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Blocked lachrymal canal - Wellington needs operation tomorrow

post #1 of 13
1/27/10 at 10:56am
Thread Starter 
Does anyone have any experience of this op? For a week now Wellington has had a red weeping eye and I have been treating it with local antibiotic cream prescribed by the vet. But as it is still weeping I took him back today and they think his tear duct is either blocked or malformed. So he will be examined under anaesthetic tomorrow and hopefully the cause will be found and treated. It sounds a very delicate procedure and I wonder if anyone knows anything about the sort of thing they might find and how their cats reacted. My poor boy is in pain, his eye is closed, and I feel so helpless. He has a history of conjunctivitis, which is why they think it might be a congenital condition, which sounds really frightening, as I just don't see what they can do. Might he lose his eye in an extreme case?
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post #2 of 13
1/27/10 at 11:16am
I don't have any personal experience with a lacrimal duct flush but know 2 people who have had it done with their cats. I understand that, though delicate, it's a fairly common and simple procedure. Both the cats were better off after having it done! It took care of their similar chronic eye problems.

Best of luck!
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post #3 of 13
1/27/10 at 11:21am
Clyde has a blocked tear duct and always has (I think he's about 10 now). But we were never given an option for an operation. I hope Wellington does ok!
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post #4 of 13
1/27/10 at 11:43am
I had a blocked tear duct about a year and a half ago. I had two tear duct probes/irrigations done (neither of them worked.) Then I had something called a 'snip punctoplasty' where they make a small cut in the tear duct opening to enlarge it. When that failed, I had a surgical procedure called a dacryocystorhinostomy, where they actually make a new, larger tear duct. I'm not sure if this is what they would do for Wellington, or if they would just do a tear duct probe. I work in the O.R., and we do tear duct probes on infants quite frequently. It is really a very simple procedure, and there is no risk of eye trauma at all. I had mine done without any anesthesia at all, and there was little to no discomfort. My snip punctoplasty was done with anesthetic eye drops, and no discomfort. My dacryocystorhinostomy was done under IV sedation in the O.R., and I had very little discomfort post op.

I hope that they will be able to help your sweet Wellington, and everything goes well for him!
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post #5 of 13
1/27/10 at 12:51pm
I have absolutely no experience or expertise to contribute, Jenny, but I have lots and lots of for both of you. that everything goes well.
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post #6 of 13
1/27/10 at 1:03pm
Jordan has always had a weepy eye and the eye specialist offered to "flush" his tear ducts for me. With Jordan there is no pain so I declined.
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post #7 of 13
1/27/10 at 1:31pm
Best wishes for a successful procedure and a quick return to health and comfort.
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post #8 of 13
1/28/10 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
Welington is back home safe and sound. They found that his left tear canal actually does not exist - it dwindles to nothing, so it cannot carry his tears away. They run down his face, which explains why I constantly have to wipe them away. But this time an infection set in and he had an ulcer behind his eye, which they have treated. It must have been excruciatingly painful. The first ointment I was given, a week ago, contained cortisone as well as antibiotic, and apparently this made it worse.

So now he has another ointment and also drops to clear the current infection. But they cannot do anything about the duct. I must clean his eyes every day and make sure they are kept free of dust etc. Poor boy - now he has two medications - a daily eyewash and his prednisone every other day for his asthma. But I am so happy at least they found the definitive cause.
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post #9 of 13
1/28/10 at 2:33pm
Poor sweetie, but at least now you know what's going on and what to do about it. Many for a speedy recovery.
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post #10 of 13
1/28/10 at 4:50pm
Marcie has the same problem with her lacrimal canals. She just doesn't have them. Her tears build up on her cheeks, but I have to be very careful when I wipe them or else I will damage the delicate skin that is right there, and I don't want her to have an infection from that.

Vibes that Wellington's infection clears up nicely
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post #11 of 13
1/29/10 at 2:13am
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone. He is much better this morning, still quiet, but more alert. His eye is half closed, but not so red. I am the one with the scratches, having washed his eye and treated it with the drops and the ointment. But I am sure he will get used to it.
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post #12 of 13
1/29/10 at 5:44am
Poor Wellington!

I'm glad it wasn't too serious though and hopefully the infection will clear up soon so he will feel better.

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post #13 of 13
1/29/10 at 10:42am
Poor little boy - but he must have been guided into just the right home where loving care would be there for him. I hope once he realizes that the ointment makes him feel better, he'll be more, ah, accommodating to the treatment. Bless you for your care.
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