Eye Infection - Herpes
Question:
I took my 11 yr. old female, spayed cat into the vet as she seemed to be
having pain in her mouth..they extracted a bad tooth, gave her all her shots
including rabies and because I work 12 hours a day kept her there for a week to
give her pain medication and anti-biotics and when I picked her up her right eye
was completely closed with goup running out of it and they told me she had
herpes virus...and they said there was nothing they could do.....I said she
never had a break out before and gave me no clue on what to do for it. It has
been 8 days now and the poor little thing is in pain and her eye is all swolen
and I try and clean it but she paws at my hand and I feel so helpless... What
should I do??? Help, please. Signed - Shar
Answer:
For Shar,
Eye inflammation, or conjunctivitis, can be caused by allergies, environmental
irritants, corneal ulcers, glaucoma, or bacterial/viral infections, such as
feline herpes. If a cat’s eyes are watering, squinting and producing a
discharge, feline herpes may be the cause. The inside lining of the eyelids
become inflamed, and shallow, painful ulcers develop. Herpes generally occurs
when cats are exposed to the virus previously and have a stressed or imbalanced
immune system. Proper diagnosis and treatment are essential when you see signs
of eye irritation as waiting too long can mean the difference between saving the
animal's sight and losing it.
Eyebright is a very common herb used for eye irritations. Eyebright eye washes
are often helpful to control symptoms and minor infections and can assist in
cleansing and soothing the eye:
Animals' Apawthecary Eye & Nose Drops contains eyebright along with
goldenseal to help control irritation and infection.
Halo Herbal Eye Wash is a two part rinse that includes eyebright and
goldenseal as well. The Chinese herbal formula in
Nature's Herbs Clear Vision may also be helpful for boosting the immune
system and clearing minor eye infections.
If allergies are suspected as the cause of conjunctivitis, it is best to change
to a
hypoallergenic diet.
Inflamzyme by PhyoPharmica can also be quite helpful in battling airborne
allergies. It acts as a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory agent.
With feline herpes infections, diet and immune support need attention. To help
control the virus the amino acid L-lysine may be helpful. L-lysine can be found
at any natural food store. The dosage for cats is 500 mg twice a day.
Genesis Resources Feline Immune Support contains L-lysine along with other
vitamins and herbs to help support the immune system during infection and on a
long-term basis.
Nature's Herbs Herbal Biotic is a Chinese herbal blend formulated to fight
viral and bacterial infections and boost the immune system.
Sincerely,
S.M. Sanderlin DVM