My 1.5 year old cat

Question
Hi, I've got 2 domestic shorthairs, however am only inquiring about one. I've had Smudge for about 1 year now, and she has NEVER had any illness. When we got Bubba home (about 2 months ago, we noticed he was sick. We immediatley brought him to the vet, who gave us Clavamox. This worked wonders, and he was fine! Since then, however, Smudge hasn't been OK. This started with a very weird behavior that I'd never seen- she was very lethargic, when she tried to eat, it was almost like she was gagging, however not making any noise. I had initially thought she just had a hairball, as she was also sticking out her tongue and around her mouth was VERY spitty. I tried to take her to the vet (because she is normally VERY hyper and happy), however she doesn't really like the vet and I cannot afford to have them put her under just to examine her. They gave me Clavamox to try as well, after finishing that she seemed fine. Then her eye started. After being sick, she developed a "goopy eye". Color is brown/green and it is VERY wet, not hard or sticky. I wasn't sure what this was, and before I got a chance to take her to the vet again- it cleared up. She was fine for about a month, and now its back! Help! I don't know what to do. I feel so bad looking at her with her sore eye! She even nurses the hurt eye. Keeps one closed and one open. She will let me look at it. When I stretch her eye back, I can see her third lid is VERY red. It doesn't appear to be swollen, but VERY red....Please help, is there anything I can do?!  

Answer
It's possible Bubba brought herpes into the house and made Smudge sick too.  Herpes in cats typically manifests as upper respiratory problems and conjunctivitis.  It's a chronic problem, and they can never get rid of it.  Clavamox definitely helps them feel better when they have an outbreak.  I personally have two cats who have it.  If it is herpes, you can give both of them L-Lysine.  It's a supplement that you can buy at a health food store.  It naturally occurs in the body so it won't make them sick - they will get rid of what their body doesn't need.  It works by inhibiting the growth of the herpes virus so their outbreaks are fewer and farther between, and not as bad.  In regards to the eye, she may need antibiotics so you may want to call your vet and see if they can prescribe something for her.  However, it's possible she has developed an ulcer - either from herpes or from a scratch - in which case there is some risk of the eye rupturing so your vet may want to examine the eye, even if they have to sedate her for it.  In the meantime if she will let you, you can try applying a warm compress to that eye.  That might make it feel a little better.

Amanda