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Corneal Ulcer in a Cat: Zeus’s Urgent Care Story
Zeus came to urgent care with an infected corneal ulcer. When it returned, a closer look uncovered the underlying cause preventing his eye from healing.
Zeus came to urgent care with an infected corneal ulcer. When it returned, a closer look uncovered the underlying cause preventing his eye from healing.
Case of the Month: Meet Zeus!
Zeus came to our Urgent Care service in September for irritation and a possible infection affecting one of his eyes.
During his examination, our team discovered a small but infected corneal ulcer, a painful sore on the clear surface of the eye.
We started Zeus on antibiotic eye drops and anti-inflammatory medication and sent him home with an Elizabethan collar, or e-collar, to prevent him from rubbing or scratching his eye while it healed.
Initially, the infection resolved with treatment and we were hopeful that Zeus’s eye was healing well. Unfortunately, his story wasn’t quite over.
Just three weeks later, Zeus returned with a much more severe infection affecting the same eye.
We performed another examination and stained the surface of his eye with fluorescein dye. This test helps highlight damaged areas of the cornea that may otherwise be difficult to see.
The ulcer was still present.
Zeus also had significant cloudiness over the eye. When a corneal ulcer persists, inflammatory cells and new blood vessels may move toward the injured area as the body attempts to heal it.
At this point, we knew there was likely more going on than a simple infection.
With Zeus safely sedated, our team removed excess tissue that had developed over the affected area so we could better evaluate the eye.
That helped us uncover an important part of the problem: Zeus’s lower eyelashes were rubbing against the surface of his eye.
The repeated irritation was likely interfering with healing and contributing to the recurring problem.
Corneal ulcers can develop for many reasons, including trauma, infection, foreign material, and abnormalities of the eyelids or eyelashes. When hair or eyelashes continually contact the cornea, the repeated friction can irritate or damage the surface of the eye.
This is why identifying the underlying cause can be just as important as treating the ulcer itself.
Once we identified the source of the irritation, we were able to address it directly.
Our team performed a procedure to tack down Zeus’s lower eyelid, repositioning it so the eyelashes would no longer continually rub against his eye.
Combined with continued antibiotic eye drops and anti-inflammatory medication, removing that ongoing source of irritation finally gave Zeus’s cornea the opportunity to heal.
And this time, it worked.
Zeus’s eye infection and corneal ulcer fully resolved!
Zeus’s case is a great example of why eye problems often require rechecks, even when they initially appear to be improving.
Corneal ulcers are painful, and some can become deeper or more serious if they do not heal appropriately. Because an ulcer cannot always be accurately evaluated just by looking at the eye, repeating a fluorescein stain allows the veterinary team to confirm whether the corneal surface has actually healed.
Signs of an eye problem that should be evaluated by a veterinarian include:
Eye problems can change quickly, so prompt veterinary evaluation is important when your cat or dog appears painful or develops a noticeable change in the eye.
Today, Zeus is feeling much better and is back to being his playful self.
His family has even noticed a new trick: when Zeus wants attention, he sometimes squints his eye until he gets a treat!
We’re glad his eye is feeling better, although it sounds like this clever kitty may have learned how to use a little extra charm to his advantage.
We are grateful to Zeus’s family for working closely with our team throughout his treatment and returning for the follow-up care that ultimately helped us identify why his eye was not healing as expected.
If your dog or cat is squinting, rubbing at an eye, experiencing discharge, or has developed redness, cloudiness, or another sudden eye problem, prompt evaluation can help identify the cause and protect the health of the eye.
Mainely Veterinary Dentistry & Urgent Care provides weekend care for non-life-threatening eye problems and other illnesses and injuries affecting pets throughout Southern Maine.
Visit our Urgent Care Services page to learn more about the conditions we treat.
