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Eye infection medication over the counter?

My half blind geriatric cat has developed an eye infection in one eye. Something is oozing out. She does not seem to have any discomfort from it, and makes no attempt to wipe it away. Twice a day I wipe it off with a damp paper towel.

She is old and declining, we donâÂÂt think she will last long. She does nothing all day but lay in front of the radiator. I would rather not subject her to the stress of a vet visit if it is not necessary.

Thanks !

Comments (7)

  • trancegemini_wa
    11 years ago

    Since she is old I would definitely recommend a vet visit and have them check her tear production, many older animals are prone to dry eye syndrome and one of the commonest symptoms is eye infections and unless you treat the dry eye syndrome if it's present, you'll have little chance of successfully treating the infection and it can lead to pretty rapid eyesight loss. After having an old dog develop it (and the first sign was an eye infection) I would never hesitate again with an eye infection especially in an older animal. If she has trouble with stress when going to the vet, try some rescue remedy drops mixed in with some wet food started a day or two before the visit, it can make a huge difference in calming cats for these types of things and you only need to use it a few times ahead of the visit for it to really work wonders for their stress.

  • spedigrees z4VT
    11 years ago

    I too would recommend a vet visit. However you can get terramycin antibiotic ointment from http://www.entirelypets.com
    Just be sure any antibiotic eye ointment you use does not also contain a cortico-steroid, or it could do damage if the eye condition is caused by an injury.

  • laurief_gw
    11 years ago

    As spedigrees mentioned, terramycin is available OTC through several sources. Note, however, that terramycin can be irritating to the eye and may cause more discomfort than it relieves. I also recommend a vet visit to get the eye problem properly diagnosed and treated.There are non-irritating eye antibiotics available only through your vet.

    Laurie

  • annzgw
    11 years ago

    Yes, a trip to the vet is in order.........stress or no stress.

    I learned a long time ago not to let stress for the pet keep me from a trip to the vet when a friend of mine wouldn't take her large parrot to the vet because she didn't want to stress him. His symptoms: he was very nervous and just wasn't acting right. One day, while another friend was pet sitting the bird, she took him to her vet and he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The vet said he was also in a lot of pain. The owner agreed to euthanasia.

    It could be your cat's decline is due to something other than age. We can never know how much pain they may be in.

  • calliope
    11 years ago

    I think you really need to be sure any ointment you apply to the eyes are specifically labeled for that use. If this is the same cat you talked about in another thread, yes......she should be seen by a vet and if you're not satisfied with the one who saw her last, see another one. She may hang on for quite awhile and if she has dry eye, it can ulcerate and that's quite painful and curing the infection won't mean much, because she'll get it again and again.

  • Elly_NJ
    11 years ago

    Get her to the vet.

    In the meantime, warm compresses may ease the discomfort.

    Don't buy stuff and put it in your cats' eyes without consulting with a vet.

  • chocolinkcat
    11 years ago

    Probably it's respiratory infections, like humans we get runny noses and so on but from what I have seen, most cats show signs of seasonal flu by having discharge in the eyes, you may have to get your kitty to the vet. Do not put anything in your kitties eyes from over the counter pharmacies, when you go to the vet they might give you clamavox and some other type of ointment to take away this temporary sickness. You may help your kitty however by damping warm water in a cloth like you are doing and steaming up your bathroom and having your kitty there for a bit. This will clear up her/his sinuses. I went to the vet for one of my cats once but when my other cat was sick, i couldnt afford so I kept doing what I said and in a week the sickness was gone, I provided my cat warmth by covering her with warm blankets and doing what I said however you should go to the vet because it may be something else.