Tobrex eye drops are used to treat bacterial infections of the outer part of the eye - conjunctivitis, stye, blepharitis, keratitis, iridocyclitis, and other diseases. Before prescribing the drug, the doctor must examine the patient's eyes and decide on its use. Tobrex eye drops contain the active substance tobramycin, which is one of the most important antibacterial drugs.
Description and characteristics
The drug "Tobrex" is a powerful antibiotic agent, which is a prominent representative of drugs of the aminoglycoside group. Its main purpose is to have a bacteriostatic effect against pathogenic gram-negative microorganisms.
"Tobrex" is considered one of the safest and most effective remedies - it can successfully cope with conjunctival inflammation, blepharitis, keratitis and iridocyclitis.
The most effective remedy is against the following groups of bacteria:
- streptococci;
- staphylococci;
- Klebsiella;
- enterobacteria;
- Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
special instructions
Long-term use of Tobrex can lead to an increase in the number of microorganisms that are immune to its action, including some types of fungi. If superinfection occurs, it is imperative to prescribe adequate therapy.
Patients who use contact lenses should remove the lenses before using Tobrex solution and reinstall them only 15 minutes after the instillation procedure is completed.
Patients who notice a temporary decrease in vision clarity after instillation of Tobrex should not drive or engage in activities requiring increased attention until it returns.
Tobrex solution must be tightly capped after each use.
Store Tobrex at room temperature. Not given to children!
Shelf life - 3 years. The shelf life of an opened bottle is 4 weeks.
Chemical composition
The main active ingredient of Tobrex is tobramycin, which has an increased ability to penetrate cells and tissues. In the natural environment it is produced by the actinomycete Streptomyces tenebrarius.
The substance in the preparation can be of either natural or synthetic origin.
Additional components of Tobrex are:
- benzalkonium chloride;
- boric acid;
- sodium sulfate (anhydrous);
- sodium chloride;
- tyloxapol;
- sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid;
- purified water.
Find out why your cat's eyes are watery.
Can Tobrex be given to cats?
Today, for the treatment of animals, there is an extensive group of highly specialized drugs that are considered veterinary drugs. “Tobrex” is not one of these drugs, since its main goal is to eliminate all kinds of infectious pathologies caused by bacteria specific to the human body. However, these drops are widely used to treat animals.
This is due to the fact that they have a wide spectrum of action against several groups of bacteria at once, and in most cases do not cause any side effects. In addition, Tobrex does not cause irritation to the mucous membrane or tissues of the eyeball, which makes it an absolutely safe product.
Did you know? Veterinary medicine is included in the list of the most ancient medical disciplines. The first mentions of animal diseases and methods of eliminating them are found in ancient Egyptian writings dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. e.
The principle of action of the drug
When in contact with sensitive microorganisms, the components of Tobrex cause them to block protein synthesis - the main building material of organelles (cellular structures). In addition, inhibition of the permeability of the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria is also observed.
As a result, microorganisms lose their ability to form protein structures, as well as absorb and release all kinds of substances. This leads to a sharp inhibition of their growth and reproduction, and then to death.
Application and dosage of the drug
Eye drops are used for adult and small cats starting at the age of 4 weeks. The use of the product for kittens up to 4 weeks of age is permissible for complex infections that cannot be treated with other drugs, and must be accompanied by strict instructions from a veterinarian. Tobrex is used every 4-5 hours - 1 drop is injected into the conjunctival sac.
Also read about how to treat conjunctivitis in cats.
In the case of a complex infection, it is permissible to reduce the interval to 3–4 hours, while the administered dose should be doubled. Often, the total duration of antibiotic treatment is at least 5–7 days, but in order to avoid re-infection of the animal, therapy must be carried out for 10 days. In some cases, when complex lesions are eliminated, the course of treatment is extended to 14 days.
Useful video
Dr. Komarovsky about an important issue that worries parents. Can children with conjunctivitis attend kindergarten? What types of diseases exist, which of them are contagious and require restrictions on visiting public places.
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Are eye drops harmful to cats?
Subject to the general administration regimen, duration of use and dosage, Tobrex is considered an absolutely safe drug for the treatment of animals.
However, this drug is used only if more traditional veterinary drugs do not provide the required effect. In this case, therapy must be carried out under the supervision of an experienced veterinarian.
Reviews
Owners
Marina S., Vladivostok:
“The cat developed conjunctivitis. At first I treated her with traditional methods. The amount of pus has not decreased. The veterinarian recommended putting Tobrex in the eyes. The animal’s condition improved quickly.”
Victor R., Moscow:
“The cat began to leak pus from his eyes. I tried several remedies for treating animals. There was no effect from these drops. Friends suggested trying Tobrex. At first I seriously doubted whether it was worth taking the drops, since the medicine was intended for people, but I decided to take a risk. “As a result, after a few days, all signs of infection disappeared.”
Vasilisa K., Smolensk:
“Tobrex cured conjunctivitis in myself and my daughter. When my pet started having similar problems, I decided to put drops in her eyes too. My expectations were completely met. The animal felt better.”
Veterinarians
Maxim V. Saratov, veterinarian, 5 years of work experience:
“This remedy is very effective, but I prescribe it to my patients in extreme cases, when the inflammatory process is difficult to treat.”
Valentina N. St. Petersburg, veterinarian:
“I prescribe the drug with caution. First of all, I pay attention to the general health of the animal. If the amount of pus released is large and urgent measures need to be taken, I prescribe Tobrex.”
Contraindications for animals
Drops are contraindicated if the animal is hypersensitive to tobramycin or by-products of its breakdown, as well as individual intolerance to additional components of the drug. In addition, drops are not recommended for use on newborn kittens, since their bodies are often not adapted to interact with saturated compounds.
Important! If there is no natural moisture in the mucous membrane of the eye (lacrimation), Tobrex is not recommended. This can cause dry tissue and severe irritation.
Indications for use of Tobrex for dogs
- The remedy we describe is used in the treatment of any inflammatory eye diseases of various etiologies and, accordingly, to eliminate concomitant diseases: Inflammation of the eyelids, also known as blepharitis. In this case, applying ointment is indicated; drops will not be as effective.
- “Classic” conjunctivitis, i.e. inflammation of the conjunctival cavity. In this case, it is advisable to instill drops during the day and put ointment in the eye at night.
- Inflammation of the cornea, keratitis.
- Combination of keratitis and conjunctivitis.
- Combinations of blepharitis, conjunctivitis and other types of inflammation. Here and in the cases described above, it is also advisable to combine a drop form and an ointment.
- Inflammation of the iris and ciliary body. This phenomenon is called "iridocyclitis".
- In addition, the medicine is used for preventive purposes, after operations on the eyes and eyelids. In this case, its use helps prevent the development of secondary inflammation.
Side effects
If the standards and application regimen are not followed, as well as in the case of hypersensitivity of the animal’s body to individual components of the drops, they can cause:
- anaphylactic reaction;
- dryness and redness in the conjunctival sac;
- itching of the eyelids;
- redness of the eyeball;
- lacrimation;
- keratitis;
- corneal erosions;
- swelling of the eyes;
- hives;
- dermatitis, dry skin and other manifestations of acute allergic reactions.
Analogues of the drug
In addition to Tobrex drops, there are many different alternative drugs on the market.
Important! It is prohibited to replace Tobrex with Sodium Sulfcil and Albucid. They lead to severe tissue irritation, which can result in a thermal burn of the cornea.
The most effective and similar in impact among them are considered to be the following:
- "Levofloxacin";
- "Levomycetin";
- "Tobradex";
- "Floxal";
- "Tsiprolet".
Advice from experienced veterinarians
The use of eye drops does not raise any additional questions for most pet owners. This group of drugs is used quite often, since infections of the eye mucosa are not a rare occurrence. Despite this, many cat owners do not know how to improve the effectiveness of such therapy.
You might be interested to know when kittens open their eyes.
To do this, just follow the following advice from experienced veterinarians:
- Before using drops, the mucous membrane of the eye must be washed with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid. You can replace them with decoctions of chamomile or calendula.
- Before the procedure, it is necessary to eliminate suppuration and other contaminants from the affected area.
- If the infection affects one eye, it is necessary to instill the mucous membrane of both eyeballs, otherwise the bacteria will easily spread to the neighboring organ.
- When combining Tobrex with other external medications, you should wait at least 5 minutes between procedures.
- To determine the drug’s tolerance to the animal’s body, apply a little liquid to a healthy area of skin. The appearance of redness, itching, hives and other things indicates a negative reaction of the body.
Despite the fact that Tobrex eye drops are not considered a traditional veterinary remedy, they are used quite widely in this area. This is due not only to the antiseptic and antimicrobial effect, but also to the almost complete safety of the medicine for animals. However, therapy using these drops should be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian in order to avoid negative consequences for the cat’s body.
How to care for your dog's eyes
It is a mistake to think that a dog can maintain visual hygiene on its own. Veterinarians recommend regularly caring for your pet's eyes. All events can be divided into three categories:
- regular hygiene,
- preventative treatments,
- treatment.
Eye hygiene
This is a set of necessary measures that allows you to maintain the health of your dog’s visual organs. Daily hygiene is of particular importance for animals with bulging eyes or “bangs” - long hair on the face. Dogs with such features are predisposed to injuries, inflammatory processes and other diseases of the visual organs.
Veterinarians recommend using eye drops for daily hygiene or a sterile saline solution for dogs. In extreme cases, boiled water will do. The drug must be applied to a sterile gauze swab or cotton pad with a smooth surface and carefully remove all dirt and dried exudate from the outer corner of the eye to the inner one. Treatment should be carried out regularly, depending on the intensity of lacrimation and the rate of formation of dark crusts in the corners of the eye. Long “bangs” are removed from the eyes and secured with hairpins.
Disease Prevention
Preventive measures aimed at preventing the development of diseases of the organs of vision are of great importance for four-legged pets. Eye treatment should be carried out on dogs that exhibit the following characteristic signs:
- formation of mucus in the inner corner of the eye. Mucus may appear after sleep or accumulate throughout the day;
- the appearance of dark tracks running from the inner corner of the eye down the muzzle. These are the so-called tear tracks, which indicate increased secretion of tear secretion.
Consultation with a veterinarian allows you to identify the onset of the inflammatory process and begin a course of treatment in a timely manner. The specialist will recommend medications that will help eliminate inflammation, destroy pathogenic microflora and alleviate the animal’s condition.
Treatment
If the dog has signs of the development of a pathological process (suppuration, mucous or bloody discharge), and squinting, whitish spots or stripes on the cornea appear, then you should immediately visit a specialist. The veterinarian will conduct an examination and identify the cause of the disease. Timely treatment using medications with anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, anti-edematous effects will most likely preserve your pet’s vision.
