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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / February 2004Corneal ulcer
I bought paired cats from a local cat santuary a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, one of them had been diagnosed as having a corneal ulcer, so the staff at the sanctuary will not let the cats be homed until they are both at full fitness. After two weeks of topical antibiotics there's talk of possible surgery. My concern is that at no time has a painkiller been provided. I haven't been able to speak directly to the vet treating the cat but from what I've read online this condition can be very painful, especially if it is serious enough to warrant surgery. The cat is squinting and washing his eye and looks quite miserable when we visit.The surrounding eye tissue (conjunctiva?) looks inflamed. I've been told by the staff at the sanctuary that he isn't in pain, but I have doubts about this. Is use of a painkiller advisable while he waits for surgery or continues with eye drops? I'm no vet, not by a long shot, but I am wondering why the cat doesn't at least have an "elizabethan collar" to prevent his worrying at the eye. I also wonder why the shelter won't at least release the healthy cat to its new home. I guess in your place (and if I could afford it!) I would offer to adopt both cats now, with the contingency that I assume the care of the injured cat. I would then get the cat to an eye specialist. No need to reply, unless you want. I am just wondering aloud, as it were. I hope the cat recovers soon. Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats > I bought paired cats from a local cat > santuary a couple of weeks ago. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > able to speak directly to the vet > treating the cat Why not? Do they even have a regular vet? >but from what I've read > online this condition can be very [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > surrounding eye tissue (conjunctiva?) > looks inflamed. IMO the sanctuary and the vet are really failing this cat. If antibiotics were going to work, there should have been some visible imrovement in a few days. They have allowed this to go on way too long and have obviously not investigated a viral issue as the cause, which it probably is. This cat needs to be seen by a veterinary opthamologist ASAP. If there is any way you can arrange to get this cat to one, I would suggest you do it immediately and get the poor thing proper treatment before the cat loses his eye. > I've been told by the staff at the > sanctuary that he isn't in pain, but I > have doubts about this. As you should. They are seriously deluded if they think this cat isn't in pain. Megan  Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray > I bought paired cats from a local cat santuary a couple of weeks ago. > Unfortunately, one of them had been diagnosed as having a corneal [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I've been told by the staff at the sanctuary that he isn't in pain, > but I have doubts about this. Corneal ulcers are extremely painful! Cats with corneal ulcers keep the eye partially or completely shut because its very painful. A corneal ulcer can erode clear through the cornea and cause the eye to rupture! Please get the cat to another vet *immediately* - she probably needs surgery by now to save the eye - and a pain killer. Make sure the sanctuary isn't using topical steroids or any medication that contains a steroid. Steroids exacerbate the problem and inhibit healing. Tell the sanctuary you'll take the cat "as is" and won't hold them responsible for vet costs. Just *please* get this cat to another vet! *Immediately*. Good luck. Phil > Corneal ulcers are extremely painful! Cats with corneal ulcers keep the eye > partially or completely shut because its very painful. A corneal ulcer > can erode clear through the cornea and cause the eye to rupture! > > Please get the cat to another vet *immediately* See now, here is the sort of post where I think Phil can actually be helpful. Way to go, Phil. To throw in another perspective. The shelter where the cats are I'm sure are on limited funds. From that prospective they are doing their job and what they can for this cat. You sound to me like someone who would care for these cats and make sure they get the care they need. However not ever person adopting a cat would be willing to take it to an eye specialist it can be very costly. So I'm sure they are just making sure that it does get treated properly before letting the cat be homed. If they were to allow you to adopt the cat now and then something else happened say the eye needs to be removed and you now have a $400.00 bill some people may go back to this shelter and expect them to pay the cost where if they'd had their vet do the procedure it would have cost them much less and it could all get very messy with people argueing over who should pay for what. They are probably just trying to insure the cat gets the care it needs. For what its worth I've never heard of a cat being put on pain killers for an eye ulcer, normally just topical eye medicine. If I were you what I'd do is speak to the shelter and ask them if they would allow you to take the cat to an eye specialist at your own cost offer them the option to come with you as well and bring the cat back to them after the visit. This might keep you both quite happy and you'd be proving to them that you will give the cat the care it needs. They may even let you adopt him sooner if they see this. Thanks for your replies. The cat went to an eye specialist today, so hopefully he is now in good hands now. > I bought paired cats from a local cat santuary a couple of weeks ago. > Unfortunately, one of them had been diagnosed as having a corneal [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Is use of a painkiller advisable while he waits for surgery or > continues with eye drops? I had a cat that had eye ulcers. After many surgeries and thousands of dollars I learned that eye ulcers are frequently the result of being exposed to the herpes virus. L-lysine ground up and added to the food can help immensely. I definitely would take the cat to an eye specialist. My eye specialist confirmed the herpes-eye ulcer link and the addition of l-lysine to food. she mentioned that humans with herpes also get eye ulcers. L lysine can be bought at any drug store. Hope this helps. > I bought paired cats from a local cat santuary a couple of weeks ago. > Unfortunately, one of them had been diagnosed as having a corneal [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > from what I've read online this condition can be very painful, > especially if it is serious enough to warrant surgery. If the ulcer is being caused by entropion, then surgery is the only way to go. Entropion is not exactly serious in the sense that it will kill the cat but it can only be fixed by surgery. It is when the upper or lower or both eyelids bend inward and the hair starts rubbing against the eye. My Persian had to have this surgery. After 2 weeks, his eyes were perfect. > I bought paired cats from a local cat santuary a couple of weeks ago. > Unfortunately, one of them had been diagnosed as having a corneal [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Is use of a painkiller advisable while he waits for surgery or > continues with eye drops? Please see if you can make arrangements to have this cat seen by a veterinary ophthalmologist. If you have a university veterinary hospital within driving distance, that would be ideal. You would need a referral from the cat's regular vet. If you talk to the manager of the cat sanctuary and agree to take the cat directly from the shelter to the specialist, I think an agreement could be worked out. It is generally in the cat's best interests (and also the best interests of the person adopting) for medical problems to taken care of before the cat is released by the shelter, but this is a situation where you would be offering better care than what the shelter can provide. Perhaps you could even negotiate an arrangement where you would foster until the medical issues have been resolved and then would adopt the cats. This might resolve any fears that shelter personnel have that you would adopt the cat and then abandon it if care became too expensive. This does not sound like a possibility in your case, but it has happened in many instances -- and helps to explain why shelters are very hesitant to release sick animals. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'< http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")
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