Pinkeye in Cats

Description

• Pinkeye is a catch all term commonly used for a condition called Conjunctivitis. Conjunctiva is a mucus membrane in the eye. Pinkeye is an inflammation of this membrane. Symptoms can range from swelling to redness of the cat's eye. In most cases, discharge from the eye is present.

Causes

• Several things can cause pinkeye, such as trauma or physical irritation to the eye itself and viral or bacterial infections. Feline herpes virus type 1 and Chlamydia bacteria can also cause pinkeye.

Treatments

• If the pinkeye is caused by trauma, the most common treatment is drops or ointment placed into the cat's eye. Medication can be obtained from your veterinarian. Viral and bacterial cases can be more difficult to treat. Antiviral and antibiotic eye drops are usually the first course of treatment. The vet might also decide to give an antiviral or antibacterial injection directly under the conjunctiva of the eye. Oral medications are also available to treat these conditions.

Significance

• If left untreated, all forms of pinkeye can permanently damage your cat's eye. If your cat gets pinkeye from a virus or bacteria, these forms are highly contagious and can even be spread to people.

Considerations

• It will require a visit to your veterinarian's office to diagnose the cause of your cat's pinkeye. In some cases, even a blood test is required. Determining the cause of the pinkeye is of utmost importance when deciding on a treatment plan.