My pet has a corneal ulcer. Can I avoid eye removal surgery?

Old age is not a disease. And the eye itself sounds like it will need to be operated on either now or later. You should try to save the eye. If the eye does rupture Bruno will still need an operation to remove the eye due to intense pain and discomfort. So this is definitely the better of two options in my professional opinion. Also you should know that every Venerian does pre-op bloodwork to make sure there is no organ malfunction that needs special care during surgery. With every surgery there is a risk, but most veterinarians are equipped to handle any issues that may arise while the pet is under general anesthesia. I hope Bruno gets well soon!

I would need to see a clear picture of the eye to give you my opinion regarding this specific case, in some cases surgery is not absolutely necessary and cats can live just fine with the little permanent damage on the cornea, in other cases the damage is extensive and surgery is highly recommended.

Eye ulcers are very complex and there is no one size fits all treatment. There are many options for treating ulcers and this is in part depends on the underlying cause of the ulcer (poor tear production/quality, inturned eyelids/eyelashes, scratches from other dogs/cats etc). The cornerstone of treatments are a lubricant drop plus an antibiotic drop (each applied 15mins apart every 2-6hours depending on severity), in many cases serum drops (prepared from the patients blood) are also used to promote healing and prevent further inflammation. Surgical treatment may also be required to clear damaged tissue from the surface of the ulcer and sometimes to protect the eye with flaps/contact lenses etc. I recommend a check up by your vet to ensure the most appropriate treatment is selected

That is very high pressure in that eye, and if the staining of the cornea showed a "yellow" streak, this suggests an ulcer. Cats are really good at hiding pain, so I think it is difficult to assume that he is not painful. With these findings, I would tend to agree with your veterinarian, that the eye should be removed for the long term comfort of Alex. With the damage to the eye, and the ulcer, it may become more painful over time, or even rupture. If he can't see, he won't miss the eye once it is gone. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank your for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Superficial corneal ulcers are treated with antibiotics eye drops and oral pain killers. These medications are prescription-only, so you need to take your kitten to your local vets to get them.

Poor baby! It looks likes she might have a ruptured corneal ulcer so she needs to be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. It is difficult to determine if the eye can be treated based on just the picture but there is a chance she will not be visual in that eye and enucleation may be the best choice. Please call a vet and schedule an appointment.

Based on this picture, that looks like a fairly superficial corneal ulceration. Oral antibiotics are not the treatment for this sort of issue, as direct ophthalmic medications will be required. The treatment will be aimed at preventing secondary infection,, reducing inflammation / pain, and mending the corneal surface. Otis will also need to wear a cone to make sure that he doesn't try and scratch at the eye and make matters worse for himself. This issue is not life-threatening, but the ulcer will definitely get worse if it is not treated quickly and properly, particularly if he is the kind of dog that will bother at it. If you've been to the vet already, he may have put a stain in the eye and then looked with a special light to see the actual depth of the ulcer. He will be able to tell you if the ulcer is actually superficial or if goes deeper than it appears in the picture. Hope this all makes sense.