintic drug for your animal in the required dosage.
A cold can also cause excessive tearing in your pet. Here the picture of the disease is very similar to an allergic reaction. If a cat is sneezing and its eyes are watery, or the animal is coughing, this is one of the clearest indicators of a cold, and you will definitely need advice from a veterinarian . Also pay attention to your pet’s appetite, how much the cat sleeps, and how much water the animal drinks. The veterinarian will ask you all this before prescribing the correct treatment.
Eye diseases. Unfortunately, cats, like humans, suffer from eye diseases such as cataracts. You can notice this if the lens of your pet's pupil turns white. Here, of course, you also cannot do without a doctor. Treatment of this disease requires careful examination and subsequent surgical intervention.
Tumor. Considering the constantly growing number of oncology, we should not exclude the possibility of a tumor, including a malignant one. If a cat's eye is swollen and watery , then this symptom may also indicate the growth of a neoplasm... Unfortunately, with neoplasms of malignant etiology, the cat may completely lose vision, there will be a loss of coordination, and a change in the animal's mood. You are unlikely to be able to find out about the tumor on your own, and therefore we recommend urgently seeking help from a veterinarian.
Blepharitis. This is the scientific name for inflammation of the eyelids. With this disease, you will observe swelling of the animal’s eyelid. If you try to even lightly press an animal’s eye, you will immediately understand from the pet’s behavior that it is in pain. At the beginning of the disease and in mild cases of the disease, there will be a slightly noticeable redness on the eyelid, which may even go away spontaneously. If the cat’s immunity fails to cope on its own, the next phase of the disease will occur. The animal's eyelids will become heavy, swollen, puffy, and very hot and tense to the touch. Behavior will also change. The cat will become sedentary and inert. Most likely, she will spend most of her time lying down with her eyes closed, since even blinking in this situation causes pain to the animal, and sometimes, due to severe swelling, the eyelid simply does not open.
Pathologies of the cardiovascular and excretory systems. This can also cause a cat's eye to water; What to do in this case - immediately undergo a full examination of your pet at a veterinary clinic. The fact is that if the functioning of the heart and kidneys is disrupted, then edema quickly develops in the body. And if we see external swelling, then most often we don’t even know about swelling of internal organs.

Breed predisposition

Breeds differ not only in appearance, but also in their predisposition to certain diseases. This does not mean that the pet will necessarily have problems, but if symptoms appear, the responsible owner should consult a doctor, bypassing the stage of self-medication.

The following cat breeds are predisposed to eye diseases:

Persian;
British;
exotics (the breed was obtained artificially by crossing an American shorthair with a Persian);
Maine Coons;
sphinxes.

Basically, lacrimation in the listed breeds occurs due to:

deformed nasolacrimal duct due to the structural features of the muzzle;
inversion of the lower eyelids.

The color of the discharge from the eyes matters

It is important for the pet owner to carefully look at the color of the discharge coming from the eyes.

If they are transparent, similar to ordinary tears, then this may be due to the characteristics of the breed, mechanical irritation, or the occurrence of an allergic reaction.

If yellow or green discharge appears, in which pus is present, we can say that there is an infectious disease.

If a cat's eyes are watery red or brown, then there is a high probability that the cat is infected with worms.

How is diagnosis carried out?

There are two ways to determine allergies - by blood test and by skin testing. Skin tests can be either superficial: applying the allergen to scratched skin, or injection: injecting it under the patient’s skin. All procedures are carried out under the supervision of an allergist to monitor the patient’s condition.

The skin reaction usually appears approximately 30 minutes after the start of the test. A blood test is used when the age or health of the patient does not allow skin testing. This allows you to minimize risks. The blood test is done over several days.

Infections: chlamydia and viral rhinotracheitis

Chlamydia affects about half of all cats during their lifetime. The pathogen disables the protective functions of the affected organ and gains the opportunity for further development.

Infection occurs through food, excrement of sick animals, agents are carried on clothing, shoes and objects. The disease can be asymptomatic or acute.

The incubation period lasts up to 14 days, after which an exacerbation occurs:

redness of the eyes with discharge, sometimes purulent;
signs of a cold: sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing;
slight increase in temperature;
lack of appetite and weight loss.

From the very first days, even before the onset of the main manifestations, intense production of tears is observed.

For treatment, a course of antibiotics, immune stimulation, and local treatment are prescribed (the kitten’s watery eyes and runny nose are instilled separately). In addition, the animal is placed on a high-calorie liquid diet and must be kept in a warm room.

Viral rhinotracheitis is often called “feline herpes”:

the pet is apathetic;
no appetite;
the cat tends to go to a quiet place, protected from light;
there is an urge to sneeze;
the animal rubs its eyes.

Conjunctivitis begins with redness of the eyes, photophobia, copious saliva is released, and the fur on the face is constantly wet from tears.

After diagnosing viral rhinotracheitis, antibiotics are prescribed, and the kitten's watery eyes are treated with drops.

Eye diseases accompanied by the production of tears

There are several different eye conditions in pets that cause tear production:

Infection. If the eye is noticeably swollen and red, and there is discharge of pus, then the help of a veterinarian is definitely needed to prevent the development of feline conjunctivitis.
Directly eye diseases, in particular glaucoma or cataracts. A clouded cornea in the first case or a whitened lens in the second are the most obvious symptoms of these diseases. Of course, you definitely need to go to a clinic for treatment.
Diseases caused by fungi or viruses (such as toxoplasmosis or chlamydia) can only be cured by a veterinarian.
Inflammation of the cornea can be identified by reddened and very watery eyes, on which a soapy film forms.
Some breeds experience entropion of the eyelid - usually Sphynxes or Persians. The appearance of swollen eyes and suppuration in their eyes is a reason to visit a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Eye injuries that a cat can get if it fights with its fellow tribesmen, hits itself, or gets caught on some branches. Wounds or other damage to the eyeballs are obvious symptoms of this injury. It is recommended to consult a veterinarian to determine the severity of the damage.

Diseases that cause cats' eyes to water

Tearfulness is a symptom of many eye diseases. To establish an accurate diagnosis, a detailed examination of the organ of vision is necessary. Some diseases occur in cats of all breeds and ages, some are more common in kittens or, conversely, older individuals. The list of problems includes:

conjunctivitis – inflammation of the mucous membrane (conjunctiva);
blepharitis - inflammation of the marginal surface of the eyelids;
uveitis is an inflammatory process in the eye vessels;
keratitis – inflammation and clouding of the cornea;
dacryocystitis - inflammation (often purulent) of the lacrimal sac;
entropion – turning of the eyelids and eyelashes towards the eyeball;
allergy - an immunopathological reaction to an irritant;
helminthiasis – infection of the body with parasitic worms;
infections of bacterial, viral, fungal origin.

If increased tearing is accompanied by additional painful symptoms, the cat should be taken to the vet immediately.

Preventive measures

To avoid eye problems in cats, you need to pay regular attention to their examination and hygiene. Do not neglect quarterly deworming and vaccination. To prevent the development of any pathologies, you should show your pet to a specialist once every six months - as you know, the disease is easier to cure at an early stage.

If you have the slightest problems with your cat’s eyes, it is better to show the animal to a specialist - you should not experiment with the health of your pet. The favorable outcome of any disease largely depends on competent and timely therapy.

Prevention of allergies and colds

To prevent allergic rhinitis, it is necessary to limit interaction with the irritant that causes symptoms of the disease and create a hypoallergenic environment6:

install air filters in the house;
change cotton and down bedding to padding polyester;
get rid of potential dust accumulators (curtains, carpets, etc.);
if necessary, part with pets;
treat surfaces with acaricidal agents against dust mites.

Cold prevention involves strengthening the body's defenses and maintaining a high level of immune status. Preventive measures include:

hardening, systematic sports;
a healthy diet rich in vitamins, probiotics and proteins;
regular ventilation of premises;
vaccination;
maintaining personal hygiene.

If the epidemiological situation is unfavorable, social contacts should be limited and a protective medical mask should be worn.

Eye drops and ointments for allergic conjunctivitis

In case of allergic conjunctivitis, it is necessary, first of all, to eliminate or minimize contact with the allergen. To relieve symptoms, antihistamine H1-blockers are prescribed to suppress the allergic reaction: