Many members of the cat family often suffer from eye diseases. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the eye and to the fact that the animal can not help itself, as it does in the case of a person. Conjunctivitis is the most common disease in cats. What characterizes this disease and how to treat it? About this below.
Symptoms of conjunctivitis in cats
Inflammation of the conjunctiva (mucous layer) of the eyeball is observed quite often. The reason is that the conjunctival sac quickly accumulates various contaminants and is constantly exposed to external influences. The cause of the development of the disease may become the following irritants:
- mechanical (grains of sand, chips, glass fragments);
- chemical (drugs, detergents, pesticides);
- Allegheny (flower pollen, dusty air);
- eye trauma;
- fungal and viral infections.
Sometimes conjunctivitis can be a symptom of the disease of the upper respiratory tract of a cat. Such infection from adult individuals occurs in a recurrent form and requires special treatment and preparations. In any case, the correct diagnosis of conjunctivitis will reveal the primary causes of the disease and the subsequent treatment will become a "set of measures" to eliminate the disease and its consequences. Depending on the type of conjunctivitis, the following symptoms will appear in the cat:
- Purulent conjunctivitis in cats . The animal in the corners of the eyes appears pus, exuding an unpleasant odor. In addition, the general condition of the cat is significantly deteriorating. She eats little, lies all the time, is depressed. The body temperature rises, sometimes even diarrhea / vomiting occurs. Such conjunctivitis in cats is also referred to as "viral" or "bacterial".
- Follicular conjunctivitis . A very dangerous form of the disease, in which the inner eyelid is covered with red rounded tubercles. The eyeball tightens a cloudy film, the animal squints all the time. In severe cases, photophobia begins and the pet sits for hours in dark darkness.
- Allergic conjunctivitis . After contact with the allergen, tears begin to flow in the animal. If you leave the matter to its own accord, then the allergic pythomist develops conjunctivitis. In this case, it is necessary to immediately stop contact with the irritant and prescribe a course of antihistamines.
Infection can manifest itself in chronic and acute forms. In the first case, the allocation is meager, especially noticeable after awakening. In the acute course of the disease, the symptoms are pronounced: clear tears flow from the eyes, which gradually become thick, the eyelids stick together from the pus, the secretions form crusts.
How to treat conjunctivitis in cats?
Before prescribing medication, you need to find out the nature of the disease. For this purpose, a crop is planted for sensitivity. Having determined the infection that caused the disease, the doctor makes an appointment. Among the drugs can be anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics.
Note that the nasal passages and eyes should be rinsed with medicinal solutions. To do this, you can use drops from conjunctivitis for cats, furacilin or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The cat will benefit from immunostimulants in the form of injections . During treatment it is desirable to remove from the apartment all items that can get into the eye of the animal and cause repeated irritation (chips, splinters of coal).
Treatment will last 2-3 weeks. If you follow the prescriptions of the veterinarian, soon the eyes of your pet will regain a healthy appearance and will not cause irritation. If the time does not resort to proper treatment, then the animal can go blind.