Corneal Ulcer in cats

[Samui]

I am very positive that the graft is going to work well for Samui.  He's a tough little (okay, not that little) guy and he's always been a fighter, so I am sure things are going to work out just fine.  I just wish I knew why it still got bigger although he received immediate treatment, but on the otherhand I am just glad that things worked out the way they did in the end..

[Gillian Harvey]

Hi Gillian

Yes I know it is very painful for them.  When I originally went to my home vet he said that is what they do in bad cases, to take the 3rd eyelid and close it over the eye.  The problem Samui had was even worse and if they had put the flap over it would have caused more pressure and the eye then could have "exploded" (not sure if that is the correct word).  The other obvious problem was that Samui only have one eye so I had to try everything to save that eye and therefore opted for the graft to be done.  I have attached a picture, this is a week after the graft was done.

Ah I see, you obviously want to do all you can to save the eye, I had the dilemma with Cassie after her second op didnt work and she had the eye removed, as I said all was well for a few years, but then the other eye started to develop an ulcer, by this time Cass was quite elderly and not in the best of health and it wasnt fair to put her through another op (either to stich 3rd eyelid over/remove the eye).

My friend's cat had a graft years ago and although the eye always looked a bit strange, it didnt cause her any more problems, I think she's about 15 or 16 now - hope the graft works for Samui. 

[Samui]

Occasionally it had been necessary to remove the eye when the cat/kitten has come in to us too late and the previous owner had not bothered to take the little on to the vet as soon as a problem was noticed.

Hi Ela
I know most corneal ulcers are very treatable and like you said, sometimes it only heals after lengthly treatment.  The problem is Samui was treated immediately and the ulcer just kept on growing and growing, so they had to do the graft.  I have asked the vet why this happend but he doesn't know, because once treatment is started the ulcer usually is almost gone in 48 hours from the first treatment.  This one was so vicious it just kept on eating away at this eye.

[Samui]

Hi Gillian

Yes I know it is very painful for them.  When I originally went to my home vet he said that is what they do in bad cases, to take the 3rd eyelid and close it over the eye.  The problem Samui had was even worse and if they had put the flap over it would have caused more pressure and the eye then could have "exploded" (not sure if that is the correct word).  The other obvious problem was that Samui only have one eye so I had to try everything to save that eye and therefore opted for the graft to be done.  I have attached a picture, this is a week after the graft was done.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Ela]

I had over the years had a number of cats with a corneal ulcer, in most cases the eye has been saved sometimes after lengthy treatment. Occasionally it had been necessary to remove the eye when the cat/kitten has come in to us too late and the previous owner had not bothered to take the little on to the vet as soon as a problem was noticed.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

How is Samui, I know you had a panic and I think its vets tomorrow?

Hope it all goes well and the graft is doing well 

[Gillian Harvey]

As most of you know my boy Samui had a corneal ulcer and it was so bad that he had to get a graft to try and save his eye.  Does anyone have any experience in aftercare for this?  I know in most cases it is quite treatable but this one just got bigger and bigger although he almost had immediate attention and treatment.
Lana

My cat Cassie had a corneal ulcer and she had to have emergency treatment as it was in danger of rupturing. She had the op where they stich the eyelid over the eye to help the blood vessels, it seemed to work for a time, and the eye specialist she saw was brilliant. But a few years later the ulcer returned and my local vet did the op this time, but it didnt work so well  and she offered to re-do it, but by that time Cass was having a lot of pain and I opted to have the eye removed, best thing I could have done for her at the time really! She coped well with the first op and she had a few years without pain in that eye at least.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

No experience of this condition I'm afraid but found the following websites that might be of interest:

http://www.theanimalmedicalclinic.com/cathealthinfo_cornealulcersincats.htm

http://www.petdoctoronline.com/articles/corneal_ulcer.html

[Maddiesmum]

No advice I'm afraid but hope he is ok

[Samui]

As most of you know my boy Samui had a corneal ulcer and it was so bad that he had to get a graft to try and save his eye.  Does anyone have any experience in aftercare for this?  I know in most cases it is quite treatable but this one just got bigger and bigger although he almost had immediate attention and treatment.
Lana