My cat has an eye infection. Can I give gentamicin to treat it?

Hello. Prescribing an antibiotic is a delicate balance between knowing what a pet has & how they will tolerate it. Gentamicin is a powerful antibiotic, but must be used with caution in dehydrated animals, & it is quite easy for a sick cat to become dehydrated. If your cat is in-hospital, then this is being monitored. If not, this is not my first choice of antibiotics to fight infection in a cat, BUT I also have no idea what your cat may have. If you are concerned, you should definitely discuss this with your vet, or perhaps seek a second opinion from some one else who can actually examine Guddu. Good luck & I hope he is feeling better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Gentamicin can be given by the intramuscular, subcutaneous or intravenous routes. It also comes in topical preparations for eyes, skin and ears. You should only give this drug under guidance from a veterinarian- it can cause serious side effects including kidney failure.

If the eye discharge is clear then an infection is not present, so you don't have to use the eye gel (erythromycin). Instead you should use an anti-viral supplement such as Lysine gel/powder from your local pet store or vet clinic. Cats are prone to viral infections which can cause watery eye discharge and reddish discharge. The use of antibiotics is only needed when a secondary infection is also present. Lysine powder/gel can be given throughout Richard's lifespan to help boost her immune system and help ward off future viral infections (i.e. herpesvirus).

Bacterial infections need antibiotic eye drops. Eye gene is a drop for redness, not infection. Additionally, these solutions can burn the eyes. I recommend to have Snowball examined by the veterinarian for the correct medication. I hope this helps.

No, I don't recommend to use this product. There are other antibiotics that are more appropriate for eye infections but you will need to call your veterinarian for recommendations. Pharmacy law prohibits online veterinarians from discussing the usage of medications not prescribed for that individual pet. There is a supplement called Lysine which may also help. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I think you may have found information on aminoglycoside antibiotics in general - I cannot find any reports of topical ophthalmic tobramycin causing either kidney disease or calcium chelation in veterinary patients. Aminoglycoside antibiotics might cause these side effects when taken orally or given injectably.

It is never recommended to medicate a pet without the advice of your veterinarian. A physical exam is strongly recommended to confirm infection so the appropriate antibiotic can be used. Inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to resistant bacteria and may complicate any underlying conditions. If you choose to use this medication, chloramphenicol can cause serious blood abnormalities, thus should be handled with caution.