When a cat can't produce enough tears to keep the surface of his eyes moist, then the cat is suffering from dry eyes. Dry eyes in cats can occur for a variety of reasons, but the most serious is keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS. Its nicknames are "dry eye" and "chronic dry eye." This can happen to dogs as well as to cats.
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Causes
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Although a lot about KCS is still mostly unknown, the theory is that in cats it is caused for three reasons. The first reason is injury to the eye, the inner eyelid or tear ducts. The second is a bad reaction to different medications, such as sulphonamide drugs. But the most common reason, according to Dr. Alexandera Van der Woerdt, is because the cat is infected with feline herpes virus.
Early Symptoms
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When KCS begins, the eye will appear reddish and there will be a constant discharge from the corners of the eyes that is a dark reddish-brown. The eyes will also look as if there is a transparent film over them. The cat may also spend a lot of time rubbing her eyes and may avoid getting stroked or touched around the head.
Later Symptoms
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The infected eyes become cloudy and the discharge will often become thicker and coat over the eyeballs. The inner eyelid may also not be able to close all the way, so the cat will look as if his inner eyelid is always half open. The cat is usually in considerable discomfort at this time and may go off food.
Warning
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The cat needs to be taken to the vet when these symptoms occur. KCS gets worse over time. Eventually, the cat's eyes become so sore that they develop ulcers and the cat will go blind. The cat will also be in a considerable amount of pain.
Treatment
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Although difficult to prevent, KCS is relatively easy to treat. Mar Vista Animal Medical Center says that only in extreme cases is surgery required to transfer the salivary ducts to the malfunctioning tear ducts. But usually, drops and ointments can help clear up KCS. The cat's eye can also be rinsed with lukewarm water to give some relief.
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