Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Eye. Timing Matters!


There are always a few interesting questions that come to us on Pawbly. We wanted to share this one with you. It reminds us about how timing and treatment matter.

A recent question came from Kaitlyn,
"My cats eye is sometimes watery. Last night it looked like she was crying and it had puddled up in the corner of her eye. This morning it isn't watering but her nose is very wet as well. Should I take her to the vet? thanks!"


Here is my answer;
Hello Kaitlyn,
Thanks for your question and for being so observant with your kitty.
Unfortunately many of my clients don't recognize that their cat is having an eye issue until it has been causing problems for a while. This makes treating the eye more difficult and sometimes changes the outcome from an easy fix to a more difficult (and often expensive) fix.
I always tell my clients that eye problems are often relatively easy (and cheaper) to fix the earlier they are addressed. So every eye problem should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
The signs of significant and serious ocular disease/problems usually include the following:
1. Squinting. Holding the eye closed and being reluctant to open it often indicates pain.
2. Abnormal discharge. This may be in the form of excessive clear discharge, or any colored or thick discharge.
3. Rubbing at the eye, with either the paw, or rubbing the eye along the floor.
4. Persistently dilated pupils.
5. Appearance in the decrease of vision. For example if your pet is reluctant to use stairs, go outside at low light situations (dusk/dawn), or starts bumping into things.
6. A change in color of the eye, any part of the eye.
7. Any change in shape, bigger, smaller, etc.
8. Any bleeding around or visible in the eye.
It sounds like your cat might have a minor eye issue, but even the minor issues can become significant quickly.
The good news about the eye is also the bad news about the eye. It can heal, or get significantly worse within hours/days. The earlier you get treatment for most eye issues the easier and better your outcome is likely to be.

I hope this helps
Sincerely,
Krista


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