Nice Home Remedy For Conjunctivitis That Is Working!

[mrjinx]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to post this in case anyone is dealing with conjunctivitis. Mr Jinx has it pretty terribly due to a fight with another cat before we took him in. Apparently a claw hooked his eyelids but thankfully missed his pretty eye.

Anyway, he was given interferon because he is FIV as well, but due to other meds he needed, he isn't able to start the interferon just yet, so the vet didn't give us anything else for his conjunctivitis.

I read online about some home remedies, and we've been using them for two days and they ARE WORKING! So I thought I'd share in case your kitty has this too:

Chamomile tea with a sprig of rosemary. Brew it in purified water, keep in fridge. Lasts a week. 1 tablespoon of this and purified water (lukewarm) as an eye wash. I wash my hands with antibacterial soap and then dip my fingers in it and wash his eyelids. I also place some on my face as he loves to rub my face with his (he ends up washing it himself this way! lol). 2 or 3 times per day.

Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp) and purified water (1 tbsp) rubbed between the shoulder blades. Thoroughly work into skin and fur. I do this morning and night.

Voila!

The eye will still leak, but it's running clear now. And he can open it much wider, and no crust!

 

[feralvr]

Thanks for those home remedy tips . Very, very glad to hear Mr. Jinx's eye is improving :bigthumb: You are doing a great job caring for Mr. Jinx!!!

 

[arlyn]

Please, for your cat's sake, discontinue this home remedy.

While Rosemary is safe, Chamomile is toxic to cats.

Please, anyone and everyone, when you see home remedies online or in a book, do your research and talk to your vet.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Ok, I have two questions here:

1:  How do you wash his eyelids?  I can't imagine any cat holding still for that!!

2)  Arlyn, where did you get your info that chamomile is toxic?  I can't find anything that supports that (doesn't mean it's not true, but I've found many, many articles to the contrary, and only one that states it could be harmful IF your cat is allergic to a certain flower.

Oh wait, I have another question!

3)  Apple Cider Vinegar (& purified water) between the shoulder blades helps with the conjunctivitis?  Wow!  Does this work on humans too, do you think? 

 

[carolina]

Ok, I have two questions here:

1:  How do you wash his eyelids?  I can't imagine any cat holding still for that!!

2)  Arlyn, where did you get your info that chamomile is toxic?  I can't find anything that supports that (doesn't mean it's not true, but I've found many, many articles to the contrary, and only one that states it could be harmful IF your cat is allergic to a certain flower.

Oh wait, I have another question!

3)  Apple Cider Vinegar (& purified water) between the shoulder blades helps with the conjunctivitis?  Wow!  Does this work on humans too, do you think? 

Here is the info about Chamomile:

Chamomile

Additional Common Names:
Manzanilla, Garden Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, True Chamomile, Corn Feverfew, Barnyard Daisy, Ground-apple, Turkey-weed
Scientific Name:
Anthemis nobilis
Family:
Compositae
Toxicity:
Toxic to Horses, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Dogs
Toxic Principles:
Volatile oil; bisabolol, chamazulene, anthemic acid, tannic acid
Clinical Signs:
Contact dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, allergic reactions. Long term use can lead to bleeding tendencies.


If your pet ingested this plant, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.*

* A $65 consultation fee may apply.
http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants/chamomile.aspx

Now.... I think this applies if ingested...... as the kitty is obviously not having a reaction to it :dk:

 

[jcat]

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists chamomile as toxic to cats: Chamomile.

Clinical Signs:
Contact dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, allergic reactions. Long term use can lead to bleeding tendencies.

Contact dermititis seems to imply external application.

 

[feralvr]

WOW- had no idea about the Chamomile being toxic .... I think if ingested as well.

I guess it is always best to check with your vet first before trying an at home remedy...

 

[carolina]

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists chamomile as toxic to cats: Chamomile.

Clinical Signs:
Contact dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, allergic reactions. Long term use can lead to bleeding tendencies.

Contact dermititis seems to imply external application.

Yep.... I agree...... The kitty in question is not having a reaction to it though.... So I don't think it is necessarily toxic to ALL cats. The ASPCA does say, though:

If your pet ingested this plant, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.*

Which to me, says definitely toxic if ingested. :nod:

 

[carolina]

WOW- had no idea about the Chamomile being toxic .... I think if ingested as well.
I guess it is always best to check with your vet first before trying an at home remedy...

I do use herbs for Bugsy - EVEN when they are labeled and manufactured for pets, I still take them to my vet for approval...... you just never know :nod:

 

[feralvr]

I do use herbs for Bugsy - EVEN when they are labeled and manufactured for pets, I still take them to my vet for approval...... you just never know :nod:

:nod: Exactly - better safe than sorry......

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Sounds like maybe Chamomile needs to be added to the "101 harmful things" sticky at the top of this forum, 'cause it's not on it!!

 

[mrjinx]

Thanks for sharing that!

I did check with the vet and according to him it is NOT HARMFUL to cats. The extract in extremely large doses would be harmful, as would rosemary, which is why it isn't recommended that they use the oils.

Chamomile and rosemary are the prime ingredients in many conjunctivitis items for cats, such as this: http://www.petwellbeing.com/products/cat-conjunctivitis And I also use the same amount purified water to dilute.

MANY MANY sites claim that certain things are toxic to animals and though it is better to be safe, it's also important to check many viable sources, as there is simply so much information about natural remedies we don't necessarily understand.

As a side, rosemary and other herbs are also in many of the higher-end foods, just again, in small quantities (like garlic).

The conjunctivitis is just about gone! His eye is bright and clear today, so I'm giving him a rest. How I wash his eye with it is I place some on my face, since he loves to rub my face, and I make sure my fingers are VERY clean, and rub a bit of the tea/purified water on his closed eye. He doesn't love it, but he lets me.

And the ACV - no one really knows! There are some theories, one being that it detoxifies the blood stream as absorbed through the skin, and another is that when he scratches the area he then transfers the acv to his feet, and then to his eye.

 

[mrjinx]

Here are a couple other links to help re: safe herbs:

http://www.petcarenaturally.com/articles/herbal-supplements.php

http://www.ehow.com/list_6388501_list-safe-herbs-cats.html

And a vet's video how-to with chamomile:

http://www.petstyle.com/cats/health/chamomile-cats

 

[auntie crazy]

Interesting discussion.

I've the book, "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook", and so many of the eye-related problems have the potential to lead to blindness.... it would make me nervous, I think, to treat my kitty's eyes with anything that didn't come from a vet visit or prescription.

But then, I'm not familiar with homeopathic remedies of any sort. So I'm watching this thread with interest. 

What does everything / anyone think of the video in Mrjinx's post? Would you put a wet chamomile teabag on your kitty's eye?

AC

 

[mrjinx]

He was given Interferon for the FIV/sinus/conjunctivitis from the vet - however, he's not allowed to start taking it until a series of other meds for other things are finished. So he will be taking the vet-prescribed medication as well.

 

[ldg]

I haven't watched the video, but we work with a vet trained in holistic alternatives. If she suggested something like this, we'd do it. I do know that many herbs are used - topically or ingested - that are listed as harmful to cats for various things. The remedies listed at http://www.fivtherapy.com include some, and some that can interfere with other medication. That's why we found a vet trained in alternatives to begin with. Let's face it - many human medications are toxic for us. Chemo, one of the worst offenders, pops to mind....

 

[mrjinx]

So true!

Having an FIV kitty seems to teach you a LOT about alt therapies. And today Mr. Jinx has a big, bright eye. I can tell it isn't completely gone, but what a huge difference. Hopefully after the round of Interferon, he'll be all set.

 

[pushkin]

I know this is an old thread but I was doing ever more research on the question of chamomile's toxicity for cats.  It seems all this information is relative, based on dosage and whether it's used internally or externally.  I've read that often a whole plant is labeled toxic when really only certain parts cause problems, such as the inside of an avocado pit or a certain part of the aloe plant.

Back to the chamomile, my cat Pushkin had an ear infection and rubbed and scratched the top of her ear partially bald.  I made chamomile tea (without the bag because that paper is so toxic - no one should allow that teabag paper in their but it's REALLY bad for small animals) and chilled it, which I then applied to the balding skin on her ear.  Within days the fur grew back!  I know that permanent fur loss can occur from rubbing the ears and was so worried.  My mother did it for her cat.  It helped her, but not as much because my mother doesn't have the discipline to be consistent in treating something that's not life-threatening.  Anyway, my point is that the chamomile seems great for skin issues.  I have also used green tea externally for similar reasons and it worked as well.  Hope this maybe helps someone -  just my two cents.

 

[ahtnamas42]

PLEASE NOTE:

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF CHAMOMILE.

GERMAN Chamomile is safe for cats.

There is a related plant called "Roman Chamomile" which is toxic to cats.

 

[fleakilled]

Thanks so much! My cat has conjunctivitis and I'm having a hard time getting it to go away. I'm trying this ASAP!