Can I get over-the-counter antibiotic eye drops for kittens?

Tobramycin is an antibiotic. It will not help to alleviate itching or swelling. You will need to call your vet to get something for that - there is nothing over the counter you can put in the eyes for this. So sorry. The best you can do is use a cool/cold compress on the eyes which should help some - 5 minutes at a time if he will let you. Do this every few hours until you can talk to your vet.

The dexamethasone steroid in Tobradex could worsen the eye condition if Habla also has a corneal scratch or ulceration. Tobramycin opththalmic antibiotic drops without the dex would be much better to give three times a day for 7 days if you are not able to take her to a vet for a fluorescein stain to rule out a corneal scratch or ulcer. If the eyes are swollen because of conjunctivitis (a bacterial eye infection) and especially if there is also ocular discharge, Apisal or Refresh saline drops alone will likely not clear the infection. Good luck!

Any ophthalmic medication will be more expensive than other meds. Ask your veterinarian to write a prescription for your kitten's needs. You can then take this and shop for more affordable pricing either online or at other pharmacies.

It's best to use an eye-specific antibiotic medication if you're going to use an over-the-counter type. Not one designed for skin wounds. If this is unavailable, clean the eyes gently with a warm washcloth to keep them open and clean until you can get to a vet.

I would not use another cat's prescription as it may not be the same condition for your kitten. It is best to have the eye examined by your vet so they can rule out any issues such as injury to the eye, infections, etc that may require different treatments.

I would not listen to online sites saying to buy eye drops from the drug store. A lot of these sites are written by people who have no veterinary education at all, and some of their advice is frankly dangerous and potentially fatal. It is never advised to buy OTC eye drops for a cat because a cat's eye reacts differently to human eye medications than a human's eye does. In addition, some of these drops contain ingredients that are unsafe for use in cats. It sounds like Cleo may have an eye infection, and she will need to see a vet to get a topical antibiotic ointment to treat the infection. I would take her into the vet first thing Monday. Until then, it's fine to use a warm wash cloth to wipe away any gunk that comes from her eye. I hope this helps!

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.