Conference misery::feline_v1

    If the eye is still swollen and red I would have it checked.  The
    vet can tell if the cornea is scratched and eye problems are not
    something to fool around with.
    
      Just my $.02  - i don't know what your budget is like or how 
    expensive your vet is, but I do have experience with scratched
    corneas in cats.
      Nancy DC

    Thanks, Nancy - I knew someone knowledgeable would respond!  
    
    The eye was only light pink around the inner lid, to begin with.  It's
    a normal color this morning (same color as the other eye) and doesn't
    look swollen; he just half-shuts it occasionally.  
    
    It certainly looks better than it did yesterday; otherwise I would've
    made another vet appt. for first thing this a.m.
    
    The eye color wasn't abnormal (no redness at all); just the lid.
    
    My vet is pretty reasonable, so budget is not an issue, but thanks for
    the offer!
    
    I think the eye may still be a bit sensitive to light this a.m.  If my
    eyes are sore, I squint them a bit too.  I have a feeling it's healing.

      Eye problems with cats is common. In many cases it's some sort of
    infection, and the USUAL fix is a tube of antibiotic ointment that must
    be applied two or three times a day. My kids are fairly easily
    medicated, but some cats are "shredders" when you mess with their eyes.
    
      I'd keep a close watch on that eye...if it begins to get 'pus' coming
    from it, I'd get him to the vet to be checked out....
    
    JM

    Thanks for the advice.  I've never hesitated to take Benj to the vets'
    when I knew the problem was serious.  And if the eye starts to ooze,
    I'll have him there in a flash!

    I am currently battling a VERY stubborn case of chlamydia with Murdock,
    my Birman.  His eye has been watering on and off since April, we have
    been to the vet and administered the appropriate antibiotics. 
    Oxytetracycaline is the only thing that will cure chlamydia, and we now
    have to medicate him internally as well as externally.  Luckily, his
    breeder works for a vet and is supplying the meds for me.
    
    Just passing this along in case it ends up to be what you are dealing
    with.
    
    --Roberta
    

    RE .5 - Roberta, was he rubbing his eye a lot?  That's how this whole
    thing started - as if Benj had something in his eye.  I have a feeling
    that's what it is.  I think now I have to watch for infection in case
    he couldn't get it out.  

    Yes, he was pawing at his eye, to mop up the discharge.  The tearing
    was very apparent, and I took him to the vets to ensure that there was
    no scratch or abrasion, and he confirmed that there wasn't.  This was
    Dr. Verbridge in Grafton, who has since passed away.  He prescribed
    Terramycin ointment 3 to 4 times a day for 3 weeks, then stop.  (Jo
    also sent me mail regarding treatment which was in sync with the vet --
    could have saved me $25 :^} ).  Wait a few days after discontinuing the
    medicine to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.  With Murdock, the
    watering came back again after a week, so I applied the Terramycin for
    another 10 days.  The watering has since returned, so I wrote to his
    breeder for advise and she confirmed that chlamydia can be very
    stubborn and to try treating it internally now (with drops or pills). 
    She is going to send out the meds.
    
    Hope you are not dealing with the same thing.  It has been a real b****
    to eradicate!
    

    IF he continues to rub the eye take him in to the vet.  Bumpy-tail has
    had a couple of different eye problems in her life including a
    scratched cornea,.  She had to wear one of those elizabethan collars
    to keep her from pawing the eye.  It was funny funny funny!!! (to us,
    not to her)  What you want to avoid at all costs is a perforated
    cornea - very very nasty.  That's why its often worth the money to
    go to the vet.
    
    But give it another day and see what happens.
    You could get boric acid - make sure its the opthalmic - ointment or
    ?drops? (I know there's another form besides the ointment) and use that
    in the eye.   I dont think it can do any harm and may help.
      Nancy DC

    I'm sitting here trying not to watch the clock, wondering if I should
    leave early to check in on the little guy!  I've already cancelled my
    plans for tonight because I want to get right home at 5 - Mike couldn't
    make it over there at lunch to check on him.
    
    If I'd thought it was serious last night, I would have kept the appt. 
    But the eye was looking significantly better!  I'll put a reply in this
    note tomorrow to update y'all.  It's so comforting to know there are so
    many cat-knowledgeable friends to turn to!
    
    Deb

    Well, whatever it was in Benj's eye has cleared up.  I bet it was some
    fur, and he worked it out himself.
    
    Will continue to watch for any signs of infection in case he scratched
    it.  Thanks again for everyone's advice.

    I wanted to share my scary/silly story w/ you all, and I just haven't
    had a chance to look for the eyes topic til now.
    
    The other night, I was sitting in the livingroom having an impropmtu
    (sp?) dinner on the reclining chair.
    
    I was salting my food just as Callie came running over to see what I
    was having (HAH! I mean what *WE* were having!). She looked up at me,
    and I must have missed the plate a little bit, because the next thing I 
    knew, her eyes were all shut tight & she wouldn't open them. I almost
    died when I realized what I'd done! I poured salt RIGHT INTO HER EYES!
    
    The poor thing! I jumped up & brought her into the bathroom (luckilly
    she's a wierd one & likes water!). I flushed her eyes out w/ cold water
    a few times & she was wide eyed, & crazy once again! What a mini-scare,
    though! I kept a close watch to make sure no problems developed, and 
    she's fine!! She's such a little goofball sometimes, I swear!
    
    no more salting my food w/o doing it over the table tho!
    
    Bonnnie 

    Bonnie, I know you were concerned about the salt but ask any of us
    that wear contact lens, we use saline (salt) solution all the time
    with them. They come packed in it from the manufacturer, and we use
    saline solution to moisten the lens during the day and so on. You
    did the perfect thing but rinsing with water and diluting the salt.
    
    I bet Callie had the cleanest/clearest eyes in town.
    
    Barbara & her 3M's

    Thanks Barbara! 
    
    I kind of thought the same thing. Then I said, "But how would *I*
    feel about getting a load of salt in my eyes!?" I guess it WOULD
    only hurt for a little while.
    
    You're probably right about her having clear/clean eyes, cuz after I
    rinsed them, she was really wide eyed!! That was what made me feel SO
    much better!

    Probably about as bad as the sting you get when you
    first open your eyes when swimming in the ocean....
    
    Lynne