Chronic runny eye?

Question

My girl Shadow has a chronic runny eye. It is not goopy or infected. The vet said it was ok as long as it stays clear (it has) I have to wipe it everyday and it will dry on her eyes and form a build up. She is a-ok otherwise.
What do you all think?

Answer 1

Persians and other short-nosed cats commonly have teary eyes, due to the configuration of their tear ducts, which can become blocked. Other cats also can get blocked tear ducts, as well which can be treated by your veterinarian though I do not consider it a medical emergency by any means. Take a cotton ball soaked in water with a bit of baby shampoo and wipe the area around the eye daily. The baby shampoo will prevent staining and won't irritate your cats eyes... Of course, runny eyes, coupled with other symptoms such as sneezing will require a trip to the vet.

Answer 2

Sometimes, a runny eye can be a form of herpes, though often this is accompanied by thicker discharge. The herpes flare-ups come and go, just like in humans. If it gets bad, your vet can give you drops for the eye(s). However, you can't get rid of the disease as it lives in a mammal's nervous system. This is not necessarily the problem, but it is something to ask about.

Just a tip: make sure your vet is certified for cats by the ABVP (American Board of Vetrinary Practitioners) so you can be certain he or she is up-to-date on cat health issues and their treatments. Cats and dogs are completely different and not all vets specialize.

Answer 3

Once my kittens eyes were running, and my vet didn't think it was anything, but he said if it continued he would give her some drops. So long as your vet has looked at it I'm sure it's ok. Sometimes a runny eye is a sign of illness.

Answer 4

Did the vet say if it was a damaged tear duct? Or is it an eyelash that's touching the eyeball? They can irrigate the duct if this is what's wrong, and the other usually requires a small surgery to fix (our cat had that).