kitten has mucus matting its eyes

Question
I rescued a kitten and her eyes are matting up with mucus where they are closed shut. She is also having clear running from her eyes as well and sneezing. This has affected another kitten I have as well now. The ages are maybe 3 to 5 months old.
I was wondering what is this and what medicines can be used to cure them?
I would not ask about the medicines except one time I took a cat in and this vet gave my cat a medicine that was never intended for use on cats it was for cows and swine according to Merck; the next day my cat was dead.
So when I take these kittens in I want to be informed on what medicines they should be given to cure this so if they try to give something different I can know before they give it. I did not know if this might be a respiratory problem or just a common cold or something else. I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you.

Answer
Hope -

There are several medications that are used to treat infections in kittens.  You should have your pet examined by a veterinarian to determine what medications she needs.

From what you have described, it seems as though your veterinarian prescribed medications for your cat that was labeled for use in large animals. It is not unusual for a doctor to use what we refer to as "extra label" medicines to treat our patients.  There are many medications that have been labeled for large animals that are quite useful in the treatment of small animal diseases.  You should discuss your concerns with your veterinarian; he/she can explain the type of medication your kitten will need.  You can always refuse the medication if you are not comfortable with meds the doctor prescribes, but also remember that your doctor will not prescribe medication that will not benefit your pet.  

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM