Cat Corneal Ulcer: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Guide, Effectively Prevent Cat Eye Diseases
Cat Corneal Ulcer: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Guide, Effectively Prevent Cat Eye Diseases
"My cat's eyes seem uncomfortable recently, it's photophobic, can't open its eyes, tears a lot, often scratches its eyes with its paws, there seems to be a white film on its eyes, what's wrong?" This is most likely a cat's corneal inflammation or ulcer!! It's important to pay attention and treat it promptly, otherwise it can lead to blindness! Today, let's talk about cat corneal ulcers.
I. What is cat corneal ulcer?
First, let's understand what the cornea is. The cornea is located in front of the eyeball, it's avascular, transparent and slightly elastic. The cornea can be divided into the following layers from the outside to the inside: epithelial layer, stromal layer, posterior elastic layer and endothelial layer. The average thickness is 65mm, the central part is slightly thicker than the marginal part, and it is a transparent tissue formed by avascular collagen fibers.
Corneal ulcer refers to the loss of corneal epithelial tissue on the corneal surface due to instantaneous or gradual tissue erosion or necrosis. Any trauma to the corneal surface can cause ulcers. Corneal ulcers are a common, difficult-to-cure eye disease that can lead to vision loss!
II. Common causes of cat corneal ulcers
The integrity of the corneal epithelium is achieved by the normal eyelid closure protection and continuous renewal of epithelial cells. The renewal rate of epithelial cells maintains the normal state of the cornea together with the protective mechanism of the corneal surface, preventing the occurrence of corneal ulcers.
When this balance is broken, such as insufficient tear production, abnormal eyelid morphology, irritation from ectopic eyelashes, corneal foreign bodies, chemical or biological infections and contagious diseases in cats, the integrity of the corneal epithelial cells will be affected, leading to corneal ulcers.
Common causes of corneal ulcers include physical injury, chemical injury, biological infection and secondary infection.
1. Physical injury:
Trauma: Cats' eyes are scratched by sharp objects during play or fights, causing damage to the corneal epithelial tissue.
Foreign bodies: Sand, grass clippings, and other foreign bodies enter the cat's eyes, causing long-term irritation to the cornea and leading to corneal epithelial damage.
Eyelid disease: Entropion or ectropion, causing eyelashes to irritate the cornea, leading to corneal epithelial damage.
Inverted eyelashes and ectopic eyelashes: Eyelashes grow abnormally, long-term irritation to the cornea, leading to corneal epithelial damage.
PS: The most common cause is trauma!!
2. Chemical injury:
Acids and alkalis: Cats come into contact with acids and alkalis, causing corrosion of the corneal epithelial tissue.
Hormones and broad-spectrum antibiotics: Long-term use of hormone or broad-spectrum antibiotic eye drops can inhibit the growth of corneal epithelial cells, leading to corneal epithelial damage.
3. Biological infection:
Viral infection: Feline Herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), Feline Calicivirus and other viral infections can lead to corneal epithelial damage and corneal ulcers.
Bacterial infection: Bacterial infections can cause corneal inflammation, leading to corneal epithelial damage and corneal ulcers.
4. Secondary infection:
Dry eye: Insufficient tear production, the corneal surface is dry and prone to bacterial infection, leading to corneal ulcers.
Protrusion of the eyeball: Protrusion of the eyeball, exposure of the cornea, prone to external stimuli, leading to corneal epithelial damage and corneal ulcers.
III. Symptoms of cat corneal ulcers
So, what are the symptoms if a cat has a corneal ulcer?
Pain: Because there are nerves on the surface of the cornea, cats with corneal ulcers will show symptoms of eye pain, and they may scratch their eyes with their paws to relieve pain.
Tears: Corneal ulcers can lead to increased tear production, cats will tear frequently.
Eyelid spasms: Cats will often close their eyes or cover their eyes with their paws, this is because the pain causes eyelid spasms.
Photophobia: Corneal ulcers can cause increased corneal sensitivity, cats will be very sensitive to light and reluctant to open their eyes.
Corneal edema: The cornea will become blurred, like a white film covering the eyes.
Conjunctival hyperemia: The area around the cat's eye will be red, this is because the conjunctival blood vessels are dilated.
Yellow-green purulent discharge: Corneal ulcers can cause eye infections, leading to increased eye discharge, which is yellow-green and purulent.
Reduced corneal transparency: The corneal surface will become cloudy, like a white film covering the cat's eyes, or there will be flocculent matter in the eyes.
Severe cases may have anterior pus accumulation: If the corneal ulcer is not treated in time, it will develop into a deep ulcer, even perforation, leading to pus accumulation in the eyeball.
In short, if you find that your cat's eyes are abnormal, the first thing to do is to put on a head cover, do not let the cat scratch, to avoid aggravating the condition, and then go to the hospital.
IV. Diagnosis of cat corneal ulcers
Diagnosing corneal ulcers is actually very simple, a three-step process:
① Ask about the animal's history: Understand the cause of the corneal ulcer, the animal's immune status, drug allergies, and the animal's previous illnesses and treatment.
② Observe clinical symptoms: When cats develop corneal ulcers, they will have increased secretions around the eye surface. Due to pain and itching in the ulcerated area, the cat often shows signs of squinting, scratching the affected eye, etc., and the common symptoms are epiphora and eyelid spasms.
③ Ophthalmological examination: Ophthalmological examinations for corneal ulcers include tear volume measurement, intraocular pressure measurement, slit lamp examination, pupillary light reflex, eyelid reflex, menace response, glare test, and fluorescein dye staining.
The most important is fluorescein dye staining:
If an ulcer is present, the dye will bind to any damaged tissue, leaving a clear green mark in the ulcerated area.
V. Treatment of cat corneal ulcers
First, corneal ulcers must be treated as soon as possible! Do not delay or misapply medication! Because the cornea is located in front of the eyeball, it is usually in contact with the air, once injured, bacteria can take advantage of the opportunity to invade the cornea, causing corneal infection or dissolution, causing the corneal lesion to worsen rapidly!
If corneal ulcers are not treated in time, they may lead to deep corneal ulcers or even corneal perforation!
The earlier the corneal ulcer, the easier it is to treat, it may be possible to cure it with eye drops!
For general superficial corneal ulcers, antibiotic eye drops are usually used to reduce secondary infection, and corneal epithelial growth factor eye drops are used to help repair corneal tissue.
For deep corneal ulcers, meticulous surgery is required. If corneal perforation is not treated promptly and accurately, it will lead to permanent blindness in animals, or even loss of the eyeball.
For refractory cases with poor or no corneal healing, surgical treatment is also required.
"Can I just buy an eye drop that says it treats corneal ulcers on Taobao?"
The answer is: No! Because there are many reasons for corneal ulcers! The key to treating corneal ulcers is to find the cause and remove it.
For example, if corneal ulcers are caused by eyelash irritation, the irritating factors should be removed during treatment;
When corneal ulcers are caused by chemical burns, emergency treatment should first use water to flush the conjunctival sac, and subsequent treatment should promote corneal epithelialization.
If the corneal ulcer is caused by bacteria, then the corresponding antibiotic eye drops are needed...
Treatment of corneal ulcers should be based on the individual differences of the sick animal and choose the appropriate medication.
If the treatment is not correct, the corneal ulcer will be difficult to heal, and it may continue to develop, the ulcer may heal temporarily, but it will recur quickly!
Therefore, if you find that your cat has a corneal ulcer, be sure to go to the hospital for examination and purchase suitable eye drops for treatment, do not blindly drop eye drops, the consequences of misusing drugs are serious!
VI. Prevention of cat corneal ulcers
To prevent cat corneal ulcers, you can start from the following aspects:
Regular check-ups: Regularly take your cat to the veterinarian for eye examinations, which can help identify eye diseases early and treat them early, preventing the occurrence of corneal ulcers.
Pay attention to environmental hygiene: Regularly clean around the cat's eyes, maintain a clean and hygienic environment, avoid the cat from coming into contact with bacteria and viruses, reducing the risk of infection.
Avoid irritation: Avoid cats from coming into contact with chemicals, foreign objects, etc., to prevent the cornea from being stimulated and damaged.
Keep the eyes clean: Regularly wash the cat's eyes with saline solution, which can keep the eyes clean and prevent infection.
Pay attention to nutrition: Provide your cat with a nutritious and balanced diet, which can enhance the cat's resistance and prevent infection.
VII. Summary of experience
Cat corneal ulcers are a relatively serious disease that should be taken seriously and treated promptly. It is recommended that cat owners regularly take their cats to the veterinary hospital for eye examinations, find problems and treat them in time, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of corneal ulcers.
"My cat's eyes seem uncomfortable recently, it's photophobic, can't open its eyes, tears a lot, often scratches its eyes with its paws, there seems to be a white film on its eyes, what's wrong?" This is most likely a cat's corneal inflammation or ulcer!! It's important to pay attention and treat it promptly, otherwise it can lead to blindness! Today, let's talk about cat corneal ulcers.
I. What is cat corneal ulcer?
First, let's understand what the cornea is. The cornea is located in front of the eyeball, it's avascular, transparent and slightly elastic. The cornea can be divided into the following layers from the outside to the inside: epithelial layer, stromal layer, posterior elastic layer and endothelial layer. The average thickness is 65mm, the central part is slightly thicker than the marginal part, and it is a transparent tissue formed by avascular collagen fibers.
Corneal ulcer refers to the loss of corneal epithelial tissue on the corneal surface due to instantaneous or gradual tissue erosion or necrosis. Any trauma to the corneal surface can cause ulcers. Corneal ulcers are a common, difficult-to-cure eye disease that can lead to vision loss!
II. Common causes of cat corneal ulcers
The integrity of the corneal epithelium is achieved by the normal eyelid closure protection and continuous renewal of epithelial cells. The renewal rate of epithelial cells maintains the normal state of the cornea together with the protective mechanism of the corneal surface, preventing the occurrence of corneal ulcers.
When this balance is broken, such as insufficient tear production, abnormal eyelid morphology, irritation from ectopic eyelashes, corneal foreign bodies, chemical or biological infections and contagious diseases in cats, the integrity of the corneal epithelial cells will be affected, leading to corneal ulcers.
Common causes of corneal ulcers include physical injury, chemical injury, biological infection and secondary infection.
1. Physical injury:
Trauma: Cats' eyes are scratched by sharp objects during play or fights, causing damage to the corneal epithelial tissue.
Foreign bodies: Sand, grass clippings, and other foreign bodies enter the cat's eyes, causing long-term irritation to the cornea and leading to corneal epithelial damage.
Eyelid disease: Entropion or ectropion, causing eyelashes to irritate the cornea, leading to corneal epithelial damage.
Inverted eyelashes and ectopic eyelashes: Eyelashes grow abnormally, long-term irritation to the cornea, leading to corneal epithelial damage.
PS: The most common cause is trauma!!
2. Chemical injury:
Acids and alkalis: Cats come into contact with acids and alkalis, causing corrosion of the corneal epithelial tissue.
Hormones and broad-spectrum antibiotics: Long-term use of hormone or broad-spectrum antibiotic eye drops can inhibit the growth of corneal epithelial cells, leading to corneal epithelial damage.
3. Biological infection:
Viral infection: Feline Herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), Feline Calicivirus and other viral infections can lead to corneal epithelial damage and corneal ulcers.
Bacterial infection: Bacterial infections can cause corneal inflammation, leading to corneal epithelial damage and corneal ulcers.
4. Secondary infection:
Dry eye: Insufficient tear production, the corneal surface is dry and prone to bacterial infection, leading to corneal ulcers.
Protrusion of the eyeball: Protrusion of the eyeball, exposure of the cornea, prone to external stimuli, leading to corneal epithelial damage and corneal ulcers.
III. Symptoms of cat corneal ulcers
So, what are the symptoms if a cat has a corneal ulcer?
Pain: Because there are nerves on the surface of the cornea, cats with corneal ulcers will show symptoms of eye pain, and they may scratch their eyes with their paws to relieve pain.
Tears: Corneal ulcers can lead to increased tear production, cats will tear frequently.
Eyelid spasms: Cats will often close their eyes or cover their eyes with their paws, this is because the pain causes eyelid spasms.
Photophobia: Corneal ulcers can cause increased corneal sensitivity, cats will be very sensitive to light and reluctant to open their eyes.
Corneal edema: The cornea will become blurred, like a white film covering the eyes.
Conjunctival hyperemia: The area around the cat's eye will be red, this is because the conjunctival blood vessels are dilated.
Yellow-green purulent discharge: Corneal ulcers can cause eye infections, leading to increased eye discharge, which is yellow-green and purulent.
Reduced corneal transparency: The corneal surface will become cloudy, like a white film covering the cat's eyes, or there will be flocculent matter in the eyes.
Severe cases may have anterior pus accumulation: If the corneal ulcer is not treated in time, it will develop into a deep ulcer, even perforation, leading to pus accumulation in the eyeball.
In short, if you find that your cat's eyes are abnormal, the first thing to do is to put on a head cover, do not let the cat scratch, to avoid aggravating the condition, and then go to the hospital.
IV. Diagnosis of cat corneal ulcers
Diagnosing corneal ulcers is actually very simple, a three-step process:
① Ask about the animal's history: Understand the cause of the corneal ulcer, the animal's immune status, drug allergies, and the animal's previous illnesses and treatment.
② Observe clinical symptoms: When cats develop corneal ulcers, they will have increased secretions around the eye surface. Due to pain and itching in the ulcerated area, the cat often shows signs of squinting, scratching the affected eye, etc., and the common symptoms are epiphora and eyelid spasms.
③ Ophthalmological examination: Ophthalmological examinations for corneal ulcers include tear volume measurement, intraocular pressure measurement, slit lamp examination, pupillary light reflex, eyelid reflex, menace response, glare test, and fluorescein dye staining.
The most important is fluorescein dye staining:
If an ulcer is present, the dye will bind to any damaged tissue, leaving a clear green mark in the ulcerated area.
V. Treatment of cat corneal ulcers
First, corneal ulcers must be treated as soon as possible! Do not delay or misapply medication! Because the cornea is located in front of the eyeball, it is usually in contact with the air, once injured, bacteria can take advantage of the opportunity to invade the cornea, causing corneal infection or dissolution, causing the corneal lesion to worsen rapidly!
If corneal ulcers are not treated in time, they may lead to deep corneal ulcers or even corneal perforation!
The earlier the corneal ulcer, the easier it is to treat, it may be possible to cure it with eye drops!
For general superficial corneal ulcers, antibiotic eye drops are usually used to reduce secondary infection, and corneal epithelial growth factor eye drops are used to help repair corneal tissue.
For deep corneal ulcers, meticulous surgery is required. If corneal perforation is not treated promptly and accurately, it will lead to permanent blindness in animals, or even loss of the eyeball.
For refractory cases with poor or no corneal healing, surgical treatment is also required.
"Can I just buy an eye drop that says it treats corneal ulcers on Taobao?"
The answer is: No! Because there are many reasons for corneal ulcers! The key to treating corneal ulcers is to find the cause and remove it.
For example, if corneal ulcers are caused by eyelash irritation, the irritating factors should be removed during treatment;
When corneal ulcers are caused by chemical burns, emergency treatment should first use water to flush the conjunctival sac, and subsequent treatment should promote corneal epithelialization.
If the corneal ulcer is caused by bacteria, then the corresponding antibiotic eye drops are needed...
Treatment of corneal ulcers should be based on the individual differences of the sick animal and choose the appropriate medication.
If the treatment is not correct, the corneal ulcer will be difficult to heal, and it may continue to develop, the ulcer may heal temporarily, but it will recur quickly!
Therefore, if you find that your cat has a corneal ulcer, be sure to go to the hospital for examination and purchase suitable eye drops for treatment, do not blindly drop eye drops, the consequences of misusing drugs are serious!
VI. Prevention of cat corneal ulcers
To prevent cat corneal ulcers, you can start from the following aspects:
Regular check-ups: Regularly take your cat to the veterinarian for eye examinations, which can help identify eye diseases early and treat them early, preventing the occurrence of corneal ulcers.
Pay attention to environmental hygiene: Regularly clean around the cat's eyes, maintain a clean and hygienic environment, avoid the cat from coming into contact with bacteria and viruses, reducing the risk of infection.
Avoid irritation: Avoid cats from coming into contact with chemicals, foreign objects, etc., to prevent the cornea from being stimulated and damaged.
Keep the eyes clean: Regularly wash the cat's eyes with saline solution, which can keep the eyes clean and prevent infection.
Pay attention to nutrition: Provide your cat with a nutritious and balanced diet, which can enhance the cat's resistance and prevent infection.
VII. Summary of experience
Cat corneal ulcers are a relatively serious disease that should be taken seriously and treated promptly. It is recommended that cat owners regularly take their cats to the veterinary hospital for eye examinations, find problems and treat them in time, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of corneal ulcers.
This article is original, please keep the link when forwarding:https://www.5zo.net/showinfo-3-87868-0.html