What does the starting stages of herpes look like?

I've been curious about Herpes... and my research doesn't show what it looks like starting out.

Cassie, for the past week, has what looks like dirt/scabs on her upper eyelid. Some days worse than others, but not terrible. I chalked it up to Monet scratching her upper eye lid.. but it's been a week and its not healed (been putting Colodial Silver on it).. and it's not getting worse (Thankfully). It doesn't bother her at all, no squinting or tearing of the eye

and of course, it got me wondering about Herpes. And I can't find any pics of early herpes. Can anyone provide pics?

FHV is a respiratory infection and this doesn't sound like it.  However your vet might know...

FHV can manifest itself in many ways, but mainly as a severe upper respiratory infection.  However, many times eyes are involved in varying stages of runny eyes to eye ulcers.  Also, ulcers on the gums and mouth are common.  It's not a progressive type of illness with stages, it just happens, mostly from stress and other factors.

thanks for the responses

I don't think this warrants a vet visit at the moment, unless it gets worse. The cats has been to the vet so many times this month, I can't afford it at the moment. She did have pink eye in there a few weeks ago and the vet gave me eye ointment for her. Debating if I should use it again?

Hi .. Herpes absolutely affects the eyes. My Perla is suffering with an infected Herpes eye. Her eye lid is quite red, inflammed and has those crusty's as well. We are now trying an eye ointment with a steroid as the other antibiotic eye ointment's just irritated her eye lid and did nothing to help soothe or heal her eye. BUT usually there is tearing as well. You say there is no watery discharge.... Hope Cassie's eye heals up with the CS :cross:

Why don't you post a pic of what you're talking about, Draco?  That may help us visualize it better.

ok, here's a pic. The best I can get with a squirmy cat!

Along her upper eyelid (where there's naturally no hair), you can see what looks like dirt specks. Not as bad this morning, but it seems to come and go a bit. The reddish spot above her eye, I think the thin fur is my fault for rubbing with cotton ball of Collodial Silver.

There's no watery eyes, normal sleep discharge, nothing unusual or bad aside from the dirt-like scab. It doesn't bother her, even when I touch the area to clean it. The lid isn't normally that dark pink.. it gets pink when it's been fussed with too much.



I put some eye ointment in last night, the one the docs gave me for her pink eye.. thinking it can't hurt her.

That does look weird.  Wonder if her eyes have been irritated and she rubbed them a bit too much.  Could also be something like an eyelash irritating her eye.  I think I'd keep trying the drops and stop the colloidal silver. 

That's what I wonder. Either she rubbed it or Monet accidentally scratched her eye

Truthfully, that doesn't look like Herpes to me, it looks more like something irritated the eye. In my experience (Gizmo and LittleOne) the eye would be watering if it was Herpes, but I guess it could different in each cat. I don't know if maybe you could use a regular eye drop to help rinse it out and sooth it. You may want to see if the vet would ok that. We have an antibiotic drop for the eyes but maybe something like visine could help? 

BTW, Cassie is such a good girl to hold still and let you take that pic! My arm would be shredded to bits if I tried that! lol.

Cassie has had quite a few eye issues and I fussed with her a lot because of it!

It doesnt seem so bad tonight. I will continue to put the antibiotics ointment in and watch her