Cats Third Eyelid

[Hxnnxh]

I recently adopted a kitten. We named him Budders and we got him from one of our friends. When she had him, he had a bad eye infection and he almost went blind. They gave him eye medicine and the infection cleared up. But for some reason his third eyelid is always raised. I’ve had him tested for parasites, had him dewormed, and checked out several times. The vet just gave him steroid eye drops and they don’t seem to be working that well either. Can anybody please help me?

Other Info:
Got him at: 8 weeks
Current Age: 18 weeks
Weight: 4 lbs (2 KG)
Eyelid problem has lasted for as long as we’ve had him.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Did the vet suggest that this could be a permanent situation due to the previous eye infection? I would ask about that - if your vet is unsure, perhaps he would be willing to consult with a vet who specializes in ophthalmology? The fact that it is not occurring in both eyes would tend to lead away from an illness and point more toward a specific issue with just that eye - hence it seeming logical to me that it has something to do with the infection he had, especially when you say it was bad enough that he almost went blind in that eye.

 

[Hxnnxh]

She did suggest it was neurological. And it’s in both eyes. So would that mean he’s okay and he’ll just always be like that?

 

[FeebysOwner]

She did suggest it was neurological. And it’s in both eyes. So would that mean he’s okay and he’ll just always be like that?

So, both of his eyes were affected by the infection? I can't answer whether or not that means he is OK. I would guess it might be a permanent condition related to the eye infection and doesn't mean something else is wrong. If the vet thinks it is neurological, do they think it is a result of the eye infection, or do they have no clue?

That is why having him checked out by an ophthalmologist and maybe even a neurologist might be a good idea - just to get their opinions? I know it would likely be expensive, but you would have a better idea if it is simply a residual effect from the eye infection, or a totally different issue. In either case, it could very well be something that is never expected to get any worse. Any records your vet has could be shared with the other vet specialists to help reduce some of the costs. Is he doing well otherwise?

Just as a side note, I noticed he could be considered a little small for his age - did the vet have any comments to make about that? Do they think he is expected to be a relatively small cat when he reaches adulthood?

 

[The Goodbye Bird]

It could be a result of feline herpes which supposedly all cats have now. Do the eyes water?

 

[Hxnnxh]

His eyes do not water. The only abnormal thing about him is that both his third eyelids are ALWAYS raised, and he has excessive gas. They’ve tested him several times for parasites with no findings and then she said it could be from the infection he had. He’s doing well otherwise, he’s a happy little kitten and runs and plays like normal. But after a couple weeks of him being here my other cat got extremely sick and I don’t know if he had the same thing. The vet I’m going to has given us basically 0 information when going to her. She just sends off with medicines and asks us to come back if nothing gets better.