Herpes Eye Infection in Sad Kitten

fostermomofmany · Dec 28, 2009

I foster moms and kittens and have been doing this for years. My current litter came to me at 3 weeks old with very bad URIs- probably herpes. They are all much better and now 7 weeks old. One of the kitten's eye was hit particularly hard. She had a terrible conjunctivitis that was so severe, she couldn't open her eye for 10 days. During those ten days I had given her eye drops and ointments (terramycin, gentamycin, gent with steroid) etc. She saw a vet who said that I couldn't do anything else. Meanwhile, the kitten became very unhappy. She used to be sweet and loving, now she was afraid to go near me, since 3-4 times a day I was cleaning and putting stuff in her eye. She is, unfortunately, the most high strung kitten in the litter and really hated being medicated. I stopped medicating her since I feared her eye was relatively hopeless, but her personality was still being formed. Finally her eye opened again as she got better. The conjunctivitis is much better. However, she has a lot of scarring on the eye and continues to have some discharge and squiniting. I took her back to a vet today and he said it looks like she has corneal ulcers/herpes keratitis, some conjunctivitis, and presumably little or no vision in that eye. He recommended I start medicating her with the same antibiotic drops again (that didn't help before). I know herpes keratitis can be a painful condition. What is worse, medicating her and making this high strung, fragile 7 week old kitten miserable and hate humans or doing nothing to a serious and painful eye infection? She is much happier and more loving since I have been medicating her sporadically over the last 10 days.

carolina · Dec 28, 2009

Is this kitten on L-Lysine to control the Herpes?
Also, ask the vet about treating the eye with neosporin instead of terramycin and the drops - neosporin is painless.

otto · Dec 28, 2009

Some cats' eyes get so sensitive they cannot tolerate anything and have to use oral antibiotics. Is a second opinion an option for this foster baby?

And I second the l-lysine, if it is not already being used.

stephanietx · Dec 28, 2009

There's also a moisturizing/lubricating eye medication the doctor can prescribe. It's a thin salve and keeps the eyes moist to ease pain and discomfort.

fostermomofmany · Dec 28, 2009

Thanks for the ideas. They have all completed 10 days of oral clavamox and had been on lysine (although I have been a little lax giving the lysine in the last week since they are 95% better). I had already promised to be better with the lysine after my appointment today (and just gave it to them before I checked the computer!). The problem with her is that she hates being restrained to be medicated. She fights and squirms and meows. Drops are harder to get in than ointment since she closes her eye. While she seems to have discomfort when I put in the drops, that is only half the problem. The other part is that she hates the process of being medicated. That is what I don't know how to resolve! I don't think more oral antibiotics will help, I think it is more of a viral process causing the problems and not as much a bacterial process, but there may be a part of bacterial superinfection.

otto · Dec 28, 2009

The l-lysine has to be given regardless of any active out-breaks or not. It controls the herpes virus, but doesn't cure it. there is therapeutic dose and maintenance dose, but any cat diagnosed with herpes should be on it for life.

I just wonder if the ointments are stinging, and that is why she is fighting. Some eye ointments and drops should never ever be used if the cornea is scratched or ulcered.

carolina · Dec 28, 2009

Originally Posted by fostermomofmany

Thanks for the ideas. They have all completed 10 days of oral clavamox and had been on lysine (although I have been a little lax giving the lysine in the last week since they are 95% better). I had already promised to be better with the lysine after my appointment today (and just gave it to them before I checked the computer!). The problem with her is that she hates being restrained to be medicated. She fights and squirms and meows. Drops are harder to get in than ointment since she closes her eye. While she seems to have discomfort when I put in the drops, that is only half the problem. The other part is that she hates the process of being medicated. That is what I don't know how to resolve! I don't think more oral antibiotics will help, I think it is more of a viral process causing the problems and not as much a bacterial process, but there may be a part of bacterial superinfection.

Alright... About the L-Lysine: This is the one I get It is a tasteless powder, and you can mix it right on their water and wet food, so there is no reason to stress them. This is a one pound tub, 822 doses of 500mg. It will last you a while. Herpes kitties should be on L-Lysine for life on a maintenance dose, and double of that dose during a flare up.

All my kitties get it on the water, and one of them, my herpes kitty, get a daily dose on his wet food.
Per my vet, my herpes kitty gets 500mg a day for life, and 1000mg a day during a flare up.

the_food_lady · Dec 28, 2009

Originally Posted by fostermomofmany

I foster moms and kittens and have been doing this for years. My current litter came to me at 3 weeks old with very bad URIs- probably herpes. They are all much better and now 7 weeks old. One of the kitten's eye was hit particularly hard. She had a terrible conjunctivitis that was so severe, she couldn't open her eye for 10 days. During those ten days I had given her eye drops and ointments (terramycin, gentamycin, gent with steroid) etc. She saw a vet who said that I couldn't do anything else. Meanwhile, the kitten became very unhappy. She used to be sweet and loving, now she was afraid to go near me, since 3-4 times a day I was cleaning and putting stuff in her eye. She is, unfortunately, the most high strung kitten in the litter and really hated being medicated. I stopped medicating her since I feared her eye was relatively hopeless, but her personality was still being formed. Finally her eye opened again as she got better. The conjunctivitis is much better. However, she has a lot of scarring on the eye and continues to have some discharge and squiniting. I took her back to a vet today and he said it looks like she has corneal ulcers/herpes keratitis, some conjunctivitis, and presumably little or no vision in that eye. He recommended I start medicating her with the same antibiotic drops again (that didn't help before). I know herpes keratitis can be a painful condition. What is worse, medicating her and making this high strung, fragile 7 week old kitten miserable and hate humans or doing nothing to a serious and painful eye infection? She is much happier and more loving since I have been medicating her sporadically over the last 10 days.

Definitely do NOT consider using the Gentamycin w/ steroid drops; the use of steroid drops in a cat with a corneal ulcer is a huge no-no; the steroids can make the ulcer worse, leading to blindness. A shame your Vet didn't consider this

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...-expert-please

stephanietx · Dec 29, 2009

Make the medication time a time for treats. Give her some before you start and after you administer the meds. You can use a few pieces of dry kibble, some kitty treats, or something like cheese if you've got a cheesemeister on your hands. (We have a cheesemeister and it works so well for us!)

stephanietx · Dec 29, 2009

Also wanted to mention that you might look into the product, Eye See Clearly. http://www.allergicpet.com/products/...e_clearly.html I know some folks on the Yahoo Herpes group that have used it with much success. Consult your vet first, however.

ldg · Dec 29, 2009

If she's got corneal scarring, is there any hope she'll regain the vision in her eye?

Any point in getting a second vet opinion about how to manage this?

Our rescue kitty, Flowerbelle, had the same problem. I had to medicate her 11x a day, actually. Our vet tried stitching her bad eye closed several times with meds in it, giving both of us a break:

(In the end, it was determined she'd never regain her sight, so after fighting for seven months, we had her eye removed. It was the best decision we ever made - and we wish we'd done it a lot sooner, because her energy levels went up about a million percent.)

for you and kitty!

fostermomofmany · Dec 29, 2009

I am not using the steroid anymore. That was after the first vet said he saw no ulcers at that time. I was afraid to use it long anyways. So I am using just antibiotics without steroids which was confirmed by the second vet. She doesn't mind taking oral meds (when I hide it in food), the biggest problem is the eye drops. Those she hates. I have thought about enucleation and am not opposed to it in the future if the vet doesn't think she will have sight and the ulcers persist and the vet feels it is indicated. Thanks for all of your advice!

stephanietx · Dec 29, 2009

The Eye See Clearly stuff has cleared up ulcers and cataracts in some kitties. Again, I have no personal experience with it, but you might discuss it with the vet.

Herpes Eye Infection in Sad Kitten

fostermomofmany

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carolina

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otto

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