Conjunctivitis (Pink eye) Again??

[onster]

Back in January Bunduk had conjunctivitis and had scratched his cornea as a result. The vet ended up giving him drops and antibiotics for about 2 weeks, after which I brought him in for a re-check and she said all was well.

Now he's again starting with the one squinty eye and dishcharge. It's def. not as bad as it was in January, his eye isn't always squinty and the discharge is just like 'sleep' but rust/red coloured.

Background: ever since he was a kitten he would get these times where he had one squinty eye. I even asked the vet once and she checked his eyes but said all was ok. Because she wasn't concerned we werent concerned either, plus it was intermittent. I have however noticed that when his eye starts to get squinty it's usually the beginning of a URI. I've done some preliminary research online and it seems chronic conjunctivitis is associated with cats that have been exposed to the herpes virus (which Bunduk has im sure he has recurring URIs since he was baby). It's apparently notoriously difficult to deal with too...great

At this point I'm not sure what to do, should i take him to the vet again, get more drops? I don't want to put him through the stress of a vet visit and more drops/antibiotics (he HATES eye drops), if it's unnecessary. The drops are not cheap either, $60+ per bottle and last time we used 2 bottles, not including the actual vet visit. I asked about the a cream (I think 14+ used that with her cats) but the vet said it was less effective and much more expensive than the drops so she didn't recommend it.Don't get me wrong, I would spend any amount of money on him, but I'm beginning to think it might be a chronic thing we have to deal with, much like we deal with his URIs. At this point I don't generally take him into the vet when he gets URIs, we just let it run its course. MAke him chicken soup (without onions/garlic), give him L-Lysine, let him rest, that kind of thing.

I guess my question is, what do you guys think? Anyone have experience with this?

[onster]

This is a pic from yesterday, just to point out that his eye isn't that bad. Its just cuz im his mommy so I worry


You can see the left eye you can see that red crusty discharge in the corner. But I mean if you wipe it off he looks fine. He wasn't squinty at the time I took the pic, but then he was squinty that night...then not squinty in the morning again!

[Winston]

Onster so sorry Bundak is not feeling good. I am wondering if it is just his immune system ? My moms cat Brady has the Rodent Lip or EGC and he has bouts when its bad and then he is good for a bit. But when they explained it to my mom they indicated it is because his immune system gets affected causing the outbreak of symptoms.

Do you give Bundak the Lysine all the time? I am pretty sure its been recommended for some others on the site. SCM will probably have an answer for you!

Your right from the pic it doesnt look bad and maybe you can catch it early enough! Does Bundak eat canned or dry?

Give your boy a smooch for me!

[onster]

Smooches delivered WInston

If there's one thing I'm good at , it's giving that boy smooches

Yeah, his immune system is pretty craptacular. For a 3 year old cat he's been to the vet more often than all of my previous cats and Onnie combined!! I always mean to give him the L-Lysine all the time but I kind of end up giving it to him when I see the beginning of a flare-up.

Bunduk eats canned and dry and any human food he can steal Considering he now has a little pooch and Onnie has a large pooch, I might be switching to all canned soon to control their weights.

[Winston]

Awe poor boys! Thats what happens when you still live with Grandma!! I think the lysine might work for you! they didnt mind it when you went away and they got sick right? isnt that what the bording facilty gave them?

I hope all is well otherwise! Do you miss home?

[onster]

LOL yes the growing pooches are definitely directly associated with gramma dolling out treats

I'm only 45 mins from home, so I go back every weekend. Right now my mom's away actually so I go back and forth everyday (to make sure the house remains standing under the 'care' of little bro)..which has me exhausted cuz there's some days im on campus from 7am to 9pm then I still have to drive home . But this too shall pass


oh and yes the boarding place gave bunduk L-lysine (viralyse) when he got a URI in their care.

[Winston]

I hear you on the driving! I am on a course for work right now so I am driving to and from Mississauga and oh boy do I hate it. Now I know why I dont work out of town....I would go crazy...

Its prbably a good thing your checking on the house! you know how boys can be!!

[onster]

lol so true bout boys. what course are u taking?

and back on topic....ive never had pinkeye myself, but are there any home remedies for humans,..i mean for symptom relief? cold/hot compresses that kind of thing?? bunduk doesn't seem to be uncomfortable to me, ever the lovebug, but from what I read it's very uncomfortable, feels like there is grit in your eyes?

[hazelrunpack]

We'd get pink eye occasionally as kids, but I can't remember if hot or cold compresses felt better. I do know that we used compresses if the eye was really irritated. Keep in mind, though, that the compress becomes hazardous material after use because conjunctivitis can be quite contagious

Going back off topic...how is school going?

[onster]

I honestly never heard of pink eye before I moved to Canada.. same with peanut allergies, I thought that was the weirdest thing ever! back to pink eye lol, what i dont understand is if it's sooo contagious how come Onnie didn't get it? He's forever grooming bunduk's face etc.

now back off topic...school's ok. tiring. exciting. stressful. then exciting again lol. but in general I love it when im not stressed like mad hahaha. thanks for asking hazel

[onster]

Also very but ive been finding that blasted orange ribbon in the pic in his poop for days now!!!! GAaaaaah. so his appetite is unaffected

[hazelrunpack]

I remember those days....

I don't think all cases of pink eye are equal--some are caused just by an irritation and aren't really an infection. We used to occasionally catch some sort of bacterial infection from one of the local lakes and then pass it around amongst the 5 of us I know there would occasionally be outbreaks of pink eye in grade school because someone came to class when they shouldn't have. So I think there might be multiple causes of 'pink eye' that might be more, or less, contagious. Don't know for sure, though

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by onster

Also very but ive been finding that blasted orange ribbon in the pic in his poop for days now!!!! GAaaaaah. so his appetite is unaffected

Ah, that's the Bunduk we know and love

How bad is ribbon for kitties?