What would you do about this eye issue if it was you?

[les26]

Awhile ago I posted about Sylvester having what the vet called Uveitis and a blood clot in his left eye, ran tons of bloodwork which was fine, gave him an antibiotic shot and we had to give him steroid drops for almost a month, and on April 20th when he was sedated for his grooming they looked closely at it and said it looked "amazing" and we could stop the drops and also they had recommended us take him to a cat opthamoligist but they can't see him until mid July, but they said it was up to us if we wanted to keep that appointment or not, but I did. His eye at that time of his grooming looked better but not the same as the other one which is gold, this one looks a bit more brown, a bit darker, and also has a "glow" to it almost like a cataract but they said it isn't and I'm sure they would have been able to tell that when they closely examined it on April 20th, it looks "cloudy". Last night, the lighting in the kitchen was "different", I guess with the change of the seasons and the daylight being longer, but I looked at him and could really tell the color difference, asked Deb if she saw it and she said she could too, he doesn't have any blood clot as that broke up long ago, his eye opens just like the other one, but it is a darker color and at times has that "glow" to it but some of our other cats seem to have that too. I called and left the vet this information, asked their advice, and the message I got back said they would recommend starting the steroid drops again until we see the specialist 7 weeks from now, and also said we could call the specialist and ask for any advice, which I did but of course they can't make any suggestions until they see him! It sounds almost like the vet isn't quite sure what to do so they are deferring it to the specialist, but I'm not keen on just starting steroid drops over the phone, what if he doesn't need them? Will that do any harm? If he needs them okay, but I don't know what to do right now. Again, his eye looked different when they said it looked amazing, I am wondering if this is the way it will look forever or if something is going on, and even if it truly IS Uveitis or something else?

What would you do in this situation? I amgoing to Google other specialists and maybe I can get him in sooner. Does anyone know if Uveitis does permanently change the color and look of the eye?

Thanks for any help. I didn't want to couple this with the old thread because it IS different now and people would see it and say "oh, I read that already", I'd like this to get "exposure" in hopes of some good advice.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Since you only TALKED to your Vet via phone and she didn't actually see his eye again (since April 20th I'm thinking?) why not get an appointment with your regular Vet and have her take a look at it and see if she still feels it looks amazing? If she then still thinks the eye drops are needed, ask if it will do any harm to have him on them for another seven weeks until you see the specialist.

That's what I'd do.

 

[les26]

Since you only TALKED to your Vet via phone and she didn't actually see his eye again (since April 20th I'm thinking?) why not get an appointment with your regular Vet and have her take a look at it and see if she still feels it looks amazing? If she then still thinks the eye drops are needed, ask if it will do any harm to have him on them for another seven weeks until you see the specialist.

That's what I'd do.

Maybe that way she can compare it to how it looked back on 4/20 but then again she looked at it closely because he was sedated, he wouldn't be sedated this time so I'm not sure how good a look she would get.

And by her saying I "could call the specialist and see what they think since it is an eye issue" gives me the impression she really doesn't know what to do at this point?

 

[FeebysOwner]

re: mrsgreenjeens . Well, can your vet at least go ahead and consult with a specialist ahead of your appointment?

 

[les26]

re: mrsgreenjeens . Well, can your vet at least go ahead and consult with a specialist ahead of your appointment?

The vet said that I (me) could call the specialist, which I did, but maybe I could ask HER to call, great idea!!

 

[les26]

Just an update, we got in to the opthamologist today as someone had cancelled and she was very good and thorough, tested his eye pressures and said they were good, but took pictures and showed us that he does have some inflammation in the eye yet and wants us to go back to the drops twice a day, we are to go back in a month and she will check him again and this is something that we can "monitor" and we'll have to live with, but she said his immune system kind of overreacting might be the reason as the blood work ruled out any type of fungus or bacteria that she said sometimes happens. But I gave him some "Composure" treats before hand and I think it relaxed him and we caught him no problems which is rare, and he was good for them there, hid a bit when we came home but then later came out and was following me and let me pet him, I really feel that he understands that we are trying to help him and was saying "thank you", if he wasn't happy or upset he would've stayed hidden, but he was out as I think he realized that they were going to make his eye feel better.

So it is back to the drops but they said that he most likely will get into the routine again of going to his "spot" like he did before and letting Deb put them in and then getting a treat, I sure hope so!! But I am SO GLAD we got in before July 16th!!!

 

[BellaBlue82]

Hi there, so sorry to hear about the constant eye issues for Sylvester. My boy Nico has had eye issues, and it can be really scary!
The end of last year, Nico came to me in the kitchen with a full blood red eye. I freaked. I took him to the emergency vet, they chalked it up to blunt trauma - he must have bumped into something. Ok. It will heal on its own they said. A few days later, totally went away.
HOWEVER lol, it happened again in January. And then in February. And then in March. I also noticed slightly cloudy eyes. I called my vet, and got him in for a check up. Ironically, the first thing she did was check his blood pressure! Quizzical, I know. But apparently high blood pressure can cause eye bleeds, blood clots in the eye, etc. Sure enough, it was sky high. We started him on Amlodipine and no eye issues since his BP got under control.
It sounds crazy, but in case you feel like there is something else going on it doesn't hurt to ask about blood pressure.
I wish you and sweet Sylvester luck!!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Just an update, we got in to the opthamologist today as someone had cancelled and she was very good and thorough, tested his eye pressures and said they were good, but took pictures and showed us that he does have some inflammation in the eye yet and wants us to go back to the drops twice a day, we are to go back in a month and she will check him again and this is something that we can "monitor" and we'll have to live with, but she said his immune system kind of overreacting might be the reason as the blood work ruled out any type of fungus or bacteria that she said sometimes happens. But I gave him some "Composure" treats before hand and I think it relaxed him and we caught him no problems which is rare, and he was good for them there, hid a bit when we came home but then later came out and was following me and let me pet him, I really feel that he understands that we are trying to help him and was saying "thank you", if he wasn't happy or upset he would've stayed hidden, but he was out as I think he realized that they were going to make his eye feel better.

So it is back to the drops but they said that he most likely will get into the routine again of going to his "spot" like he did before and letting Deb put them in and then getting a treat, I sure hope so!! But I am SO GLAD we got in before July 16th!!!

I know you feel better now having seen the opthamologist Thanks for the update

 

[les26]

He has been following me around most of the day, laying on my lap, he can't get close enough to me, it's like he knows that we are trying to help him and is saying "thank you!". Deb put the drop in and he tolerated it really well, so hopefully he gets into the groove of getting them again!

 

[neely]

He has been following me around most of the day, laying on my lap, he can't get close enough to me, it's like he knows that we are trying to help him and is saying "thank you!". Deb put the drop in and he tolerated it really well, so hopefully he gets into the groove of getting them again!

Fingers crossed he gets into the groove of getting the drops again too! I also wanted to wish you good luck when Sylvester goes back to the ophthalmologist in a month for a recheck.

 

[les26]

Well little Sylvester had his recheck this morning at the Opthamologist and got a very good report, she said he looks really good and we can reduce the eye drops from twice a day to once a day for 10 days then once a day every other day, and she doesn't need to see him for 6 months unless something goes wrong!!

And he has REALLY become very sweet, his personality is really coming through, I think he feels better and knows we are helping him, and yes he goes to his "spot" and lets Deb put the drop right in, such a good boy!!!

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you so much for updating us with the good news! I do believe that animals can connect handling and medication with feeling better and he does know that you are helping him.

 

[WMM201]

Our kitties know when we are trying to help them, I really believe this. My cat had much worse luck with her eyes than Sylvester, but she will hold still for the drops for me. I hope it clears up nicely for for your cat!