Well. Yesterday we managed two doses of eye drops though I’m not convinced the second went in. Maybe.

But the poor thing is getting totally stressed by all this now, looking at us nervously and hiding away if anything out of the ordinary happens. It’s also affecting her eating to an extent and she’s always needed quiet and calm to eat anyway otherwise she gets put off.

I couldn’t get a vet check up today so we’ve got one at 11am tomorrow.

I am seriously considering halting the drops today and seeing what the vet thinks tomorrow.
It’s gone from stress in the moment for her to almost ongoing stress.
Had a very good look at the eye yesterday and also again today and I can’t see any weeping, swelling or cloudiness etc, so I think so far so good, though obviously I don’t have the knowledge or kit to look properly.

 

Have you started Molly on a double dose of cystease/cystophan @TonyG
You don't want her to have stress cystitis on top of everything else.

 

Have you started Molly on a double dose of cystease/cystophan @TonyG
You don't want her to have stress cystitis on top of everything else.

No I haven’t but I should do, you’re right.

Trouble is I need the licky lix for her pain meds currently and she gets bored with it after a few days, so I’ve been limiting it to that but have got an eye (!) on the litter tray output

 

It is terribly stressful to have to keep doing something to them like that. They do recover when it's over though it can take some time. I only say this because when it's something that has to be done forever, you find out they do adjust.

But of course it's easier said than done. So I'm trying to be encouraging and supportive, but I've been known to give up myself. For instance my vet wanted Queen Eva on denamarin, but it has to be given in the morning on an empty stomach, and chased with water. (no dry pilling). By the third morning she was no longer even coming out. As soon as I got out of bed, she went under the bed. So I gave it up.

It was just something the vet felt might "help" though, for antioxidants, not something crucial.

But in the case of eye care, it's a bit worrisome. Maybe the vet can offer an alternative treatment.

 

Without getting too ranty on it, I’m not getting much help at home to administer it either, and on my own it’s incredibly difficult, she just wiggles too much.
It’s making me angry and stressed on her behalf that the other able bodied person in the house feels it’s too much hassle and effort to give up 10 minutes of his precious arse sitting time a day to help out a poorly cat. (My brother, this is).

Poor Molly has just about had it with the treatment though. I don’t want to ingrain a habit that she becomes scared of us or nervous in her own home, or avoids coming in because gets ‘abused’.
For example this morning I had an early ish work appointment so kept her in to start, but as soon as she realised she couldn’t go out she hid way under the bed and no way I could reach her there.
By all accounts while I was out she slunk in a couple of times very very nervous but wouldn’t eat, so I didn’t have the heart to grab her as soon as I did see her and stress her out again.
This afternoon (she’s in for the day now) she’s beginning to relax again and sleep nearby.

I checked her eye a couple of hours ago and there’s no signs of any weeping or inflammation etc, not to the naked eye anyway.
I realise it’s a gamble but I’m going to wait until the vet in the morning now, see what they say.

 

Okay so I did rant on it, lol

 

I think after tomorrow's vet visit you will feel less tense; let's hope he says the eye is much improved.
Pity your brother can't help - it would make a difference.

 

I know how frustrating it is and even more so if help isn't forthcoming. I would stick with it until the vet visit tomorrow and see how things are going, then if the eye still needs attention, ask if there's any other form of treatment perhaps even requiring just one thing to go in the eye, not two.

I know cats all become nervous of you when they know something unpleasant is coming every day plus they sense our stress, but, once its done, they will forget after a few days. I had the same problem trying to get Bunty to take her thyroid treatment by mouth, no way was she having it and it just made her run away from me when she knew it was time to have it. Now she leads me a merry dance with tablets in her food.

It's being cruel to be kind but, sadly, they can't understand that.

 

Somehow I've completely missed this thread.

Oh dear @TonyG what a todo. However having been through this experience, more than once, with one of my cats in afraid to tell you those drops and gel are absolutely vital. I'm not going to beat about the bush here, but if you don't get them in then Molly could end up with a sequestrum (dead piece of cornea) and/or a sinking ulcer which if left can cause the eyeball to rupture. Obviously not ideal.

I am surprised about the vet saying to put the gel (which is almost certainly to keep the eye lubricated) in so soon after the antibiotics drops though. Usually it's at least 30 minutes to ensure the drops have had enough time to do what they are meant to without getting flushed out by the gel. If it comes down to only being about to get either the antibiotics or the gel in, then I'd stick to the antibiotics. You really don't want an infection in there while it is healing.

I can't advise re. the lazy brother, other than to suggest a booted foot is deployed to his posterior, so that he might aid you in the tricky task.

Courage x

 

Good luck with Molly at the vets today @TonyG

 

Hope you get positive news at the vets today @TonyG
Good luck.

 

Just seeing this, hope good news from the vet 🤞

 

Good news! Or mostly! The vet was like ‘is it the right eye? I can’t see anything!’
Obviously with the dye etc she said could see a small white scar but otherwise looking very good!
She fully sympathised with the eye drop situation but said try and do two more days, a couple of times if possible.
So she had one dose of both at the vet’s (👀) and will try and do another later if we can!

 

That’s good news about Molly.
I totally sympathize with the having to do it on your own (same here) and I have now mastered the art of holding down with elbows whilst holding head and doing drops. I had to learn the hard way with Little H (10 kg of struggle) but after a week or two he did realise he was getting a brush after so became more compliant).
Grace is a different matter so I have to catch her unaware when she’s sleeping.

 

That’s good news about Molly.
I totally sympathize with the having to do it on your own (same here) and I have now mastered the art of holding down with elbows whilst holding head and doing drops. I had to learn the hard way with Little H (10 kg of struggle) but after a week or two he did realise he was getting a brush after so became more compliant).
Grace is a different matter so I have to catch her unaware when she’s sleeping.

Molly is definitely one of the more savvy cats I’ve had and although she likes treats, toys and grooming, she has no interest in any of them while she’s unsettled or alert.

Even when she eats during normal times, we have to be quiet and not move much otherwise she gets put off then won’t return to the food for a few hours.
For eg the vet gave her a couple of dreamies and she wouldn’t even look at them 🙄

 

Anyway, much relief on my part. I know we’re not quite out the woods yet but I can definitely see the edge and the vet was more than happy with the eye, which is reassuring

 

You do have to be so careful with eyes @TonyG - even a small scratch can turn nasty. Poor Molly, if only they knew the drops were for their own good! Well done for getting her on the mend, especially doing it solo.

 

Good to hear that healing is progressing well @TonyG

 

Glad it was good news and Molly is doing well.

 

That's good to hear @TonyG

 

Hi just catching up on this. That’s great news that Molly’s eye keeps getting better and better. And well done you @TonyG for coming up with various tricks to outsmart Molly 😁

 

Just caught up on this, poor Molly, great to hear she is improving, well done you for persevering such a stressful situation

 

I was browsing old threads and thought I’d update this as a sign off on it.

As far as I can tell, it’s as if the injury never happened. Obviously I have no way to test her eyesight but she dances around after tiny flies that I can’t even see, so everything seems to be working fine.

I’d forgotten the whole drops nightmare so it was interesting to read the thread again!

She is due an annual health check before the end of the year so I will ask them to look at the eye, of course.

I keep meaning to send the specialist vet a thank you email. A bit belated, but presumably they’d appreciate it.

 

I had to give Teddy eye drops and I found the videos on u tube from blue cross and cats protection really helpful. I found the key with Teddy was to kneel on the floor behind him with my chest close to his back if he tries to back away my chest blocks him. The first few times were so difficult but it does get easier and I did find the videos on line helpful

 

I gave up and decided a one eyed cat was t the end of the world 😂😂😂

 

Wot?! 🙀🙀🙀😾😾😾😾😾😾😾