Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 6/23/2008

Question
this is similar to the one already posted on the forum, my cats eyes (both) have been half covered over for 5 days now, after 2 days i took her to the vets, the didnt really explain anything to me just asked a few questions about her eating( which is fine) sickness and diareha(which i have seen none), she had a bit of a cough, they gave her a antibiotic shot, but i havent seen much of an improvement, is there anything you could advise me on, or how long should i wait before taking her back?

regards
cheryl

Answer
Cheryl -

Without knowing how old your cat is and its vaccine status, it is difficult to give you more specific options for treatment of your cat.

There are several reasons why the third eyelid can become more prominent. The third eyelids are often used as barometers to indicate that the cat is feeling poorly.  In my experience, certain cats may have  more prominent third eyelids anytime they are not feeling well.    Because she also has a cough, it seems as though your cat may have an upper respiratory infefction.  I see that she was given an antibiotic injection; was she also given oral antibiotics?  It is possible that your veterinarian gave her a long lasting antibiotic injection.  If that is the case, then give the antibiotic about three days to work. Call your veterinarian to see if she was given a long acting antibiotic.

Asthma can also cause coughing in a cat.  Make sure that she is not exposed to chemical irritants such as cigarette smoke or heavy perfumes.  Some animals are more sensitive than others and it is easy to forget that they can be affected by the quality of the air they breathe.  

It may take a while for the third eyelids to go back to their natural position.  Take your pet back to your veterinarian for a recheck to determine how  she is progressing; if there is no change, then allow the doctor to explore other options.