cherry eye?

I think my 16 week old kitten has cherry eye. It looks an awful lot like it does in dogs. Does anyone have experience with this? Any home remedy?

Thanks,
Elena

Originally Posted by sledgedog

I think my 16 week old kitten has cherry eye. It looks an awful lot like it does in dogs. Does anyone have experience with this? Any home remedy?

Thanks,
Elena

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Can you explain what exactly you're seeing? Is it to one eye or both?

I've never heard of cherry eye so just quickly read up on it. Seems the long and short of it is (in a dog)....you see the "third eyelid" showing. If this is what you're seeing, I'm sorry but you really need to take kitty to the Vet for proper assessment. Never fool with eye problems in a cat, there's never any 'home cure' or any type of medication that's safe to use except that that's been prescribed by the Vet who's assessed the cat.

Cats can have their third eyelid show for a variety of reasons; herpes virus (no, not contagious to humans!), scratched cornea, torn cornea, corneal ulcer, foreign object in the eye, bacterial infection, etc. Untreated eye problems can be very uncomfortable to a cat so prompt assessment and treatment is best. A Vet will use generally put some special drops into the eye (a type of stain), then examine the surface of the eyeball to look for scratches, tears, ulcers, etc. They'll then prescribe the appropriate treatment (eye drops or ointment, antibiotics, etc) Please don't try dealing with this yourself; your kitty is counting on you to get the proper assessment and treatment.

It's just to her right eye in the corner near her nose. I've seen it in Cocker Spaniels and it goes in and out, so I'm pretty sure that's it. I plan to call the vet today.

Her and my 17 month Cocker Spaniel have played together like litter mates since she came home. I'm thinking that's what may have caused it. I've since kept them from playing together like that.


I'll keep you posted.

Elena

oh, and thanks for your considered reply

Elena

Cherry Eye is not the third eyelid showing, it is a gland under the third eyelid that produces the tears to moisturize the eye. I have not seen it in cats but my Cockers had it. Have you been to the Vet yet and if so what did he say? In our dog we were taught how to push it back in and then treat it with a dex/antibiotic eye drop and limit rough housing for a bit. Sometimes that works. Let us know how it goes and what it is.