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| *Contrast Sensitivity>>>eye infection |
My cat is squinting - left eye infection? |
I noticed two days ago that my cat is squinting his left eye a bit. There is no discharge, water, or puffiness coming from the eye, so I assumed it was not an infection...but I am not sure why he is doing this, or what to do about it. The eye does not look cloudy, either. Could it be that he just got some dust in it, or scratched it or something? I don't have a lot of money right now, and would really rather not run to the vet if it is not necessary. Any suggestions? If he is squinting in one eye and not in the other, he may have brushed against something and abraded the cornea, or he may have something in it. You don't mention if the third eyelid -- sort of a fatty-looking membrane -- has come down over the eye or part of the eye. In a way, though, it doesn't matter. You are going to administer first aid to your cat's eye and irrigate it, just as you would to your own eye. You will need cotton balls, some isotonic saline (contact wearers use it) or artificial tears or Visine eye moisture drops. And you will need some boric acid ophthalmic solution, which is an inexpensive antiseptic for the eye. Take the cat in your lap, and if you think he will fight you, wrap him in a towel so that only his head protrudes. What you are going to do won't be at all painful for him, and if there is discomfort in his eye, it will actually feel good. Dip a cotton ball in the boric acid solution, and gently wipe from the inner corner to the outer corner of the eye again and again, and don't hesitate to let a little of the fluid get into his eye. But clean the eye and the area around it with this antiseptic. Change the cotton ball if it gets dirty. Then pull down the lower eyelid, and when it pooches out from the eyeball, squirt some isotonic saline or tears or Visine into that little opening. Let the eye close. Next, pull back the upper lid, way back, but don't of course hurt him, and irrigate the dickens out of the upper eye. Wipe the excess moisture from the outside of the eye, and wait and see. If there is something in the eye, this may help his eye cast it out. If there is a mild infection, just cleaning it out like this may help your cat throw it off. If there is a mild abrasion, cleaning it can help prevent infection. Wait and see. If the eye opens, you fixed it. If the eye opens a little, but he is still squinting, you helped it, and so you should repeat morning and evening until the eye opens completely. Additionally, at bedtime, you can put a warm compress -- a warm, moist cloth, against that eye, and hold it there for a minute or two. If the squint does not improve, you can go to the drug store and get yourself a tube of yellow oxide of mercury. I just don't know how easy this is to find, but ask the pharmacist. This is an old-timey remedy used by physicians before antibiotics to help rid folks of eye infections. Take the cat on your lap and pull down the lower eyelid until it pooches, then put a stripe over the pooched place, and lightly, gently massage the ointment well into the eye. Your cat will try to work that stuff out as soon as you let him go, so smear it around. Then apply a warm compress to the eye, and hold it for a minute or two. Then let him loose. If this doesn't work, you have a vet-level problem, and you should call the vet. You know, phone calls are free. But I have the feeling from what you have described, that it will probably work. Good luck. If It Is Shut with crust use camille tea bags When mine do that I dilute 1 part boric acid (powder) to 3 parts water and use a cotton ball? Seems to help Good Luck Drop a little petroleum Jelly ( Vaseline) in it. That should sooth the eye. Most of the eye meds are nothing more than petroleum Jelly and mineral oil then they add a small percentage of some sort of antibiotic. I have always found the petroleum jelly/mineral oil to work on minor eye infections. Just don't use stale products that have been sitting on YOUR shelf for years they could be contaminated Breeding cats since 1988 Have you called the vet to ask them? They shouldn't charge you just for a phone consult. They'll tell you if it's something that you can handle on your own or not. Take your cat to the vet .That is your responsibility,being a cat owner. Better be safe then sorry, that's the cats eye,,,,, |
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