My cat has roundworms, eyes look strange after dewormer. Is she blind?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Nala. She appears to be squinting a bit in your picture. This can mean that her eyes are painful. If the other cats she is playing with are experiencing similar signs, I suspect there is an infectious cause. I would recommend that she sees her veterinarian. She may require an antibiotic eye ointment. In the meantime, do not let her paws at her eyes as this can irritate them further. I hope this information helps!

What you are seeing in the inside corner of Nala's eye is a normal structure called the third eyelid (or nictating membrane). However, it is not normally up as much as Nala's are in the picture. There are a few possibilities of why a third eyelid will be up more than normal. Some drugs will make them go up more, tapeworms (https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951442) can sometimes make them go up in cats, and any irritation of the eye can make them go up. Since it appears to be getting worse, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine her to see if they can find a cause. If Nala is squinting or rubbing at her eyes, she should see a veterinarian ASAP. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Some pets may need multiple deworming to get rid of all the worms. You must also make sure you have the correct type of dewormer. Some worms are not able to be seen with the naked eye. If Nala has not had her stool examined under a microscope by the veterinarian, I recommend to have this done as it is the most accurate method. Additionally certain heartworm prevention’s can also provide a monthly deworming and can be prescribed by your veterinarian. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It looks like your kitties have prolapsed third eye lids. I am assuming they are inside/outside cats and go hunting as well. A prolapse of the third eye lid can be caused by an infection with tape worm. We do not know why this happens, but most cats who have this (reversible) condition without other disease of the nervous system had a tape worm infection. Tape worm can be successfully treated with a wormer for cats containing praziquantel. If your cats show other signs of illness you should have them examined by a vet as there are other conditions that can cause this prolapse of the third eye lid.

This definitely can be Thelazia. This worm invades the conjunctiva and can be found near the eye like this. It's difficult to tell depth from the picture, but it's also possible that this is a worm inside the eye, which can be due to heartworm, or other round worms. In both cases you'll need to go to the vet for removal. It's not an emergency, but good to get an appointment within the next day or two. If it is in-fact Thelazia, then removal is not complicated when done by an experienced veterinarian. If the worm is inside the eye, then removal is much more complicated and you would have to be referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist for this. I hope that helps and your kitty gets better soon.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Most intestinal parasites are passed fecal-orally (meaning the animal would have to eat infected stool) or from ingestion a mouse or a flea. Signs of intestinal parasites are weight loss, diarrhea and possibly vomiting or decreased appetite. The only way to diagnose worms to to physically see the adults or have a stool sample checked to see the eggs microscopically. Sometimes Vet will just treat for them, especially if they are suspicious or the cats go outdoors. You can always see if your Vet would treat with out a stool sample. I have never heard of any parasite causing excessive tearing. That is most commonly a viral upper respiratory tract infection or allergies. Sometimes cats just vomit. Other causes of vomiting are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, ate something gross, ate something that is stuck, pancreatitis, intestinal disease. I hope this helps!

Your friends are correct. She most likely has worms. You don't usually see the worms in the stools. The worm eggs are what is passed in the stools and those are microscopic so you wouldn't see them. The worms suck blood so if she is pale I believe that is also due to worms. It makes the cat anemic; low red blood cell count. It has nothing to do with iron. You can give iron all you want but if there are no red blood cells available to carry it, it is useless. Roundworms and hookworms are the most common worms that cause anemia. I don't know what dewormer you used but I strongly suggest you speak to your local vet about what would be the most effective. Many times what you can purchase over the counter is not the best or most effective product. Also, there are many types of worms and there is not one dewormer that will kill every type of worm. Your vet can run a fecal test to check for the microscopic eggs and then treat accordingly with the appropriate product. One deworming is rarely enough. You may have to repeat dewormings every 3-4 weeks. Your vet can give you a schedule. Hope this helps. Best wishes.