Conjunctivitis in Cats: Causes and Treatment
Conjunctivitis is an eye disease that occurs very frequently in cats and is initially limited to the mucous membrane on the inside of the eyelids.
If left untreated, conjunctivitis spreads very quickly in affected cats, and in the worst case it can even cause permanent damage, such as blindness or loss of the eye.
To prevent this, you should know how to recognise conjunctivitis in your cat and what treatment is needed. You'll find all the important information below.
Possible causes of conjunctivitis in cats
Conjunctivitis can have different causes in cats. In principle, one differentiates between infectious and non-infectious triggers.
Non-infectious triggers of conjunctivitis in cats are mainly
- Injuries
- Draught
- Foreign matter
- Malposition of the eyelids
- Allergies
Among the infectious triggers of conjunctivitis in cats are
- Viruses
- Mushrooms
- Bacteria
Although non-infectious conjunctivitis is usually relatively harmless at first, it facilitates the penetration of pathogens and, if left untreated, often leads to the development of severe infectious conjunctivitis in affected cats.
How to recognise conjunctivitis in your cat
If your cat suffers from conjunctivitis, this is usually first noticed by strong tearing of the affected eye. Sometimes the eye and eyelids may also swell noticeably.
You'll probably also notice that your cat blinks frequently and rubs her eyes with her paw. In addition, cats with conjunctivitis are usually sensitive to touching the head and avoid being in bright light.
Whether the conjunctivitis is unilateral or affects both eyes depends mainly on its cause. Infectious conjunctivitis in particular usually spreads to the initially healthy eye.
Possible course of conjunctivitis in cats
In the beginning the tears are still very fluid and the conjunctivitis is noticeable in the affected cat by a typical tear duct in the corner of the eye. Over time, however, the consistency changes and the tears become more and more viscous and mucous.
Depending on the trigger of conjunctivitis, the discharge from the cat's eyes may also become purulent. In addition, the eye usually swells more and more as the disease progresses, and it may happen that the third eyelid, the so-called nictitating membrane, protrudes.
In case of a severe conjunctivitis it can happen that the cat squeezes its eye permanently and the cornea sticks together with the nictitating membrane. Without immediate treatment this can lead to permanent eye damage or even complete loss of vision.
There is also the danger that blood vessels grow together with the cornea and ulcers form. If this leads to tears in the cornea, aqueous humor will leak from the eye. With a bit of luck, this will only result in a deformation of the pupil. However, it is also possible that bacteria can get into the eyeball and your cat may lose her eye completely due to untreated conjunctivitis.
Diagnosis of conjunctivitis in cats
Due to the considerable risks associated with untreated conjunctivitis for your cat, an early visit to the vet is mandatory. To get to the bottom of your suspicion, the veterinarian will use an ophthalmoscope. This is a special eye lamp with which he can also examine the inside of the eye.
The veterinarian has the possibility to perform a fluorescein test. For this purpose he drops a greenish glowing liquid into the eye of the cat affected by the conjunctivitis and can thus determine whether the tear duct is still continuous and whether the cornea is damaged.
Since a successful treatment of conjunctivitis is only possible if the exact cause is known, it is also common to take a smear which is then examined for possible pathogens.
Treatment of infectious conjunctivitis in cats
For the treatment of infectious conjunctivitis, drops or ointments are usually used that are administered directly into the eye. The active ingredients contained may vary depending on the underlying trigger.
For example, if the cat's conjunctivitis is caused by viruses, an antiviral is used, while bacterial conjunctivitis is treated with antibiotics.
The symptoms will normally improve significantly after a few days after administration of the appropriate preparation. In order to completely eliminate the conjunctivitis, it is important to adhere to the treatment period specified by the veterinarian and not to stop the administration of the medication prematurely.
Treatment of a non-infectious conjunctivitis in cats
In order to treat non-infectious conjunctivitis in cats, it is first necessary to determine the exact cause and to eliminate it. Normally, this leads quite quickly to a reduction of the symptoms of conjunctivitis and the condition of the eye returns to normal.
To support this process it may also be useful to use special eye drops for cats, which calm the eye and thus counteract the inflammation.
Natural treatment of non-infectious conjunctivitis in cats
Unless your cat's conjunctivitis has an infectious cause, such as viruses, we recommend treatment with eye care drops from I love my cat.
Selected natural ingredients enable you to care for the eyes of your four-legged friend particularly gently and can thus help your cat to overcome the non-infectious conjunctivitis soon.
Healing chances for cats with conjunctivitis
Basically the chances of recovery for cats with conjunctivitis are better the earlier the conjunctivitis is recognized and treated. In most cases the inflammation of the eyes remains without consequences for the animal if the therapy is started early and no permanent damage occurs.
Is the conjunctivitis of a cat contagious?
Whether your cat's conjunctivitis is contagious depends on its exact cause. A non-infectious conjunctivitis, caused for example by draught, cannot of course be transmitted to a conspecific or even a human being.
This is not the case with infectious conjunctivitis. Depending on the pathogens responsible, it is extremely contagious, which is why you should keep your pet away from other pets temporarily and be careful when having contact with your cat.
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