Kitten’s eyes are tearing: how to treat? Video
Lachrymation in a kitten can be caused by natural causes, but it can also be a symptom of the disease. If you notice that your pet has watery eyes, do not panic. However, it is also not necessary to ignore this situation – you can miss the onset of a serious illness.
Causes of lacrimation in kittens
First, assess the scale of the problem. If the discharge from the eyes is insignificant and can usually be noticed after sleep, this is normal physiological lacrimation. You should be alerted by the obvious anxiety of the animal – the kitten can rub its watery eyes with its paws, try to scratch them on various objects, squint. Excessive discharge also indicates that the kitten is unwell.
If a kitten is found on the street, its eyes may water due to dirt trapped in them. Discharge from the eyes is often noticeable in very small kittens, early taken away from their mother and have not yet learned to take care of hygiene on their own.
Lachrymation in kittens can be caused by the following reasons: – anatomical feature of the breed; – allergies; – infection; – trauma; – Infection with some intestinal parasites.
An anatomical feature can provoke lacrimation most often in kittens of the Persian or British breeds: due to the peculiar structure of the skull and flattened muzzle, they may have an incorrect structure of the nasolacrimal canal. Sphynxes and Rexes also sometimes suffer from lacrimation; for cats of these breeds, twisting of the eyelids is natural, but sometimes leads to eye injuries.
An allergic reaction in kittens can occur to household chemicals, construction or household dust, poplar fluff, and sometimes to some types of food.
Lacrimation, accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes, can be a sign of a viral or bacterial infection. What exactly caused the disease, the veterinarian will determine with the help of flushing from the mucous membrane, he will also prescribe medication.
Watery eyes can be caused by sand or debris getting into the eye, or the kitten can get bruised or scratched while playing. In such cases, usually one eye is watering profusely.
In rare cases, lacrimation in cats is caused by inappropriate lighting – it has been noticed that some animals do not tolerate long-term stay in rooms illuminated by fluorescent lights
If, after examining the kitten, you come to the conclusion that lacrimation does not bother him and is not a sign of illness, just pay more attention to the pet’s hygiene. Gently clean your kitten’s eyes daily. To do this, you need to put the animal on your lap and tilt its head back, taking it by the skin fold on the back of the head. Clean your eyes with a cotton swab or cotton pad moistened with boiled water. For breeds prone to watery eyes, special wipes can be purchased at the pet store.
If you suspect a disease, do not postpone a visit to the veterinarian, you may need to do tests. In case of infection, the doctor will prescribe antibacterial drops or antibiotic ointments; in all cases of lacrimation, an antiseptic rinsing is usually also prescribed. If a foreign object gets into the kitten’s eye, the veterinarian will remove it.
If an allergy is recognized as the cause of lacrimation, your veterinarian will prescribe antihistamines. It will be necessary to eliminate the cause of the allergy – change food, remove objects that accumulate dust or find a temporary shelter for the kitten during the repair. In some cases, the owners of the cat or cat also have to be treated.
To put medicated drops into the kitten’s eye or to inject the ointment into the conjunctival sac, sit the animal on your lap in the same way as for hygienic eye cleaning. Apply the medication, then use a cotton pad or a piece of clean gauze to wipe the kitten’s eyes so that he doesn’t scratch them because of the discomfort caused by the medication.