Feline Herpes Ulcers Simplified
From episode 172 on the Medicine feed, with Dr Izak Venter.
Some practical pearls from an ophthalmologist to simplify feline Herpes ulcers:
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When you see eye ulcers in an adult cat, once you've ruled out dry eye, trauma etc, you can assume that the cat has herpes, especially if there is a history of a stressful event.
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Classic Herpes ulcers will be unilateral, with superficial corneal erosion and a lip of unattached epithelial cells on the edge of the ulcer. (Geographic ulcer - like an indolent ulcer in a Boxer dog.)
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Trying to treat the ulcer without debriding those dead edges is pointless. Put some local in, use a cotton swab, and debride aggressively, even if it means you’re peeling the cornea back across the entire eye.
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DO NOT do a grid keratotomy. You’re likely to cause a corneal sequestrum. (Unlike in those Boxer ulcers, where you DO want to do it.)
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Dr Izak has some great tips on medical therapy in the full episode.
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Hubert Hiemstra
Hosted by Dr. Hubert Hiemstra, a veterinarian with over 20 years of experience and a passion for helping vets build happier, more fulfilling careers. Hubert brings warmth, curiosity, and a knack for asking the right questions to every conversation, creating a space where the best ideas in vet med come to life.
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