My kitten's eye is shut after neuter surgery. What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to perhaps some of that infection component still being present. It would be best to culture this discharge to determine which would be the best antibiotic to treat it and proceed with therapy. In some cases, a revision surgery may be needed. Good luck and have a good night!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sparky. Horner's syndrome is not a common side effect from anesthesia and it does not frequently happen in young animals. She would need to see her veterinarian to know for sure though. She could have an eye infection or even an ulcer (scratch across the surface of the eye). Anesthesia does dry out the eyes making them more prone to ulcers. It would be a good idea for her to see her veterinarian again if possible as she may need medication. I hope this information helps!

Hi Caron, thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. At 5 and a half days of age, that is young for the eye to be open, and there is a concern that it won't be fully developed as you fear the eye was forced open. He needs to see a vet right away, as this could permanently damage his eyesight. You are doing the right thing by keeping the lighting dim and covering the windows, and you want to make sure the eye isn't too dry, which is why he needs to see a vet to get checked out. He can't be separated long from his mother, so please bring the mother and siblings to the appointment as well, and I would take them all in today. He should see a vet asap. I hope this helps!

Hello. It is possible that Snowey is reacting to something that was used in the eyes. Closed eyes are an indication the eyes really are bothering him. If you have an emergency clinic nearby it would be a good idea to have Snowey evaluated to make sure he is not developing any potential problems with the eyes. Otherwise, please contact your veterinarian tomorrow to see what needs to be done to help Snowey. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to an eye injury or conditions such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, dry eye (also known as KCS), among many other conditions. This is possibly related to the anesthesia he received yesterday. I recommend that you have Bubba evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

I agree that by 2 weeks of age the kittens eyes should be open and there would be concern for abnormal development or an infection causing adhesions. You may want to see if your vet feels comfortable applying a warm compress and then gently trying to ease the eyelids apart - this might help with adhesions. Otherwise anesthesia and using an instrument to separate the lids (surgery to cut the lid is not recommended) may be necessary since the eyes need to be open for appropriate development of the eye and neurologic pathway to the brain.

Hello! Sometimes after anesthesia pets will take a little time to return to normal, and that can include being a little droopy or sedate for about 24 hours. However, if the eyelid is still droopy in 48 hours, you should have your cat examined for other problems, such as a nerve that isn't working or an irritation on the eye. Hope this helps!