Dorothy's got eye issues...

It started the Monday before Thanksgiving with sneezing. By Wednesday it was enough sneezing still that I knew it wasn't just some allergies, plus she was hiding and not quite acting like herself, so I made a vet appt for Saturday, hoping it would be cleared up by then. But she was still sneezing a lot, so we went. Instead of The Dotster, she was The Snotster.  The vet, who is a new vet filling in for our regular vet who is on maternity leave, thought it's probably a cold, and gave us the option of antibiotics in case it was more than that, or we could wait and call for antibiotics if it wasn't getting better by Monday or Tuesday. After some discussion, we decided to wait and see. Sure enough, by Monday night Dot wasn't sneezing much at all anymore and acting more like herself, not hiding like she was the previous week. Yay!

Then yesterday, Friday, when I got home from work, she had a really runny, goopy right eye. Sigh. When I dabbed it with a tissue, the discharge was yellow, so I figured it's an infection of sorts, so we went to the vet again this morning. They checked for an ulcer or scratches and didn't find any, which was good, but we got sent home with some antibiotic ointment AND A CONE COLLAR. Dororthy is very sad about this collar. I don't know if I can make her wear it for a whole week. She didn't seem to be scratching or pawing at her eye at all yesterday, so I don't think she would, but thems the rules I guess.

Anyway, BF is in Carlsbad for a beer fest, and I'm headed there this afternoon and coming back tomorrow morning. Uncle Scott is coming over to feed, medicate, and hang with the cats. I stopped at his house after the vet to let him know about Dorothy's eye and all that, and he said he should be able to do the ointment. I told him I'll leave a towel out if he wants to burrito her.

Poor Polka Dot, throughout the cold and everything, she still had a good appetite, which was great, but I don't know if she'll eat with this cone. So at some point before I leave today, I'll take the collar off for a bit to make sure she will eat something. Anything else I should be aware of with an e-collar? Will she make it a whole week with it on? Can I cheat and take it off?

And lastly, I suppose I'll humbly ask for a few TCS healing vibes for my Dorothy. Thanks!

Thanks, Dorothy is definitely under the weather, and really really hates the cone. I did have it off most of this afternoon, but then I caught her rubbing at her eye, like when she cleans her face with her paw, so I put it back on. We all hate the cone, but we want her to get better soon. So pretty much if she's hanging in the same room as us and we can watch her, then we'll take the cone off. But at night and when we're at work or whatever, then I'll leave it on her just to be on the safe side.  

As for the ointment, it's really easy, actually, and she is good about it. Her Uncle Scott had no problems putting it in last night and this morning, and BF held her while I put it in this afternoon, she didn't squirm at all actually. I once had a bad eye infection and had an antibiotic ointment, and I remember it didn't burn or anything, it was just weird cos it was goopy. I hope it starts to help Dot really soon though, she needs a break. How the heck does an indoor cat who has no contact with other cats (besides G-cat) get a cold and an eye infection??  :(

In the meantime, Genever is still dutifully grooming Dot's face when the cone is off, so I'm kind of just waiting for her eyes to get runny... hopefully not, but I guess if it happens, at least we've got the ointment. Sigh... wish us luck!

Well, Dorothy doesn't like the cone, but she doesn't go crazy with it. When I put it on, she walks along a wall as if she's trying to scrape it off or something, but she only does that for a minute or 2 and then it's like she's resigned to it and just goes for a nap.

Now.... Scott was just over to watch the Sunday night football game, and before he left he was saying goodbye to Genever and noticed she's got a watery eye now! Also the right eye, like Dot. Jeez! It's watery, and she's got a red spot above her eye- a cyst maybe? It doesn't look like a scratch or anything, just a red circle dot thing, and it's not in her eye, it's definitely above it. So.... BF and I think we should put some ointment in her eye tonight and do it for a week as well to make sure any bacteria doesn't come back and get resistant to the antibiotic, and hope the spot doesn't get worse, but if it does then I'll take her to the vet. Sigh. I don't think I want to try a cone on her though, she scratches a lot with a regular collar, so I can't imagine how she'd be with a cone.

Seriously, normal people spend lots of money at the mall this time of year, but I spend my money at the vet.

Aww, I know a lot of you have much bigger kitty health issues (and vet bills) to deal with, and I kinda felt dumb even posting, but I did anyway. I apologise for spreading Dot's goopy eye to Perla!!  I hope she gets better soon.

That said, Dot's eye was still gross this morning, but by the time I got home from work, it looked a lot better!! So no more cone, and I will still do the ointment for the rest of the 7 days, but I am very happy that her eye is getting better. Also, Genever's eye isn't bad either, still a bit swollen around with that spot above the eye, but no goopiness. Yay!

Thanks again for all the vibes and well wishes and everything. Dorothy's eye is mostly back to normal, and I just cannot believe she doesn't even flinch when I put the ointment in her eye!!! She fights everything! So no problems finishing off the week with the ointment to make sure the infection doesn't come back with a vengance. Also, G-cat's eye never got worse and is fine.

I am planning on getting some L-lysine, for now I'm thinking of giving it when I see some symptoms starting, but if the girls start a pattern of this stuff then I might start giving it daily for maintenance.

Again, I do appreciate the support. I know many of you are dealing with much more serious health issues with your cats than Dot's cold and following eye infection, but it's good to be part of a group that supports each other.