TAFFY-AMPS 272/+10 104 1.75 units Eye Problem

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Taffysmama

Taffysmama

Member Since 2016
So, we have not posted in a very long time and I do hope to have the time and energy soon to catch up our spreadsheet, etc. I have been exhausted and useless at nighttime. Taffy is hanging in but has developed some issues. We also can't seem to get lower than 1.75 u.

I did a search on the board for eye issues, but I just get unrelated results. What are diabetes related eye issues?
 
Hi, I just realized that I did not mention his symptoms! His left eye had had a lot of thick goop for a couple of months. It does not seem to bother him, however. I just regularly and carefully remove the goop. The goop did change a bit, got darker, even seemed to go away for a bit. Now, his right eye is totally gooped and seems to hurt him. It could have just been scratched in a tiny scuffle with civvie Baby Kitty, but I did not witness anything.
 
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Her is squinting it and keeping out of light. I don't have any eye ointment in hand so I think I had better go to vet tomorrow. Even if just a scratch, I am worried about it healing well due to the diabetes
 
Photophobia can be a symptom of an abrasion or other corneal disturbance. A foreign body can also result in photophobia, as can dry eyes.

If the cornea is clear when he goes to the vets. Other causes of photophobia can be gluacoma or uveitis.
Diabetes in humans is a risk factor for glaucoma, uveitis, and retinopathy.

My vet told me that retinopathy is not seen in diabetic cats., But I don't know about the other two.

Is he getting any discharge?
 
Gill & George said:
Photophobia can be a symptom of an abrasion or other corneal disturbance. A foreign body can also result in photophobia, as can dry eyes.

If the cornea is clear when he goes to the vets. Other causes of photophobia can be gluacoma or uveitis.
Diabetes in humans is a risk factor for glaucoma, uveitis, and retinopathy.

My vet told me that retinopathy is not seen in diabetic cats., But I don't know about the other two.

Is he getting any discharge?
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Yes, it was quite goopy when I got home and I gently wiped with damp tissue. It does not seem to be excessively watery. I'm going to evaluate in a.m. & decide. Luckily, my vet is open on Sunday. That's what I worry about, if it is just a scratched cornea, is delayed healing due to diabetes. He was also recently Dx'd with SIBO and possible IBD or lymphoma.
 
Beth 73 said:
Ask vet about using Eyebright as well. I make my own from a tincture and have it on hand as a response to eye situations til can get them to vet . Prayers and hugs to you and Taffy ...great to see you :)
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Tell me more about how you prepare & use the eyebright?
 
Gill & George said:
Discharge would be more suggestive of an infection.

.


Good luck at the vets tomorrow
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Now I have appt for Monday. His eyes seem a bit improved, less goop, he is squinting less. Maybe he's on the mend. My vet clinic is open today, but our vet we see is not there, and I don't want the other vet, so I made appt for tomorrow. Maybe eyes will be all better by then!
 
Beth 73 said:
Hi Julie . Recipe for Eyebright : 1 cup boiled distilled H2O...1/4 teaspoon sea salt..5 drops Eyebright tincture I boil water, stir in salt til dissolved then add 5 drops tincture. Let cool then put in smallbottle with eye dropper top. Keep in frig for 3 days .
To Use: 2 drops in eye 3-4 x a day .
Hope this helps :)
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Beth, with all due respect, I wouldn't recommend doing this. It's a potential infection risk, the mixture you are making is not sterile, there are some very nasty, resistant bugs that thrive in water. To then place this on an eye that might be compromised is really asking for trouble.

As far as I am aware although Eyebright has been used in herbal medicine for a long time, studies have not shown it to actually have a positive effect on eye health.

The eye and it's anexa are really a very delicate, and I would avoid using homemade solutions such as these, mostly because of the risk of inadvertently introducing an infection.
 
Hi Taffy's Mom! Nice to hear from you but sorry that Taffy is having some eye issues. I agree with Gill and would not start any treatment to the eye without a Vet supervisor. The eyes are just something not to mess with. I am all for homeopathy but when it comes to the eyes......I want an ophthalmologist to guide me.
 
Gill & George said:
Beth, with all due respect, I wouldn't recommend doing this. It's a potential infection risk, the mixture you are making is not sterile, there are some very nasty, resistant bugs that thrive in water. To then place this on an eye that might be compromised is really asking for trouble.

As far as I am aware although Eyebright has been used in herbal medicine for a long time, studies have not shown it to actually have a positive effect on eye health.

The eye and it's anexa are really a very delicate, and I would avoid using homemade solutions such as these, mostly because of the risk of inadvertently introducing an infection.
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Thank you for info . Per my homeopathic vet have used this for years but this bears looking into . Again, thank you for your input
 
Thanks for all of the input. I've done nothing to his eyes today but wipe the goop of with a tissue. We have appt tomorrow.
 
Hi Julie! Nice to see you and Taffy.

Gill & George said:
Beth, with all due respect, I wouldn't recommend doing this. It's a potential infection risk, the mixture you are making is not sterile, there are some very nasty, resistant bugs that thrive in water. To then place this on an eye that might be compromised is really asking for trouble.

As far as I am aware although Eyebright has been used in herbal medicine for a long time, studies have not shown it to actually have a positive effect on eye health.

The eye and it's anexa are really a very delicate, and I would avoid using homemade solutions such as these, mostly because of the risk of inadvertently introducing an infection.
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Gill works in the field of Optometry, so she knows whereof she speaks.

I had eye issues with Cinco (obviously), Harvey, and civvie Sasha. Cinco got a Bartonella infection, then Glaucoma and eventually ocular lymphoma. He also had herpes infections in his eyes and I was always having to give him multiple drops. He went blind and one eye was removed due to the lymphoma. The glaucoma and herpes in the other eye defied control so we took it out too. He felt much better after that.

Sasha had dry eyes, which is considered rare in cats, and herpes. In fact, the ophthalmologist that saw her at UCD asked if I would consider allowing them to include her in a study they were doing on the subject. Of course I agreed, and when she crossed, I made sure the ophthalmologist was informed so he could harvest her eyes for the study. She was on a variety of drops and ointments, as well as some serum during her last year.

Harvey had cataracts and glaucoma. He got eye drops, too.

Herpes viral infections are actually pretty common in cats.

Whenever one of them had issues with discharge, the ophthalmologist told me to use a warm, damp washcloth to gently clean the eye.

If your vet isn't able to resolve the issue, I'd recommend taking Taffy to see an ophthalmologist.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
@Beth 73 , maybe if used with sterile water?? Idk......... ask your homeopath.
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The sterility of the water is part of the problem, but there is also the ph and osmorality of the solution. If either of these are off the solution can sting and cause irritation. My other concern when making up the preparation is the sterility of the tincture itself. If you have a vial of tincture, what's to stop that becoming contaminated? Does it have preservatives in it? How long is it good for?

Consider regular eye drops, the active ingredient is only part of the picture, saline, preservatives, buffers are all added to keep the product stable and sterile, once it's opened. Personally I don't like preservatives in my eyedrops (risk of allergic reaction), so I always opt where possible for preservative free where possible, either in single dose minims or with specially designed dispensers that prevent the product from becoming contaminated.

The real concern for me with using eyebright is the sterility, and instilling the drops on to a cornea thats compromised, if kitty (or human for that matter) has an abrasion, or other corneal lesion that cornea is compromised and can really easily become infected.
I should say I have no personal experience of using eyebright, either on kitties or humans, but reading about its use the main concern with it's use in the eye does seem to be one of introducing infection.

Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey said:
Whenever one of them had issues with discharge, the ophthalmologist told me to use a warm, damp washcloth to gently clean the eye.
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Keeping the area of discharge is important, if it were really gummy and doesn't clean up easily with warm damp cloth, you could also use a drop of Baby Shampoo (I've used Johnsons N0 Tears Baby shampoo, on myself, and human patients) to help wipe the area around the eye, it doesn't sting and acts as a degreaser clearing up the gunk more easily. But warm damp cloth would normally be enough.
 
Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey said:
Hi Julie! Nice to see you and Taffy.


Gill works in the field of Optometry, so she knows whereof she speaks.

I had eye issues with Cinco (obviously), Harvey, and civvie Sasha. Cinco got a Bartonella infection, then Glaucoma and eventually ocular lymphoma. He also had herpes infections in his eyes and I was always having to give him multiple drops. He went blind and one eye was removed due to the lymphoma. The glaucoma and herpes in the other eye defied control so we took it out too. He felt much better after that.

Sasha had dry eyes, which is considered rare in cats, and herpes. In fact, the ophthalmologist that saw her at UCD asked if I would consider allowing them to include her in a study they were doing on the subject. Of course I agreed, and when she crossed, I made sure the ophthalmologist was informed so he could harvest her eyes for the study. She was on a variety of drops and ointments, as well as some serum during her last year.

Harvey had cataracts and glaucoma. He got eye drops, too.

Herpes viral infections are actually pretty common in cats.

Whenever one of them had issues with discharge, the ophthalmologist told me to use a warm, damp washcloth to gently clean the eye.

If your vet isn't able to resolve the issue, I'd recommend taking Taffy to see an ophthalmologist.
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Wow! That's a lot of eye issues!

We saw Taffy's vet today for his eyes (this is his 4th visit in August!) and he has some conjunctivitis in both eyes, but did not say the cause. She looked at corneas and said they were fine. She also said that he had dry eyes. We got antibiotic+ steroid ointment, and lubricating ointment. My poor baby! I really hope that I can get some of his issues under control or fixed, and stop adding new ones!
 
If he has conjunctivitis, it will upset the year balance and make his eyes dry.

Conversely if you have dry eyes you are more prone to eye infection.

Good that his cornea is clear.

Once he finished his course of ab drops it may be worth reassessing the eye to see if it's still dry, to see if it's necessary to continue with the lubricating ointment.

Just curious (it's the eyecare professional in me), what ointment have they given him??
 
Gill & George said:
Once he finished his course of ab drops it may be worth reassessing the eye to see if it's still dry, to see if it's necessary to continue with the lubricating ointment.
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I think that is what she is planning. I'm also upping his fish oil (I don't think I give enough). Any other vitamins for eye health in cats?
Gill & George said:
Just curious (it's the eyecare professional in me), what ointment have they given him??
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Let's see...Bausch & Lomb Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates, Bacitracin Zinc and Hydrocortisone, whew! That's the 1st one. Lubricating ointment is by AKORN Animal Health and main ingredient = Landin 2%
 
Hey there! It's been super dry and hot in our neck of the woods lately so dry eyes wouldn't be a totally out of the blue, freaky thing to end up with really. Jett's eye is running more since I've had fans going to try to keep air moving trying to keep the house cool, and AC air isn't exactly moist either if you are running it. Could that be contributing? Just some musings..my eyes are gunky too lately and that's what I'm blaming after the process of elimination!
So sorry to hear Taffy is having multiple things going on at once and has been to the vet so often, you must be beat!
We are lucky to have a really good veterinary ophthalmologist in our area if it comes to that...
Sending vines and hugs....
 
Gill & George said:
I've just started taking this as a supplement, for dry eye/blepharitis, some studies in humans have shown it helps.

Do you have a reliable source for what an appropriate dose for a cat? I believe it's not good to take too much.
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I give small amounts, but had not been doing at all lately.
 
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