How to Diagnose and Treat Entropion in Cats
Look for abnormalities with your cat's eyelid., Be on the lookout for irritated or sensitive eyes., Inspect brachycephalic cat breeds., Assess your cat's eyes at birth., Look for symptoms in cats with chronic eye infections., Make a veterinary...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for abnormalities with your cat's eyelid.
Entropion is a condition in which the eyelids are turned inward.
This means that the cat's eyelashes are turned in towards the eyeball.
If you see this occurring in your cat, it is likely that your cat has entropion.
This condition can affect from just one to all four of your cat's eyelids. -
Step 2: Be on the lookout for irritated or sensitive eyes.
As the cat's eyelid turns in towards the eye, it begins to irritate the surface of the eye.
This can cause an array of symptoms including:
Redness Light sensitivity Tearing Squinting Discharge , Persians or other brachycephalic breeds are more likely to have this genetic abnormality because of the different structure of their skulls.If you have one of these cats, you should be especially vigilant in looking for the signs of the condition.Cats without the stubby face of the brachycephalic breeds are more likely to have saggy or droopy eyelids instead of eyelids that are curled inward. , Entropion often occurs in brachycephalic breed cats at birth.
In these cases it has a strictly genetic cause and cannot be prevented, except through breeding programs the avoid using cats that have no family history of the problem.You should be on the lookout for entropion in kittens that are brachycephalic breeds.
If newborn kittens do not open their eyes within four to five weeks after birth they should be assessed for this condition by a veterinarian., You should be on the lookout for entropion if your brachycephalic adult cat has had chronic infections of the eyes.
Chronic infections, such as repeated bouts of conjunctivitis, can cause the condition to develop., As soon as you notice an abnormality with your cat's eyelids, you should make a veterinary appointment.
Call your veterinary office, tell them about your cat's condition, and make an appointment for as soon as possible.
If your cat's eyelid is extremely infected and swollen and the cat seems very sick, you may want to bring your cat to see a veterinarian immediately.
Call your veterinary office on the way there to warn them that you are coming in. , When you bring your cat in for assessment, you should tell the veterinarian about the cat's symptoms.
Discuss the cat's general health and answer all the questions the veterinarian asks you.
Feel free to ask the veterinarian questions about your cat's condition as they assess your cat. , In order to figure out the right treatment for your cat, your veterinarian may need to complete a variety of tests.
This could include a simple tear test to assess the cat's tear production and tests to identify any existing infections in the eye.
Tests will add to your veterinary bill but they are necessary in order to fight infections and to treat the abnormal eyelids.
Without proper treatment of the condition and subsequent infections, your cat could lose its vision., There are several preliminary treatments that can be done on a cat with entropion before turning to surgery.
To begin with, any underlying infections should be treated, usually with antibiotics.
You can also apply artificial tears to the cat's eye to make movement of the lid easier.Discuss your treatment options with your veterinarian.
The extent to which you can use non-surgical treatments on entropion depends on the severity of the condition.
Cats with severely turned eyelids may need surgical treatment right away.
In less severe cases of entropion, clearing up any infections in the eyes can cause the eyelids to go back to normal., The surgery used to treat entropion flips the eyelid right side out and removes skin so that it stays that way.If your cat has a severe case of entropion, it is likely that they will need this procedure.Even with surgical correction, your cat may still have spasms and infections of the eye.
Thus, you will need to continue to assess the cat's eyes. , After non-surgical treatments and surgical treatments your cat will need some care.
Most importantly, make sure that the cat cannot touch its eyes by putting a cone onto it.
Also make sure that the cat receives any medications that have been prescribed to it.Follow your veterinarian's suggestions about caring for your cat's sutures after surgery.
Dressings should typically be changed regularly and the surgical wound should be kept clean and watched for signs of infection.
If your cat undergoes surgery, it may have some reactions when coming out of anesthesia.
It may be extra sluggish for up to twenty-four hours after it wakes up. -
Step 3: Inspect brachycephalic cat breeds.
-
Step 4: Assess your cat's eyes at birth.
-
Step 5: Look for symptoms in cats with chronic eye infections.
-
Step 6: Make a veterinary appointment.
-
Step 7: Discuss the cat's condition with your veterinarian.
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Step 8: Allow a variety of testing to be done.
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Step 9: Try non-surgical treatments.
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Step 10: Have surgery done.
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Step 11: Continue with follow-up care.
Detailed Guide
Entropion is a condition in which the eyelids are turned inward.
This means that the cat's eyelashes are turned in towards the eyeball.
If you see this occurring in your cat, it is likely that your cat has entropion.
This condition can affect from just one to all four of your cat's eyelids.
As the cat's eyelid turns in towards the eye, it begins to irritate the surface of the eye.
This can cause an array of symptoms including:
Redness Light sensitivity Tearing Squinting Discharge , Persians or other brachycephalic breeds are more likely to have this genetic abnormality because of the different structure of their skulls.If you have one of these cats, you should be especially vigilant in looking for the signs of the condition.Cats without the stubby face of the brachycephalic breeds are more likely to have saggy or droopy eyelids instead of eyelids that are curled inward. , Entropion often occurs in brachycephalic breed cats at birth.
In these cases it has a strictly genetic cause and cannot be prevented, except through breeding programs the avoid using cats that have no family history of the problem.You should be on the lookout for entropion in kittens that are brachycephalic breeds.
If newborn kittens do not open their eyes within four to five weeks after birth they should be assessed for this condition by a veterinarian., You should be on the lookout for entropion if your brachycephalic adult cat has had chronic infections of the eyes.
Chronic infections, such as repeated bouts of conjunctivitis, can cause the condition to develop., As soon as you notice an abnormality with your cat's eyelids, you should make a veterinary appointment.
Call your veterinary office, tell them about your cat's condition, and make an appointment for as soon as possible.
If your cat's eyelid is extremely infected and swollen and the cat seems very sick, you may want to bring your cat to see a veterinarian immediately.
Call your veterinary office on the way there to warn them that you are coming in. , When you bring your cat in for assessment, you should tell the veterinarian about the cat's symptoms.
Discuss the cat's general health and answer all the questions the veterinarian asks you.
Feel free to ask the veterinarian questions about your cat's condition as they assess your cat. , In order to figure out the right treatment for your cat, your veterinarian may need to complete a variety of tests.
This could include a simple tear test to assess the cat's tear production and tests to identify any existing infections in the eye.
Tests will add to your veterinary bill but they are necessary in order to fight infections and to treat the abnormal eyelids.
Without proper treatment of the condition and subsequent infections, your cat could lose its vision., There are several preliminary treatments that can be done on a cat with entropion before turning to surgery.
To begin with, any underlying infections should be treated, usually with antibiotics.
You can also apply artificial tears to the cat's eye to make movement of the lid easier.Discuss your treatment options with your veterinarian.
The extent to which you can use non-surgical treatments on entropion depends on the severity of the condition.
Cats with severely turned eyelids may need surgical treatment right away.
In less severe cases of entropion, clearing up any infections in the eyes can cause the eyelids to go back to normal., The surgery used to treat entropion flips the eyelid right side out and removes skin so that it stays that way.If your cat has a severe case of entropion, it is likely that they will need this procedure.Even with surgical correction, your cat may still have spasms and infections of the eye.
Thus, you will need to continue to assess the cat's eyes. , After non-surgical treatments and surgical treatments your cat will need some care.
Most importantly, make sure that the cat cannot touch its eyes by putting a cone onto it.
Also make sure that the cat receives any medications that have been prescribed to it.Follow your veterinarian's suggestions about caring for your cat's sutures after surgery.
Dressings should typically be changed regularly and the surgical wound should be kept clean and watched for signs of infection.
If your cat undergoes surgery, it may have some reactions when coming out of anesthesia.
It may be extra sluggish for up to twenty-four hours after it wakes up.
About the Author
Harold Roberts
Harold Roberts has dedicated 1 years to mastering marketing strategies. As a content creator, Harold focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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