Top Cat Eye Drops for Beginners: Essential Recommendati
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When you notice your cat's eyes are red, swollen, teary, and there's an increase in discharge, making it hard for them to open their eyes, these are common signs of an eye infection. Such symptoms can stem from a variety of causes, including bacterial infections, foreign objects in the eyes, allergies, or viral infections. As a pet owner, you might feel worried and eager to find a safe and effective eye drops. However, with countless eye drops available on the market, how should you, the "pet parent," make the right choice?
Today, we're here to introduce several safe eye drops that can address cat eye infections caused by different reasons.
The Symptoms of Cat Eye Inflammation
Common eye inflammations in cats include conjunctivitis, keratitis, and blepharitis, which may be due to bacterial or viral infections. The following are typical symptoms:
Swollen and hardtoopen eyes, along with frequent blinking.
Itching or pain in the eyes, leading to the cat scratching at them frequently.
An increase in eye discharge, which may be tearlike, mucous, or puslike.
Corneal damage can lead to a decrease in the transparency of the eyes.
Steps to Handle Cat Eye Inflammation
1. First, put an Elizabethan collar on your cat to prevent them from scratching their eyes and worsening the infection.
2. If the condition is not severe, you can rinse the eyes with sterile saline solution and then apply a broadspectrum antibiotic eye drop.
3. If the condition is severe or symptoms do not improve, it's best to seek veterinary care promptly.
How to Choose Eye Drops for Your Cat?
1. Antibiotic Eye Drops: These include gentamicin sulfate, chloramphenicol, ofloxacin, and tobramycin, which are effective against bacterial infections causing eye inflammation. They can alleviate symptoms like redness, pain, excessive tearing, and eye discharge.
2. Viral Eye Drops: Medications like acyclovir, ganciclovir, and ribavirin are suitable for conjunctivitis caused by herpesviruses.
3. Eye Repair Eye Drops: Products like growth factor eye drops (such as Bepanthen and Ginshu) and corneal repair drops (like bovine blood gel, Enthoxy, and Sentrx) require veterinary guidance and often need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Eye Drops Suitable for Cats
Beilangming (Gentamicin Sulfate Eye Drops): A petspecific aminoglycoside antibiotic eye drop with broadspectrum antibacterial effects, suitable for bacterial keratitis and conjunctivitis.
Tobramycin Eye Drops (Tobrex): Also an aminoglycoside antibiotic eye drop, but it's human medication. It can increase intraocular pressure with longterm use, so it's recommended to use it for a 7day course.
Ofloxacin Eye Drops: A fluoroquinolone antibiotic with stronger antibacterial action, used for bacterial conjunctivitis and keratitis caused by sensitive bacteria. It's recommended for a 12 week course and is not suitable for kittens.
Oxytetracycline Eye Ointment: A tetracycline antibiotic used for conjunctivitis caused by mycoplasma, chlamydia, calicivirus, and other respiratory infections, but it only treats the root cause if it's a respiratory infection.
Acyclovir Eye Drops: A broadspectrum antiviral drug used to treat herpetic conjunctivitis and keratitis. If there's also a bacterial infection, it can be used in conjunction with gentamicin sulfate eye drops.
Growth Factor Eye Drops: Products like Bepanthen can be used for various causes of corneal damage, corneal ulcers, and dry eye syndrome.
Important Notes:
Most eye drops can cause side effects if used for too long. If your cat's eye symptoms do not improve after 3 days of home treatment, it's crucial to seek veterinary care to determine the cause and your cat's condition before considering a change in eye drop types.
If your cat experiences allergic reactions such as red, itchy eyes, hives, or excessive tearing after using a certain eye drop, stop using it immediately and consult a veterinarian.
