Inflamed eyelids or blepharitis in cats is a relatively frequent problem in feline ophthalmology and can have multiple origins in cats. Among the main causes we find primary skin problems, bacterial, viral or parasitic infections or autoimmune diseases. To diagnose feline blepharitis, the veterinarian must perform a complete ophthalmological examination and, in some cases, it will also be necessary to perform a conjunctival cytology to obtain samples of the inner surface of the eyelids and study their content. In the most difficult cases, a biopsy, a culture and a general analysis will be performed. Treatment will depend on the cause and is based on the use of drugs and cleaning the eye.
What is blepharitis in cats?
Blepharitis is the inflammation of the eyelids in cats and encompasses the epidermis of the middle parts of the eyelid formed by the glands, the connective tissue and the muscle. Depending on its appearance we can differentiate it into:
- Ulcerative blepharitis: if ulcers are present.
- Desquamative blepharitis: if scaling of the epidermis is present
- Pustular blepharitis: when there are papules or pustules that are itchy or not.
Other times blepharitis in cats also causes inflammation of the inner surface of the eyelid and the cat will show itching, redness and irritation of the eyelids with scaling on the eyelashes that resembles dandruff.
Types of blepharitis in cats
There are two types of eyelid inflammation in cats depending on the degree of involvement of the eyelids, partial blepharitis and total blepharitis:
- Partial blepharitis: in turn, partial blepharitis can be anterior, when it only affects the outer and front part of the eyelid where the eyelashes come out, or posterior, which is the most common and affects the glands that produce oil located in the lower part of the eyelid, causing them to produce too much.
- Total blepharitis: occurs when anterior blepharitis and posterior blepharitis occur at the same time, thus affecting the inner face and the outer face of the cat's eyelid.
Causes of blepharitis in cats
Any inflammatory problem can be responsible for blepharitis in cats. These inflammations can have the following causes:
- Congenital anomaly: cats are born with eyelid abnormalities from birth, which makes them prone to developing blepharitis. These anomalies can be poor growth or position of the eyelashes, double eyelid margins or entropion or prominent nasal folds, among others. Cats with a short and flat face (Persians, Himalayans…) are also more prone to blepharitis due to having these facial folds between the eyes and nose and, in addition, having a certain inability to close the eyelids correctly.
- Allergies or hypersensitivity: they can be of four types. Type I or immediate occurs against common allergens such as food, dust or insect bites, type IIor cytotoxic can be due to pemphigus, type III or immune complexes occurs in diseases such as lupus or adverse reaction to drugs andType IV or cell-mediated is also caused by flea bites, drug reaction, or contact hypersensitivity. If you want to know more about Allergy in cats: symptoms and treatment, do not hesitate to consult this article on our site.
- Bacterial infections: Bacteria can invade the surface of the eyelids and cause an inflammatory process responsible for blepharitis. The most frequently implicated bacteria are staphylococci and streptococci.
- Viral infections: Some viruses, such as feline herpesvirus type 1, which is the causative agent of feline rhinotracheitis, can cause blepharitis in cats. You can find more information about feline rhinotracheitis: its symptoms and treatment in this post that we suggest.
- Parasites: Parasitic agents responsible for diseases such as sarcoptic or demodectic mange and the cuterebra parasite can cause inflammation of the eyelids.
- Traumatisms: Some lacerations, blows, wounds, scratches or burns can cause blepharitis due to direct damage to structures.
- Eye diseases: eye problems such as keratitis, conjunctivitis or dry eye can predispose to blepharitis in cats. Here you can read other Diseases in the eyes of cats.
- Tumors: some tumors produced in the area can cause inflammation of the eyelids, such as adenocarcinomas or sebaceous adenomas, mast cell tumors or squamous cell carcinoma.
- Idiopathic or of unknown origin: when the cause of the swollen eyelids is not found.
Symptoms of blepharitis in cats
Blepharitis in cats can cause various types of symptoms in cats. It can affect one or both eyes and cats may show the following clinical signs:
- Redness of the eyelid and red eyes.
- Itchy.
- Eyelid swelling.
- Eye discomfort.
- Eye scratch.
- Pustules, ulcers, or peeling of the eyelids.
- Conjunctivitis: manifested with redness, itching and tearing.
- Mucopurulent or mucosal secretion: these are more frequent in bacterial or viral blepharitis or when the cat has begun to scratch, eroding the skin and damaging nearby tissues, predisposing to secondary bacterial infection.
- Styes.
Diagnosis of blepharitis in cats
Blepharitis can be diagnosed with the naked eye by observing the clinical signs mentioned above, highlighting the swelling of the eyelids together with their redness and itching. The diagnosis must seek to find the cause that has caused said inflammation through a series of diagnostic tests
Among these tests to diagnose blepharitis in cats we find:
- Schirmer's test: which tells us how is the tear production by the eye performed together with a comprehensive ophthalmological examination in order to to find ocular anomalies and diagnose other processes associated with blepharitis such as conjunctivitis, dry eye or keratitis.
- Conjunctival cytology: to analyze a tissue sample and look for possible microorganisms involved in blepharitis.
- Biopsy: will allow the diagnosis of tumors that can cause blepharitis.
- Blood analysis: it can also give us information on the cat's general condition, which together with its physical examination can provide extremely important information for your veterinarian to diagnose the cause of blepharitis in your little feline.
Treatment of blepharitis in cats
The treatment of blepharitis in cats will depend on the cause that is causing it, but cleaning is common to all the causes that produce this inflammation of your cat's eyelids.
You must clean the eyelids to reduce the risk of propagation of possible microorganisms and to remove the remains of dirt and dermatological lesions that the process produces. Cleaning is done with physiological saline or other eye solutions carefully and focusing on the eyelids.
- If it is bacterial: topical or systemic antibiotics effective against the bacteria that produce it will be necessary. This information is obtained thanks to an antibiogram after bacterial culture.
- If it has a viral cause and the cat is positive for feline herpesvirus: the treatment will be symptomatic to act against this viral agent.
- If it is parasitic the inflammation of the eyelids: effective antiparasitic drugs should be used for the type of parasite in question.
- If you have an allergic cause: Drugs that control or limit the immune system such as corticosteroids or antihistamines should be used, as well as avoiding allergy triggers.
- If an eye disease has been diagnosed: this must be treated to avoid problems such as blepharitis and improve the feline's quality of life.
- If we talk about congenital blepharitis: surgery may be necessary to correct certain anatomical problems that predispose to developing blepharitis.
- If the blepharitis is secondary to a tumor: this must be removed and treated with chemotherapy or other effective therapies depending on the neoplasm in question.
