Cat eye infection not clearing with Terramycin. When to see vet?

Terramycin is commonly prescribed in cats and kittens, but I cannot recommend its use for Snowball until she has been examined by a veterinarian to make sure that it is the appropriate medication for her eye problem.

Oh my goodness Oliver is adorable!! So happy you adopted him! Common eye issues in kittens are Herpes and Chlamydia. Cat herpes is responsible for most kitten eye infections. Cat chlamydia is close in the running for second place. Unlike human herpes, cat herpes is spread like the common cold and causes cold-like symptoms, including nasty-looking eye inflammation. Chlamydia is spread through close contact and causes cold-like symptoms and conjunctivitis. Neither are contagious to humans or any animals besides cats. Both have vaccines, but they don't necessarily stop infection but they can reduce severity. Most infections run their course (though kittens weakened by malnourishment, temperature extremes, injury, or other diseases do sometimes die from the added physical stress), but cats may have periodic outbreaks for the rest of their lives. Terramycin is the first line treatment for Chlamydia so if you are not seeing much improvement it could be that he has herpes virus and not Chlamydia. Of course he could have something else but those two diseases are the most common. My recommendation would be to give it the weekend since he seems otherwise happy and healthy and then take him in for a check-up at the beginning of next week. If you are applying the Terramycin twice a day I would recommend you increase to three or four times a day until the recheck appointment. I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Oliver!

Terramycin is an antibiotic that can be used for bacterial conjunctivitis. But runny eyes doesn’t mean infection. I would have Penelope examined by a vet to determine the cause to start an appropriate treatment.

I am so sorry to hear that Snow is experiencing these problems with her eye. Start by placing an e-collar or cone on Snow to prevent scratching or rubbing. If the eye is infected it is likely painful, this will prompt Snow to scratch or rub her eye. However, this could inflict further damage, infection or even an ulceration. Because eye concerns with cats, such as infections, corneal ulcerations, cataracts and glaucoma, can progress rapidly in I would have her examined by your veterinarian to diagnose the issue. The precise medication can then be dispensed by your veterinarian. Please do not attempt to treat an eye infection at home with any over the counter medications, drops or ointments. This can lead to permanent damage and unnecessary pain or discomfort. I hope this answer was helpful and that Snow feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both!

Hello. It is very common for an upper respiratory tract infection to also cause eye symptoms. This may include a clear watery discharge and inflammation of the eyelids and conjunctiva. If the discharge becomes thick and yellow/ green or your cat squints or is holding the eye closed, she should be rechecked and started in eye medication as well. If the symptoms are mild as they are now, it may resolve on its own when the virus runs its course and goes away. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Hello. You can continue with this treatment every 12 hours. But if the eyes do not improve in a few days, or the symptoms worse, please do see your veterinarian for further diagnosis & treatment. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor girl. Her current temperature is normal so that is good. I would suggest going back to the vet for another type of antibiotic. It seems the current one is not doing the trick, so another class of antibiotic may be all she needs to get this to clear up. I typically like to use Azithromycin in cats with upper respiratory disease because it is highly effective. You should also get Zazu on an anti-viral supplement daily to help boost her immune system. Look for Lysine powder from your local pet store and this should help her immunity and help prevent flare ups in the future, since most URI's are viral related in cats. I hope that your pet Zazu feels better soon! Take care.