Cat eye problem - herpes, ulcer?? (with picture)

[emykins]

I was at my sister in law's house last night and one of her cats
had developed some sort of eye infection.. I'm not sure how long
it has been going on, but she's not able to take it to a vet right
now for monetary reasons, but if any of you can tell me about
the problem or tell me if its too serious to leave it alone, I'll arrange
somehow for it to get attention... Thanks in advance!

Here's the picture link:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f8...54981_3300.jpg

 

[stephenq]

I've seen some nasty eye infections but that's really bad. This cat needs a vet ASAP. Delaying treatment at this point would be cruel.

 

[emykins]

Thank you for the fast reply - that's what I was fearing.. I'll see
what I can do for the poor little guy..

 

[poohandwendy]

I was going to say that it looks like a picture of feline ocular herpes I saw a long time ago (I will try to look for it). Obviously, only a vet can tell you exactly what is going on. But I can say, without doubt, that this poor kitty needs to be seen by a vet asap. Many times vets will agree to a payment plan if funds are an issue.

Good luck, I hope the kitty is feeling better soon. Please keep us updated!

 

[gardenandcats]

That poor cat.Its inhumane to not have the cat seen by a vet TODAY! The cat has to be in alot of pain and suffering. And by the looks its in danger or loosing vision in that eye.

 

[emykins]

I don't know what to do... does anyone know what price
we're looking at for the vet bill?? I know you can't put a
price on a pet, I truely believe that - but nobody else seems
to think its that big of an issue, especially with the money
involved in it...

It's not my cat, but I need to see it helped..

 

[ncarpi75]

Even though it is not your cat, you really need to advocate on the cat's behalf. Get that precious cat to the vet ASAP!! Could you imagine if a parent let their human child's eye get like that?? That would be neglect and Child Services would probably get involved!! This situation is not different. This cat is your friend's child.

Please keep us posted on his/her progress and please do the right thing....it looks like you are his/her only hope..

 

[zak&rocky]

My kitty has a corneal ulcer from herpes. It DOES NOT and has never looked like that. Rocky is on the right, look at his right eye, your left. The other is somewhat affected but not as bad. Your kitty looks like he is in pain. Even if the eye can't be saved, get him to the vet now so he doesn't suffer!

 

[arlyn]

That looks almost exactly like Ivory's eye did, the day she left to have it removed.

That kitty needs a vet ASAP.
Aside from the obvious trauma to the eye and the pain, an eye swollen that large is putting pressure on the sinuses, sinus cavity, optical nerves and brain.
The longer this goes untreated, the more damage can occur.

 

[emykins]

Do you think you could tell me the vet bill of
removing the eye...?

 

[zissou'smom]

The price of not taking the cat to the vet should, IMHO, be far more important.

My kitty had a simple vomit/diahrea problem, and they didn't even say she couldn't wait till morning, but I took her to the vet anyway during emergency hours and it ended up costing half the rent. And? She is my baby girl, and I love her.

Its just money. Put it on a credit card, even, if the vet won't accept a plan, and instant payment plan. Any vet who looked at that poor cat and turned away because they wouldn't get their money same-day probably shouldn't be a vet.

 

[emykins]

i never said i cared about the money, never.. im asking
because i dont think they will do it unless they know
what type of a bill they're looking at...

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by emykins

i never said i cared about the money, never.. im asking
because i dont think they will do it unless they know
what type of a bill they're looking at...

I really don't think any of us here can quote you a price - you need to talk to a vet and get this kitty taken care of immediately. This is so sad to see that it has gotten this bad without being seen. Please, please, do something now.

 

[emykins]

i have been and will continue to try and convince
everyone that the cat needs attention.. thanks to
everyone for their replies..

 

[gardenandcats]

The initial vet bil to see exactely what is wrong won't be that high. The first step is taking the cat in and seeing whats wrong and what needs to be done.I would imagine the vet will know whats wrong with the eye without having to take expensive test. I'm just guessing on this.Here for a check up its $29.00 then anything else done is extra. So having the cat checked out would not be that expensive. If they can' t even do that then it would be best if they called the humane society or some type of animal rescue group and turn the cat over to them so it will get proper treatment.

 

[pat]

I applaud you for caring but it really is simple. To not treat this is inhumane. Don't take no for an answer, it is wrong on every level to not have this cat seen.

I've dealt with corneal ulcerations, uveitis and now a ruptured cornea...I have never seen swelling/bulging of the eye like this, but I have seen what appears to be blood within the eye that appears to be the case here.

You need a diagnosis, then your vet can give you an estimate and they/you can decide re proceeding. Don't be afraid to ask for a payment plan if you need to once you have an estimate price for treatment.

Please ask them to surrender the cat to you or at least allow you to help them with the expense, or to surrender the cat to a caring shelter/group that will treat it.

There is NO doubt that this is serious, it must be seen, they risk losing the eye and the cat if they do not have it seen.

 

[zissou'smom]

I did not mean to say it was you who cared about the money...obviously you do care about the cat or you would not be here asking. It must be very frustrating for you to see the cat suffer so terribly and nobody will listen to reason and humanity in this particular instance.
When you try to convince them to take the cat to a vet, you cannot let them say that they don't have the money. That is not a valid excuse, ever. I know money is tight lots of times and it is hard to sacrifice conveniences. However, when I rescued Zissou, I realized that if money ever got that tight she would eat before I would, just as a child would. (I do not ever foresee things being that bad barring catastrophe!) That is the responsibility of having a pet. You need to help this poor cat's family understand that. This isn't an "Oh, maybe she needs a vet" sort of thing. The picture you posted honestly made me cry, and I can't fathom how someone could not take that cat to the vet, and yesterday. Best of luck! I know it will be hard. I have had to do a very similar thing.

 

[zissou'smom]

In addition:

If you look for low-cost spay/neuter clinics, you may be able to find a vet who is non-profit and funded by donations or grants. This is how I found a vet for Zissou's regular shots and ear mites, etc. There are several all over Wisconsin. Call them and tell them the situation. The clinic I found charged only 15 dollars (plus a five-dollar donation) for an appt, and had enough generosity in the community to support a full shelter, and a full-service low-cost clinic that does not require proof of income or anything.

If they refuse to budge, take it yourself (without catnapping it, of course). Ask them if their eye looked and HURT that badly, if they would not go to the doctor because the copay was too high.

 

[sophiacat]

PLEASE take the cat to the vet now! Take it yourself you don't need anyone to convince! Poor thing! Please update us on his progress!!

 

[jlutgendorf]

One of my clients is an animal eye vet, you can look at some of the more common eye diseases here: http://atlantaveteyeclinic.com/commoneyediseases.htm
The photos are quite graphic. None of them seems to match your sister's kitty's problem though.
Again, no one here can tell you the cost of the visit as vet prices vary from location to location and we don't know what the vet would have you do. It might be something minor like antibiotics or it may be major like removing the eye.
From looking at the size the eye has swollen to and from looking at photos from my vet client, I would say that the cat is in danger of the eyeball erupting and needs to be seen immediately. Perhaps if you ask your sister to imagine if her eye had swolen to two or three times it's normal size, what would she do? You can also mention that this is a problem that will not go away without a vet's treatment, and the longer they put it off, the more it will cost. Guaranteed.

Here's a guide to when your pet should see and opthamologist (also from my client's site)


The majority of the cases seen at Atlanta Veterinary Eye Clinic are referred by a general veterinarian. The referral is made when an ophthalmic problem is either visible or suspected. The problem may range from an ocular injury to a loss of vision. Consulting an ophthalmologist allows the pet and owner to receive the benefits from specialized diagnosis and treatment.

Does your pet rub his eyes often?

Do your pet's eyes appear swollen or enlarged?

Do your pet's eyes appear cloudy or is there any redness?

Is there any discharge in the corners of the eyes?

Does your pet appear to tear excessively?

Have you noticed your pet squinting or keeping his eye(s) closed?

Does your pet occasionally bump into things?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, contact your general veterinarian as soon as possible to facilitate a referral.

Here are some common symptoms that we see at AVEC and problems that they could be related to:

Loss of vision: Cataracts, PRA , glaucoma retinal degeneration or retinal detachment