My cat has runny eyes…

Why the eye flows ?

A red eye, glued eyes, tearing, swollen eyelids are all calling symptoms of eye problems in cats.
There is talk of tearing or "watery eyes" when there is a flow of tears at the inner corner of the eye or when the tears are overflowing eyelids.
Tearing can reach one eye or both eyes. The secretions can be clear like water, or thick and purulent.

What are the possible causes of these abnormalities ?
What if my cat exhibits these symptoms ?

The eye flows if there is excessive production of tears or discomfort to their evacuation to the nasal cavities and mouth.
The fact that an eye flows may reflect inflammation of various parts of the eye : conjunctiva, the cornea or the eye.

What causes a runny eye ?

The causes can be :

infectious (virus, bacteria)

This is the case in the syndrome coryza.
This disease is due to a range of viral pathogens (Herpesvirus, Calicivirus et Reovirus) and bacterial (Chlamydophila, Mycoplasma et Bordetella).
A cat with coryza has eye discharge usually thick and purulent, nasal discharge, sneezing, often fever, a deduction, and sometimes coughing or mouth ulcers.
The common cold can be deadly, especially in kittens or immunocompromised patients. Vaccination of cats as early as two months of age to protect them effectively against this disease.

traumatic

A shock, a foreign body in the eye, a scratch can generate ulcers and inflammation of the cornea, resulting in a red eye, tearing, eye pain (then the cat blinks frequently eye, he tries to rub his eye on all kinds of surfaces…).

anatomical

The tear duct is a small channel that allows the flow of tears from the eye to the nasal cavities.
The channel is located in the inner canthus of the eye (internal angle) and opens into the nasal cavities. Sometimes this channel is blocked, generating a continuous watering.
Furthermore, in some brachycephalic breeds (Smallmouth) like Persian, the conformation of the head and eyelids may prevent access tears this drainage system. This also means tearing continuously even if the tear duct is, in this case, not blocked.

 

 

Finally, poorly implemented eyelash or entropion (anomaly of the eyelid causing a winding of the lid inwardly) can induce a friction on the cornea and cause significant inflammation of the cornea, or corneal ulcer.

inflammatory

The conjunctiva is the lining portion covering the eyelids. It can be inflamed, causing redness and eye discharge. Besides infectious origins, conjunctivitis is observable during allergies or exposure to irritants toxic aerosols.

What care achieve first-line ?

If your cat shows a watering, you can clean it with a specific eye sterile eye lotion for cats. The lotion should be administered directly into the animal's eye. The surplus that flows must be gently wiped with a compress. Avoid using cotton that could leave small filaments in the eye of your cat.

No self-medication !

If sterile eye lotions used for cleaning the eye can not in any case be dangerous, this is not the case of eye drops.
It is against-indicated to administer yourself eye drops without consulting your veterinarian. According to eye disease plaguing your pet, the use of inadequate eye drops can worsen the condition of his eye and lead to very serious injuries !

If your cat suffers from watery, it is necessary to make an appointment with your veterinarian. It will conduct a complete eye examination for your pet.

Following ophthalmological examination, he will prescribe, most often, local treatment consists of eye drops(s). In the case of the common cold, antibiotics will be prescribed orally, associate, if necessary, to treatment with aerosols. In some cases of severe corneal ulcers, Using the ulcer healing will require a temporary covering of the eye (this recovery is carried out by suturing the third eyelid conjunctiva on the upper). Finally, in rare cases, the vet may have to do a major surgery.

 

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The eye discharge can be, by cause, mild or severe. Self medication is always avoided. You need, in all cases, promptly see your veterinarian for a diagnosis to be quickly laid, that eye injuries do not have time to evolve and that your animal is processed and thus heal as quickly.

Author : Dr. Magali Pernot. Illustrator : Dr. Caroline Allard – Vetup^®