A friend recently remarked that my cat "Bunny" looked sad all the time because his eyes are sometimes half stuck shut from his chronic conjunctivitis. Surprisingly, he is one of the happiest cats I have ever known. Bunny has an unusual third eyelid inflammation problem that has never cleared up despite all known treatments. He has had anti-inflammatory eye drops, antibiotic eye drops, and even antiviral eye drops. I have found that just cleaning around his eyes every day works the best as his condition waxes and wanes daily and it most certainly is related to allergies.
Chronic conditions can be frustrating as they require chronic treatment. A great hospital cat we had for many years, named Sabrina, had chronic diarrhea and her owner gave her up because of the difficulties of dealing with runny stools every day. We took Sabrina in and made her our hospital cat. After a few months of dietary trials, we came up with the right food to control and manage her loose defecation. She worked out perfectly as a hospital cat and self-assigned herself the role of hostess. She would wait on the porch for each appointment to arrive, then walk down the front steps and sidewalk to greet each client. Then she would walk them to the front door with yowls of welcome and offer to let them pat her while they waited in the waiting room. She was an amazing cat and enjoyed her years with us, as much as we enjoyed our years with her.
So, a chronic condition is not the end of a pet's ownership. Sometimes you just have to accept that a condition is chronic and may need to be managed on going. Some of the best cats in the world have chronic medical conditions. Don't give up on them, as they can bring you love and happiness like you might never imagine.
Dr. Doug Ikeler http://www.drdougikeler.com/
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