Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Swollen eye.

Species: Cat
Breed: mixed spca find
Age: 2-5 years
Hello dr. Marie. I have had my male cat since he was 8 weeks old and i adopted him from the spca. He had a minor respiratory infection when i brought him home and he's been a healthy cat since asides from a short spell with fleas. For a few days now his eye has been swollen and tight with clear teary discharge. He is eating normal, using his litter box as expected, and his behavior hasn't changed. He allows me to feel around the swollen area. I believe after playing with my much younger sister that cat nip got in his eye. I can't get his eye open enough to get much sterile eye wash in it though. I tried 2.5 mg of diphenhydramine thinking it could be allergy to the cat nip but he's not shown any sign of improvement. What can i do? Could it be a strange case of pink eye without the usual symptoms? What else can cause such sudden swelling? Your advice is appreciated.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry to hear that your cat has a sore eye. There are a few possible reasons for this.

When I see a cat who suddenly has a sore eye I get concerned that he may have scratched his eye. A scratched eye, otherwise known as a "corneal ucler" can be very serious. The eye stays closed because it is painful.

Whenever I suspect a corneal ulcer I recommend a vet visit right away. Your vet will likely do a fluorescein test which is a simple test where they put a fluorescent green dye on the eye and then look at it with a blue light. If there is a scratch on the eye it will be visible with the blue light.

If a corneal ulcer goes untreated it can lead to serious problems including losing the eye!

Some animals can have a swollen eye because of an allergic reaction but this doesn't sound like the case with Jeckyl.

Sometimes we can see swollen eyes because of an upper respiratory virus but this really should affect both eyes.

I would highly recommend having a vet see Jeckyl. Hopefully it is nothing serious!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Panting and shaking cat. Hi, My female cat is just over 15 years old. This morning she woke up... (19585 views)

Large lump on back. hi. my dog has a large hump on the top of his back. it doesn't seem to hurt him at... (20033 views)

Tail tip injury. our dog is golden retriever 5 years old, he had happy tail and somehow cut the tip... (10263 views)

Bulldog death. I had American Bulldog. Behr would have been having his 6th birthday on May 24. He... (19197 views)

Should I get an ultrasound? Dear Dr. Marie, My dog has a grade 3-4 heart murmur that she’s had her... (12710 views)

Diarrhea and vomiting in kittens. Hello Marie, thanks in advance. (Sorry for the English we are from Finland)... (8073 views)

Rimadyl and liver problems. Hi Dr. Marie Last night my dog sustained some type of injury to himself while... (11770 views)

Discoid lupus treatment. Hi. I live in rural Peru. After many wrong diagnoses, a vet here diagnosed Diego... (14162 views)

Splenic mastocytosis in a cat I was told for cats with splenic mastocytosis, the treatment of choice is... (15823 views)

Problems after ear cleaning. I took my cat to the vet about three weeks ago to his ears flushed out because he... (15006 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.