Why a British cat has teary eyes

Excessive tearfulness occurs when immunity is reduced. Spreads most often to young kittens who still have a weak immune system. While the animal is not vaccinated, various viruses in the body can cause this symptom. During this period, the kitten is most vulnerable and requires more care. From an early age, British kittens need daily eye care. If a British kitten has watery eyes, they should be washed regularly and vaccinated. A kitten's visual organs must always be kept clean, otherwise complications can occur.

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Certain artificially bred breeds inherit genes that predispose to certain eye abnormalities, lacrimation. Such genes are carried more by breeds of cats with short muzzles.

It is important to correctly determine the cause of eye inflammation, you should look at the discharge:

• Yellowish, brown, thick, pus-like discharge – infectious, bacterial or fungal disease;
• Watery, transparent, the pet rubs his eyes with his paws – allergy, trauma;
• Crusts, transparent dried up – dust or dirt got into the eyes.

Conjunctivitis

Contagious diseases, worm infestation, allergic reactions are the main causes that cause inflammation of the conjunctival sac.

Lacrimation is a symptom of such diseases: toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, calciviroz, rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia. These diseases affect both British breed cats and animals of other breeds.

If left untreated, conjunctivitis develops into a purulent form that will lead to uveitis and may end in blindness.

Nematodes that live in the intestines excrete products that have allergenic properties. As a result, the cat has lacrimation and other pathological symptoms.

Conjunctivitis elimination – dehelminthization of the cat with antihelmintic, it is better to use 3 in 1 products – from fleas, ticks, worms.

The British, like other artificially bred breeds, are prone to allergies. Just a British breed has a special structure of the skull.

Treatment – eliminate the inhaled irritant, find out the cause of the allergic response, use antimicrobial eye drops:

Third eyelid prolapse

Disease of the blinking web of the eye | third eyelid. The forms in which the inflammation can occur: abnormal development of the supporting cartilage, protrusion | prolapse, adenoma. If both eyes are affected, it is a contagious disease.

Eye treatment at home, what to rub, what to do

It is possible to treat the affected areas at home as well, both with special veterinary products and medicines from the drugstore.

1. Wash your hands well with soap and water, call a helper;
2. Prepare a 5 ml syringe with a rubber piston, cotton disks;
3. Prepare distilled water with boiled water and the necessary drops or ointments;
4. Particularly violent need to be wrapped in a plaid or towel and put his back on his knees;
5. Soak the disk in water, solution. Soak the eyelids, if they are sticky;
6. Gently spend a wet disk from the outer edge to the inner corner of the eyelid surface, if the eyelashes stick together – spend from inner to outer;
7. Dry crusts are removed and the cotton disk is changed more often;
8. After washing, drop a solution on the cornea or put an ointment, massage the eyelid a little and blot the excess with a cotton pad.

Any solution is at room temperature. Use clean cotton pads for each eye. Do not touch the cornea, blot the eyeball.

Why teary eyes in a British cat

One of the most common problems in pets is watery eyes. This affects both regular cats and pedigree cats equally. This raises the question of why a British kitten has watery eyes. There can be several reasons for this phenomenon, so you need to figure out what exactly the problem is with your baby, and then do something about it.

This problem – very common among all pets, so do not panic if you suddenly noticed that the eyes of a British kitten are watery. First, let's try to figure out the cause of this symptom.

1. Parasites .

The first thing that veterinarians do if they are approached because of the appearance of tears in a British cat is to prescribe fluffy patients drugs against worms, even when it is not yet established why the beginning of leaking from the eyes of the cat. This measure helps in many cases, in addition – this therapy can do no harm if the cause of the British cat's ailment in another.

2. Clogged tear ducts

The question of why a British cat has watery eyes can be answered to you: Your Briton has blocked tear ducts.. This is a characteristic of this breed as well as the Scottish cat. The special shape of the muzzle with a narrowing at the bridge of the nose can provoke the effect of watery eyes.

If the problem is serious, a veterinarian should be consulted as soon as possible. Teary eyes can become more complicated if the tissue begins to pus. This problem is already much more serious than just having a Briton's eyes watering after sleeping.

If you notice pus-like discharge, fever, lack of appetite in your pet, you should definitely seek help from your veterinarian.

3. an allergic reaction

The reasons why British pups get watery eyes can really be different, and one of them is allergies. Often the allergy is caused by the food. Remember from what day your kitty's eyes began to water and this will help you determine the cause of the allergy.

Medications

You can treat your kitten with folk remedies, but they are not always effective. So if you do not notice a visible effect after a course of washes, try some proven remedies.

• At night, kittens are put behind the eyelids tetracycline ointment.
• Weakly dissolve manganese or furacilin in water and use for lavages.
• The remedy "Iris" contains levomycetin, so it perfectly fights the manifestations of irritation and allergies.
• "Diamond eyes" is an excellent treatment for teary eyes in a kitten based on taurine and succinic acid. It helps fight mucous membrane irritation in animals.
• If a cat's eyes are watery, Phytoelita lotion based on herbs can replace it.

A British cat with watery eyes photo.

First of all, keep an eye on the pet's diet. You can't accustom him to food first and then feed him the same food you eat later. A balanced intake of food should be followed daily. The physiological characteristics of this breed should not be forgotten and the eyes should be regularly cleaned of accumulated fluid. Before giving any medicine or drops, test the drug on yourself. This is how you will know if unforeseen reactions will occur. You should not smoke near your pet. It is important to ventilate the room daily and do wet cleaning. The eyes of a British pet are very sensitive, so it is best to get rid of all allergic agents in advance, including dust.

If the exact reason for a Briton's leaky eyes has not been established, it is not recommended to experiment with medications. Improper treatment can cause complications, after which the cat may develop other diseases. Take this issue seriously and don't forget to perform preventive treatments. Tear discharge may not be dangerous to the cat's health, the main thing is to pay attention in time, and have it checked by a veterinarian.

Feel free to ask questions in the comments, I will try to answer them all.

Eye Diseases Specific to the Breed

Eye abnormalities are more common in cubs and adolescents. Short-furred smooth-haired cats are predisposed to the following eye diseases:

Conjunctivitis .

Inflammation of the conjunctival sac is caused by the following:

Allergic reaction.

The British, due to the structure of the skull, react acutely to irritants. Dust, perfume, and tobacco smoke can cause tears. But British cats react especially strongly to food allergens. If you feed your pet Wiskas, a hypersensitive reaction is more than likely. Replacing such food with hypoallergenic premium food can help.

Adherents of natural food are even more difficult. When a kitten has lacrimation combined with skin rashes, it is difficult to determine which component is forming a hypersensitive response. Therefore, you will still have to switch to a low-allergenic diet.

In addition to replacing the food and eliminating the causes of the allergic response to inhaled irritants, the use of eye drops containing antimicrobial agents is indicated. The fact is that the inflamed conjunctiva is a breeding substrate for secondary microflora. "Diamond eyes" with Chlorhexidine are in demand, as well as "Iris", which includes gentamicin.

Worm infestation.

The products of nematodes living in the intestine have allergenic properties, causing lacrimation and other pathological symptoms. The use of an anthelmintic leads to the elimination of conjunctivitis. If the treatment does not help, it does no harm – preventive deworming will be carried out. In such a situation, other means should be used.

Contagious diseases

Tears are a symptom of the following infectious diseases of cats, not only British cats, but other breeds as well:

Conclusion

If the cat lover is going to buy a Briton, he should understand that each of the breeds, bred by man, has its own disadvantages, manifested in the predisposition to certain diseases. It is necessary to keep and feed the cat according to the recommendations of experienced breeders, to be ready for the occurrence of specific diseases, to be able to provide pre-medical care.

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Treatment of the disease

When diagnosed, the doctor may prescribe conservative treatment. For example, with an infectious disease, the cat is prescribed a course of antibiotics. With inflammation – washing with antiseptic solutions. For allergies – antihistamines. However, in some cases the problem of lacrimation can be solved only with surgical intervention.
The duration of treatment and rehabilitation depends on the strength of the cat's immunity and the complexity of the case.

What to do if a British cat has watery eyes

If there are problems with the eyes in a British cat, the first thing to do is to give an anthelmintic. Even in the absence of parasites, this measure can do no harm, but in many cases it helps to eliminate tears.

Well help with the problem of washing the eyes with strong black tea, infusion of chamomile flowers, decoction of the herb St. John's wort, sage leaves, calendula flowers. The procedure is performed in a calm atmosphere, when the cat decides to bask on its own in the hands of the owner. To do this, you must:

Features of treatment

The nature of the treatment depends on why a British cat has watery eyes. If the situation is not of concern, it is possible to use as part of self-treatment:

• Tetracycline ointment, which is put behind the eyelids;
• A weak solution of manganese or Furacilin to wash the eyes;
• special veterinary antibacterial drops such as Iris;
• put in Diamond Eyes or Phytoelite and other eye drops for cats to increase the effectiveness of treatment.

If the situation does not improve within a week, or if the disease progresses, it is imperative that the cat be seen by a veterinarian. After examination, he will be able to accurately diagnose the cause of the abnormalities and choose the best method of treatment.

Normal and abnormal – how to distinguish?

Many owners notice brown crusts in the corners of the cat's eyes after sleeping. This is a variant of the norm. The tear when secreted is transparent, it does not have any impurities. Then the liquid lingers on the coat and oxidizes in the air, resulting in the feeling that the British cat's eyes are teary brown. In fact, the brown crusts (sometimes they have a reddish tint) are just dried oxidized tears. It looks like this.

• tears flow constantly, even during waking, there are many tears, as if the cat is crying (in jurisprudence, the phenomenon is called epiphora);
• the tear is cloudy, whitish, greenish or yellowish;
• in addition to the tears it is seen that the eyelids and conjunctiva are inflamed;
• hair falling out around the eye;
• Blepharospasm (the cat squints at the eye).

The real reasons why a British cat has watery eyes

As you have already realized, a small tear leak in the form of clear and brown discharge is not necessarily pathological. But a large amount of discharge should not be normal. Tears should go into the nasolacrimal duct, not out. The first reason why it flows out is that too much fluid is produced. The second reason is an incorrect anatomical structure.

Below we list the main reasons for the large amount of discharge, as well as the causes of abnormal purulent tears and tears accompanied by other symptoms.

Structure of the nasolacrimal duct

In some brachycephalic cats, as we have already said, the nasolacrimal duct is shortened, curved or narrowed so much that it cannot function properly. And sometimes it is absent at all. Such individuals have chronic lacrimation, because the tears have only one exit – outside.

This pathology can be easily identified by a competent veterinarian – preferably an ophthalmologist. Bad doctors often do not even check the canals and, suspecting infection, immediately prescribe anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. But in this case there is no point in prescribing them, because the problem lies in the anatomical structure, which the use of drugs will not go anywhere. Incorrect structure of the nasolacrimal duct in some cases can be corrected surgically.

Twisted eyelids

One more anatomical reason for the increased flow of tears is an eyelid fold (entropion). In the past, the occurrence of wiggles among the Brits was common, but now these breed members are few and far between, as breeders conduct a competent selection. Again, we are talking about cats bought in official catteries, not "from hand".

Entropion results from the eyelid fold rolling up inside the eye and irritating its surface all the time. This leads to an increased production of fluid. Then there is inflammation and often a bacterial process joins.

Why does a Scottish lop-eared cat have watery eyes?

Breeders and cat lovers know that kittens and adult cats of the Scottish breed often have watery eyes. In childhood, this sign is more pronounced than in adulthood. The anatomical structure of the head and eyes of these cats has special differences. The canal going from the lacrimal gland is shortened, so the tears do not stay in the ducts and quickly go out. The predisposition is due to the flattened shape of the skull, which accounts for the non-standard structure of the eye analyzer.

The Scots' eyeballs are large, so they require regular flushing with tear fluid. Otherwise, the cat may dry cornea. That said, cats with suspicious signs should definitely be examined, since eye disease is not less common in them than in other breeds.

Treatment of teary eyes in cats at home

If a cat is diagnosed with an eye disease, it must be treated urgently. The method and duration of treatment depends on the type of problem. If infectious in nature, it is necessary to wash the eyes with an antibacterial solution to remove residual secretions and pus secretions. Furacilin (0.2%), infusion or decoction of herbs (chamomile, calendula, succession, oak bark), black or green tea are suitable for this purpose.

If herbal infusion is used for washing, it must be filtered through several layers of gauze. The disinfectant solution is taken slightly warm. The washing technique consists of several steps. The cat is wrapped in a blanket and, if necessary, the help of a second person is used. The antiseptic solution is poured into the outer corner of the eye. After 2-3 minutes, when the dried secretions have soaked, the eye is wiped with a cotton disc soaked in the solution in the direction from the outer corner to the inner one.

After the eyes have been washed out, the medication is injected or an ointment is placed under the eyelid. To treat tearfulness, Levomycin, Sofradex, Kanamycin, Lakrikan, Tsiprovet drops are used. The drops are put into both eyes 3-5 times a day (even if one eye is damaged). The cat is treated in this way for two weeks. Instead of drops of antibiotics, you can use an effective ointment, such as Solcoseryl.

Corticosteroid injections are not recommended for cats' eyes!

Possible reasons why a cat has watery eyes

If a cat squints and has watery eyes, it may indicate the development of serious pathologies in the animal's body.

Infection: chlamydia

A very striking example of how the disease, even in its asymptomatic manifestation, is accompanied by lacrimation from one eye. At the same time, the animal does not show other signs of the disease – the appetite almost does not suffer, the temperature remains normal or slightly elevated, but the abundant mucus already signals the danger. After 4-5 days, the process seizes the second eye, later affecting the respiratory organs. During this time, the sick cat manages to infect everyone around.

The infection is spread by rodents, it enters the mucous membranes with food or by contact with a carrier. Kittens can become infected from their mother cat during childbirth.

As treatment, the veterinarian prescribes a course of antibiotics, ointments and drops.

Infection: viral rhinotracheitis in cats

The disease is called "feline pneumonia" because of the symptoms similar to the human disease. True, this virus is safe for humans, rhinotracheitis affects only cats. More often than others, young and elderly animals who have problems with immunity suffer.

In addition to the fact that the cat has tears and redness in one or both eyes, rhinotracheitis is accompanied by additional signs:

• Conjunctival inflammation;
• blurred pupil and visual impairment;
• sneezing and profuse saliva;
• lack of appetite and rapid weight loss;
• lethargy, apathy, other signs of malaise;
• slightly elevated temperature, which does not reach critical values.

In case of timely visit to the doctor, viral rhinotracheitis in a cat is treated, but if there is no help, the animal may lose vision and even die. Death of a cat is most often caused by other chronic diseases that are activated in a weakened body. Therefore, as soon as a cat or a small kitten begins to have watery eyes, the animal should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

When it is necessary to see a veterinarian

If a cat's eye becomes red and watery as a result of an injury, a visit to the doctor should not be delayed. The sooner the cat gets help, the better the chances of preserving the cat's vision.

Important: If there are dirty or purulent discharges from the cat's eyes, the cat should be seen by a veterinarian immediately!

Diagnostics in the clinic

Diagnostic methods for lacrimation in cats involve a simple visual examination and further laboratory tests. The goal is to identify the cause of the eye discharge and prescribe treatment, in case infectious or other diseases have been detected. A fecal analysis, scrapings or swabs, and a hardware examination of the eyes may be required to clarify the diagnosis.

Treatment and prevention

A set of independent measures to prevent and identify the causes of intense fluid secretion. When the eye begins to tear – we are talking about the final stage, when it is necessary to take urgent measures.

• Examine the cat daily and check its condition;
• carry out regular hygienic procedures, i.e. cleaning the eyes and nose (this helps to quickly spot new discharges and assess their intensity);
• regular dehelminthization;
• Mandatory vaccinations – a number of diseases can be prevented by standard vaccinations.

In order to avoid the development of chronic diseases in a cat, you should regularly visit the veterinarian, as any disease is easier to prevent than to treat.

No sight is sadder than a funny cat's face, with its dirty sweats and sore, red eyes. After all, a cat can't tell you how it feels. And only an attentive owner can prevent the suffering of a furry pet, which in return for care will give love and devotion to humans.

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