# Anisocoria



## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Winry had her ears cleaned while I was at work yesterday. I didn't do it because I was busy with other tasks but we had noticed her itching at her right ear and it was very dirty so I had the other tech clean it for me. She used a small amount of ear cleaner but when she was done Winry shook her head and it appeared she got a small amount of ear cleaner in her right eye. It was flushed copiously but she held it closed for about an hour and her third eye lid was up. They gave her some artificial tears eye drops throughout the night just to make sure everything was flushed out. Her squinting resolved but ever since then the pupil in that eye has been constricted. Noticing it last night, I locked her in my room with me all night just so I could keep an eye on her. I slept fretfully, and come this morning there was no resolution in the condition at all.

There is no other apparent irritation. She is holding her eye completely open, walking straight, no loss of balance, and seems to be 100% herself besides that one little thing. I am just extremely concerned because when we have a cat come in with anisocoria (which means uneven pupil size) it usually indicates something very bad going on, whether it be a nervous system problem, severe trauma, or eye trouble such as glaucoma. The difference sizes between Winry's eyes is significant. I have read that severe ear infections can cause it, or ear drum trauma but Winry does not have an ear infection and the other tech was very gentle when she cleaned her ear. 

The vets at work are aware of this and Winry is going to be seen as soon as I arrive at work tonight. I just wanted to post and see if anyone has had anything similar happen to them, because it's causing me great anxiety right now, and I still have a couple hours before work.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

Yep. Is that third eyelid still up? Sounds like Horners sydrome. That is how Kobie's started as well. With an ear cleaning. Hoping its a mild case for her and she recovers well.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

The third eyelid was up for about an hour after the incident and then receded. I did read about Horner's Syndrome as I was frantically searching the internet. The vet I work with told me not to worry as long as her eye is not appearing to be irritated, that it may just resolve on its own...

Tonight, there is less constriction of the pupil but they are still uneven.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Rachael, I just read your thread where you described the situation with Kobie... it happened the EXACT same way with Winry...

http://www.catforum.com/forum/38-health-nutrition/132513-vestibular-syndrome-horners-syndrome.html

It was the same ear med too... Epiotic... 

And she too acted like she'd gotten it in her eye. Maybe she didn't get it in her eye? I'm not sure. She didn't start shaking her head and holding her eye shut until the ear flush was used... they used the swabs to get the gunk from around the outer part of her ear and then after that went to put in the epiotic and massage it and that's when she started shaking her head. After that she became quite sensitive, but she didn't throw up or lose her balance and hasn't since. Like I said, for about the next hour or two her third eyelid was up and her pupil VERY constricted. Then the third eyelid went back down but the anisocoria remained. 

Tonight, like mentioned before, I'd say its about 50% less than it was last night. Last night it was probably a 1 to 4 pupil size ratio, and tonight the smaller pupil is about 50% the size of the larger pupil. I am hoping and praying this was just some idiopathic thing that will resolve itself. And hopefully quickly because I am just riddled with guilt over this.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Her eyes were still off as of last night, but way less noticeable this morning. Since then they have gradually returned to normal. If you really look hard, there is still a slight size difference but it looks like that will be gone soon. It appears that whatever happened, it was caused by either the ear cleaning or the solution getting into her eye.

She came to work with me tonight and we did take a closer look into her ear canal and at her ear drum, just to be sure there isn't any infection going on, because an inner ear infection can sometimes cause anisocoria. But she checked out just fine.

Phew! I was very worried for a while there.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

So happy to hear Winry is getting better. I think what happened to Kobie was extreme and abnormal. But you and I aren't the only ones on this forum even who have described similar responses to gentle ear cleaning. It makes me wonder just how much we don't yet understand about cats physiology. I know cleaning a cats ears makes me super nervous now. (I'm a vet tech too, so its part of the job description) and I never put any cleaning fluid directly in the canal anymore.


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