Eye discharge question (non FD related)

[Stacy & Asia]

Asia has a smushed face, not quite so bad as a Persian, but that's the idea. She's 21 years old and over the past year or so she's had a lot of brownish eye discharge that creates massive black crusts around her nose (well before FD diagnosis). This was never a thing before. I wipe her eyes several times a day and it does little to stop the crusts from forming. They are so gunked on, I need a warm washcloth and a good 10 minutes to gently remove them...then they are back later in the day or the next day. I have asked 4 different vets about this and they all say it's nothing. One says it's like the tear staining on a white dog, another said it was always a thing but I probably notice it now because she's not grooming as well or as often. The thing is, she had a convenia shot for a UTI a couple months ago and randomly her eyes got clear for several weeks, no more discharge or crusties (and I wasn't wiping them because nothing to wipe, and she wasn't cleaning herself more than usual either). I asked a vet about this too, if there is some bacterial component, and he said could be, but still brushed it off as nothing.

I can't tell if it bothers her in any way, but she's certainly bothered when I clean them off. Does anyone have experience with this? Know what it is? Know of some remedy or anything to help it?

 

[Squalliesmom]

I couldn't say whether or not it might be an infection of some sort, but it sounds possible if it went away while she was on ABs. Can you try just asking your vet for a course of ABs to see if it helps? I would suggest going with an AB other than Convenia (see this also) this time. Would it help if you put a thin film of vaseline on her face where the discharge collects? It might make it easier to remove, and provide her a bit of relief.

 

[Stacy & Asia]

I tried vasoline, neosporin, coconut oil, and a pet healing salve, they don't seem to do anything. It cleared up with the convenia for several weeks, and then came back, which leads me to believe a round of abx isn't the answer (unless it was the wrong abx for whatever is happening, in which case, it shouldn't have worked in the first place), and I'm not keen to keep her on prophylactic abx pulsing or indefinitely, especially if it's for cosmetic reasons (which I'm not sure of).

I'm no fan of convenia either, believe me, I know the side effects. Unfortunately, it's the only reliable option for Asia because it is an injection. She's an amazingly tolerant cat, but her one rule is: you can't go in her mouth. Can't do liquids, can't do pills, it's very frustrating, but she's 21 and it's not a new thing, she's just not a cat that can be drugged unless it's an injection. Vets can't even check her teeth unless she is knocked out.

Another side note, may or may not be related to eye discharge, but her ears have always been nice and pink and clean on the inside, she also started to have mild brownish buildup in her ears, possibly the same time as eyes, and that also cleared up (temporarily) with convenia. Vets say ear buildup is because she's old. Also, she lost all her hearing a few years ago, more reliably because she is old.

 

[Squalliesmom]

Could be a URI, runny eyes and itchy ears can be signs of a URI. Curiously, I have taken two of mine to the vet in the last month for runny eyes and itchy ears. When dis Asia's problems start? Where do you live (general area).

 

[Stacy & Asia]

Could be a URI, runny eyes and itchy ears can be signs of a URI. Curiously, I have taken two of mine to the vet in the last month for runny eyes and itchy ears. When dis Asia's problems start? Where do you live (general area).

It's been over a year, and all the vets have dismissed it. We are in NYC.

 

[JanetNJ]

There are antibiotic eye ointments that the vet can perscribe. I have a cat that had a terrible double eye infection (and pneumonia) as a 10 week old kitten... she had two courses of oral antibiotics as well as the antibiotic eye ointments. Now she is two and STILL gets the same dark discharge you describe. I wipe her eyes every 1-2 days as well. Vet said it's just going to be how she is, and as long as it doesn't look cloudy or green it's just discharge. the past 3 months CC has had it in one eye... vet thought maybe allergies but I don't know. It doesn't seem to bother her much although like all cats she's not happy about having it wiped. I only have to wipe hers a few times a week.

 

[Stacy & Asia]

There are antibiotic eye ointments that the vet can perscribe. I have a cat that had a terrible double eye infection (and pneumonia) as a 10 week old kitten... she had two courses of oral antibiotics as well as the antibiotic eye ointments. Now she is two and STILL gets the same dark discharge you describe. I wipe her eyes every 1-2 days as well. Vet said it's just going to be how she is, and as long as it doesn't look cloudy or green it's just discharge. the past 3 months CC has had it in one eye... vet thought maybe allergies but I don't know. It doesn't seem to bother her much although like all cats she's not happy about having it wiped. I only have to wipe hers a few times a week.

I pretty much took their words for it that it was just a thing and I accepted it (especially since several different vets all said this). What gave me pause was with the abx completely clearing it up, I really don't think it was a coincidence that she was on abx when it happened. I will ask about the eye ointment, maybe that will work.

 

[Squalliesmom]

I pretty much took their words for it that it was just a thing and I accepted it (especially since several different vets all said this). What gave me pause was with the abx completely clearing it up, I really don't think it was a coincidence that she was on abx when it happened. I will ask about the eye ointment, maybe that will work.

I agree, that seems like more than coincidence to me, too. They also make antibiotic eye drops, I have used them a few times and they work well.

 

[FurBabiesMama]

My civvie, Willow, started having runny eyes after a visit to the vet (which, of course makes me blame it on them.. what did they expose her to?!), and it is a regular occurrence now. Her discharge seems to be clear, but when it is especially bad, it does kind of get crusty, especially on the side of one eye. It breaks my heart to see her beautiful green eyes this way. For a little over a week, she was in an e-collar due to a ruptured anal sac. For that week, she was on Clavamox and Cerenia (because she had previously had nausea with Clavamox). I realized several days in that she had not had runny eyes or had one of her sneezing/asthma attacks which were previously occurring pretty much daily. The next week, the runny eyes reappeared, and she had two or three attacks. I really think the Cerenia is what kept her from having the runny eyes and attacks. I thought that was crazy since it is for nausea, but then I did some research and found out it might not be so crazy. I think I am going to call the vet next week and ask about getting some to see if giving it to her again stops these issues again. (When I was giving it to her, it was just 1/4 of a 16mg tablet every couple of days.) She was on Clavamox before, and that had no impact on her attacks, so I really do not think that was what did it.

By the way, when her eyes first started running, I spoke to two vets about it, and both said it was no big deal. (Maybe not to them, but she and I disagree. ) One said to give her Benadryl, but I hate to make her drowsy, cats already sleep enough.

 

[Stacy & Asia]

My civvie, Willow, started having runny eyes after a visit to the vet (which, of course makes me blame it on them.. what did they expose her to?!), and it is a regular occurrence now. Her discharge seems to be clear, but when it is especially bad, it does kind of get crusty, especially on the side of one eye. It breaks my heart to see her beautiful green eyes this way. For a little over a week, she was in an e-collar due to a ruptured anal sac. For that week, she was on Clavamox and Cerenia (because she had previously had nausea with Clavamox). I realized several days in that she had not had runny eyes or had one of her sneezing/asthma attacks which were previously occurring pretty much daily. The next week, the runny eyes reappeared, and she had two or three attacks. I really think the Cerenia is what kept her from having the runny eyes and attacks. I thought that was crazy since it is for nausea, but then I did some research and found out it might not be so crazy. I think I am going to call the vet next week and ask about getting some to see if giving it to her again stops these issues again. (When I was giving it to her, it was just 1/4 of a 16mg tablet every couple of days.) She was on Clavamox before, and that had no impact on her attacks, so I really do not think that was what did it.

By the way, when her eyes first started running, I spoke to two vets about it, and both said it was no big deal. (Maybe not to them, but she and I disagree. ) One said to give her Benadryl, but I hate to make her drowsy, cats already sleep enough.

Yes, that's the thing, if it wasn't anything, it shouldn't resolve with medication, right? That's weird that cerenia would clear it up though, I wonder why? What did your research show? I'm also fine with it being no big deal, but I would like to know what it is, since it wasn't an always thing and it was able to clear up with some abx.

 

[FurBabiesMama]

That's weird that cerenia would clear it up though, I wonder why? What did your research show?

"Maropitant belongs to a class of drugs called neurokinin (NK-1) antagonists. There are many different types of neurokinins, but the important one with regards to maropitant goes by the enigmatic name, “substance P.” Substance P is a neurotransmitter involved in vomiting. By blocking it, maropitant can stop vomiting. But substance P is also found elsewhere in the body, especially in mast cells that play a big role in allergic reactions and inflammation."

Apparently, it can potentially help with coughing, asthma, respiratory issues and allergies. Like most things, there are concerns over using it too much, and there is the fact that the tablet is not actually approved for use in cats yet (just the injectable), but if it is what stopped my babies symptoms completely for over a week, it is worth it to me to at least look into it.

 

[Sylvie]

don't know what it is really but, my tortoise gets this like 3-4 times a year. vet was worthless the first couple times her eyes got bad and so were the antiobiotic drops they finally gave me for 'pink eye' as they decided to diagnose her with. i started using Terramycin Ophthalmic ointment after doing some research and it got rid of it. ever since, when her one eye that gets it worse first starts crusting up more than what is normal for a cat, i put some of the ointment on her lower eyelid and corner of eye and put a little on other eye too, after about 3 days her eyes are back to being beautiful and bright for usually a few months. it did take longer than 3 days to clear first time since her eyes were already really bad.

 

[Stacy & Asia]

don't know what it is really but, my tortoise gets this like 3-4 times a year. vet was worthless the first couple times her eyes got bad and so were the antiobiotic drops they finally gave me for 'pink eye' as they decided to diagnose her with. i started using Terramycin Ophthalmic ointment after doing some research and it got rid of it. ever since, when her one eye that gets it worse first starts crusting up more than what is normal for a cat, i put some of the ointment on her lower eyelid and corner of eye and put a little on other eye too, after about 3 days her eyes are back to being beautiful and bright for usually a few months. it did take longer than 3 days to clear first time since her eyes were already really bad.

Is that a prescription or OTC? I will look in to it. I feel fairly comfortable using something topical over something systemic (especially if it is true that it's only cosmetic, which I'm sure we will never have a definitive answer to).

 

[Sylvie]

Is that a prescription or OTC? I will look in to it. I feel fairly comfortable using something topical over something systemic (especially if it is true that it's only cosmetic, which I'm sure we will never have a definitive answer to).

use to be a prescription back in the day but, it is OTC in most states now i do believe, although you probably won't find it in stores. i know petsmart sells it online and you can buy it from amazon themselves (not sellers) for $15 when they have it in stock.

 

[Stacy & Asia]

use to be a prescription back in the day but, it is OTC in most states now i do believe, although you probably won't find it in stores. i know petsmart sells it online and you can buy it from amazon themselves (not sellers) for $15 when they have it in stock.

Thanks so much for this, I ordered some and I'm going to try it out!