Kittens' eyelids fusing together, need help now!!!

thecatman

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I've got a kitten who's right eyelids have gotten and infection and seem to have fused together on the inside. The upper and lower eyelids are separate from each other, but the inner or third eyelid seems to have fused to both the upper and lower eyelids. The inner eyelid won't go back toward the nose, and the upper and lower eyelid will open only as far as it will go until pulling on the inner eyelid. I haven't been able to get the kitten to the vet yet. I've been giving pentamycetin ointment in that eye several times a day since the first signs about 4 to 5 days ago and they seem to just keep growing more closed. I've also been giving amoxicillin several times a day. There was a mucous discharge that I removed the first day by wiping it out, the second day it stuck more and I had to use tweezers to pry off the mucous between the lids, and since then I haven't been able to remove it. It seems to me the mucous is fusing the lids together. i've just now switched to using tetracyclene ointment, and because I can't get in to see the vet until tomorrow afternoon, I'm wanting help in determining how to prevent the eyelids on the right eye from fusing together completely and having to deal with a worse situation. The eyeball behind seems to move freely, but I cannot be certain. What I can see of the eyeball seems to look normal, it is definitely not clouded. What can I do, I am very concerned for my 6 week old kitten. Please help.
 

nekomania

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This has been going on for almost a week now and you haven't gotten your kitten into a vet?

If the medications aren't working then you should probably stop. I also wouldn't mess with the eye and try to pull the mucus out with tweezers as there is risk of damaging the cats eye by doing this.

Is Amoxacillin okay to give to cats? Was this vet perscribed?

You need to get your cat to a vet now. No advice here will replace proper vetrinary care.
 

aswient

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I just recently had to take kittens away from their mom out in the backyard. She must have had them under my shed. She's very young herself so she runs away when I got close to the kittwns, but their eyes were also stuck together and noses were running. I was afraid they had URI's. They were only about 4 weeks old. I patted their eyes in warm water. It took a little bit of soaking the eye very gently. But I knew they needed a Vet. Good luck.
 

yosemite

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If this situation has already gone on for over a week now, there may well be permanent damage to their eyes which would be very unfortunate. As the others have said, they needed a vet. Online advice from the general public can only go so far and none of us are vets.
 
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thecatman

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It's amazing how many people exaggerate things, and it tells much about human nature. First I get put down for not having the kitten at a vet, despite my stating a vet was not available. If i wanted to write a book, I would explain that it occurred just before a long weekend and the clinics were all booked, and during a long weekend it is actually illegal for a clinic to open in my part of the world due to religious beliefs / controls/ whatever other crazy thing it can be attributed to, etc. etc.

Also, I put that it was 4 or 5 days, and suddenly I'm told it's been going on for over a week. Wow, let's go fishing! I'll bet the fish are always very big, right!

Anyway, kitten is just fine, vet approved of all I did except i should have used both medications in eye simultaneously, as each one treated different things. It was just discharge in the swollen eyelids, mostly between the outer and inner eyelids. Because of me having the forethought to use pentamycetin, there is no damage to the eye. It was FHV exactly as I determined.

Thank you
 

lizita

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"Is Amoxacillin okay to give to cats? Was this vet perscribed?"

Amoxicillin is perfectly okay to give to cats. It's actually the most common drug given for URI but under the trade name Clavamox. The active ingredient in Clavamox is Amoxicillin. In addition it contains another ingredient which, in a nutshell, helps the Amoxicillin work better.
 
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thecatman

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You obviously have good knowledge in the subject area, and I appreciate your input.

As I have a close working relationship with a few vets, they know I know a lot about what I am doing and they want me to keep a stock of medications, syringes, lactated ringers, etc. at my place so I don't have to run in to them every time a cat sneezes (which is very rare, and does get my attention if they do!!!). They usually complain to me that I should have more confidence in my own knowledge, as I sometimes go in to them only to have them tell me that it is exactly what I determined on my own. I would rather go in though to be certain when I am not.

I have helped in surgery and made surgical decisions based upon my observations and intuition in the surgery room, and I have *never* had a cat euthanized or die while in my care. My oldest few are 19 and 20 years old, and were born in my care.

I thank my ex-wife for teaching me that cats are not just stupid outside farm animals as I was taught as a child, but rather they are very intelligent and they definitely can see dimensions that humankind cannot perceive. I also find that most everything a person needs to learn about human nature, one can learn by observing cats, as they have almost all the same character traits and emotions as people do, and because they have a compressed lifetime compared to humans, it is easier to identify cause and effect. Also, I find cats exemplify what true love and devotion is, as cats do not have to contend with social conditioning and they do not hold grudges. So yes, I do care for my cats very much and I wish everyone would care for all mammals and birds in the same way.

Thank you
 

the_food_lady

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Catman,

With all due respect, despite your reportedly vast knowledge of cat health, you are NOT A VET. It is irresponsible to come to an animal health forum and advocate and endorse the practice of "playing Vet" and taking it upon ones' self to medicate their cats' undiagnosed condition. There are many newbies who frequent these forums and posts like yours send the message that it's "okay" to make excuses for not seeking proper Vet attention and that it's "okay" also to self-medicate your own cat. This is a dangerous message to send and it could cost the life of an innocent cat.

I find it strange that you back-pedal and claim you weren't able to see the Vet because none had been open on the long weekend due in part to it apparently being "illegal" for clinics in your area (your profile states you reside in North America) to be open on a long weekend. Seems the case is really that you felt "qualified" to treat your cat yourself.

I'd be curious to know where you get all of these medications that you feel qualified to dispense to your cat, without the direction of a Veterinarian.

Eye issues are never ones to play around with in any pet. EVER. The symptoms you described warranted prompt assessment by a qualified Vet and I hope that anyone reading this will keep this in mind should their dear cat ever encounter any kind of eye issue.

There are many of us here who've had cats for 20+ years, many of us who have medical backgrounds in human health on top of that...........yet out of love and responsiblity to our cats, we don't "play Vet" or come onto cat health forums and sing the praises of doing so.
 
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thecatman

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I don't advocate such practice to anyone else. It is just that I was put down at first as though I knew nothing and was an idiot, and that is simply the only reason I even responded. Also, in my latest post, I qualified my knowledge so newbies do not think they can just grab something and throw it in an eye, as you seem to make it seem.

I butchered a beef a few weeks ago, and a woman said to me "Without getting it inspected?". I asked her how man survived until a few years ago, eating all the beef they did, before inspectors were available to inspect beef. Common sense plays a part in many things. Knowledge plays a large part also. Just as a person shouldn't just go butcher a beef and eat it without knowing what to look for that indicates the animal is safe for consumption or not.

I didn't back-pedal... I stated right up front that I tried and could not get in to see a vet. That was the Friday before the long weekend. As the condition was worsening and I was concerned, I posted a question looking for knowledgeable advice.

As a result of getting posts like yours, it seems to have been a mistake to ask for advice. As a final thought, I am wondering if you gave Aspirin to your kids when they were growing up out of your own diagnosis, or if you ran to a doctor with them every time they sneezed or had a headache? My point is, if you have knowledge and experience and know what something is, act accordingly, and if you don't, then also act accordingly. I stated I have a close working relationship with vets, and they know my level of knowledge and are confident in it.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by TheCatMan

I didn't back-pedal... I stated right up front that I tried and could not get in to see a vet. That was the Friday before the long weekend. As the condition was worsening and I was concerned, I posted a question looking for knowledgeable advice.

As a result of getting posts like yours, it seems to have been a mistake to ask for advice. As a final thought, I am wondering if you gave Aspirin to your kids when they were growing up out of your own diagnosis, or if you ran to a doctor with them every time they sneezed or had a headache? My point is, if you have knowledge and experience and know what something is, act accordingly, and if you don't, then also act accordingly. I stated I have a close working relationship with vets, and they know my level of knowledge and are confident in it.
I can only speak for myself, but you certainly have me confused. Even on long weekends vets have an emergency number for an on-call vet. You say you have several friends who are vets and acknowledge your vast knowledge and experience so can you also not call a "friend" on a long weekend? If your knowledge is so vast, then why would you even need to ask us lay folks what to do? Surely we know far less than you do already since none of us have any vet training.

IMO you are being very disrespectful to folks who gave you what they thought was appropriate advice and what this site always advocates - if you have a problem with your pet take it to a vet.
 
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