There is a lot of conflicting information on what caused eye drainage . I have heard everything from facial structure to viruses. The truth is it might be a combination of factors. Other misinformation is only snub nosed Persians have this issue. I have talked to many breeders and the one consistent thing is it can happen in both doll face and snub nose. The truth is almost all Persian have flat faces when compared to a other breeds. I guess the most important thing is to know how to care for our babies so that they have good eye health for life.
First thing keep them your kitty’s eyes clean. I recommend artificial tears you can buy them at any pharmacy the Walmart brand is about $1. You can also any cleaner you would use in your own eye to clean such as your contact solution.Please do not use water. Most city water has chlorine which can actual irritate the eye and you really never know a what is in well water. The main thing is to maintain the PH balance of the eye when you clean. The drops should be used in the eye. Use enough to make sure you are removing all dirt hair etc… I don’t recommend any medicated eye solutions unless on advice of a vet.
Next step is lysine. You can purchase Lysine at any place that carries vitamins. The dosage is 250 mg a day under 6 months of age and 500 mg a day over 6 months. Make sure when you buy lysine that you are getting just lysine you do not want anything else in it. I would never try to give a cat a pill especially on a daily bases. I recommend crushing and mixing with water. Use a baby dropper to squirt it in kitty’s mouth or just mix it with food. Lysine does not have much flavor so you should not have a big issue either way. Lysine is an amino acid that boost immunities. It prevent infections from setting in. Lysine also inhibits the ability of the herpes virus from replicating. Just like people most cats carry this virus but with other breeds they have longer faces and can drain more better, so you do not see the signs. This amino acid does not have any negative side affects and can be used long term. The other plus for young cat and kittens is it is a good building block for bone growth. I would recommend it for any kitten under a year. You will find it in a lot of cat foods but not at high enough doses to be effective. Consider it your kitty’s vitamins. There is reason not keep kitty on it for life but for kittens it is a must. I do not recommend the lysine paste they sell for kitty as I have found additives give kittens loose stools.
Next lets talk about antibiotics. You may need to use them to clear the brown stuff initially but I don;t think they are a good idea long term. Some of the commercial products have anitbiotics in them such as Angels Eyes. The active ingredient is Tylosin. That is a prescription only antibiotic so I am not sure how they get by selling it with out one. Tylosin has never even been approved for use in dogs and cats. Oral antibiotics for an infection that is only in the eye tubing can have long and short term consequences, In my opinion long term use especially will be setting your kitten up later for antibiotic resistant infections. Your kitty may became antibiotic resistant. That means if they get any infections you will have a much harder time clearing it. Angel Eyes is actually banned in the UK for this reason. I would suggest you start with terramycin eye ointment. You can get it on line with out a prescription. If you buy on line it will be 1/2 the cost of the vet office. It will normally clear the brown stuff in a few days. Please continue use for at least 3 or 4 days past the first day kitty is clear. Use 2 times day. There are other eye ointments but they are all prescription. The most common time for you need to need this antibiotic is when kitty is stressed, so make sure you have it on hand if you know kitty is going to be stressed form things such as moving, new family members etc…
In conclusion I know this is a common problem but that does not mean you should ignore it. Long term problems can end in eye loss and health problems. It is best to prevent eye issues by keeping them clean and supporting the immune system. Good eye health is not just about looks.They are always beautiful to us.
Buffalo Creek Farms Persians Rule
