Does my cat’s runny eye need looking at?

Q

My five-year-old cat Mitzi has a runny eye. Is this common in cats and do I need to take her to the vet?

A

You do need to take Mitzi to the vet. Although some eye conditions are relatively minor, there is always the possibility of complications developing, which in the worst case could cost her the sight in the affected eye. You need an accurate diagnosis of the problem so effective treatment can be given, as it’s always better sooner rather than later.

There are many conditions that can cause a runny eye and your vet will undoubtedly have seen most of these.

Occasionally a specialist opinion is required for rare conditions that might require surgical treatment, or specialised equipment might be needed to aid the diagnosis.

Common conditions include mild cat flu, especially in unvaccinated cats or those without a recent booster.

You might hear the occasional sneeze with this condition.

There are various bacteria that can cause conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the thin membrane covering part of the front of the eye. There may be reddening of the eye and discomfort shown by your cat rubbing it.

Neglecting these early signs can lead to ulceration of the cornea, the transparent part of the outer eye.

Your vet can check for this by using fluorescein dye in the eye, which will temporarily stain ulcers yellow.

It is important too to check for any foreign bodies causing irritation, including small grass awns, the bristly seed pods of tall grasses.

The conditions I have mentioned respond to treatment, but don’t delay making that appointment.

Q

My miniature schnauzer is 20 months old and her pee leaves brown patches on the lawn. Dog rocks didn’t work. She uses the cat flap and pees in the house too. What can I do?

A

The brown patches on the lawn are caused by breakdown products of nitrogen in the dog’s urine.

In the soil this leads to high levels of nitrates, a frequent component of fertilisers. If the concentration is too high it will kill the grass.

Dog rocks, which are placed in a dog’s water bowl, aim to reduce nitrogen in the urine. But as they have not worked, you need other solutions.

Theoretically, reducing the protein content in food might reduce nitrogen levels, but this is something that needs to be discussed with your vet.

Alternatively, you could try to train the dog to urinate away from the lawn in a particular location, or copiously water the lawn quickly after the dog has gone.

One complication is your dog having unlimited access to the lawn via the cat flap. This might need some constructive thinking to sort out, possibly with a behaviorist’s advice.

Your dog urinating inside occasionally is another issue, as it seems unusual. Miniature schnauzers tend to produce concentrated urine, which predisposes them to bladder stones and is perhaps worth considering.

I recommend she has a veterinary check-up of her kidneys and bladder before any training programmes, and supervised access to the cat flap for the time being.