Dear Dr. John,

I adopted a cat recently who is an absolute sweetheart! She is around five years old and was apparently rescued from Puerto Rico. She is scheduled to have a new updated rabies vaccine in a few weeks.

I noticed that she has a dark area near the inside corner of her right eye that looks like she is constantly weeping, and I have tried to wipe it clean to no avail. What could be the cause? Also, the front of her lower lip has a raised red swelling recently. I asked a friend of mine, and she said it was probably a rodent ulcer that needed prednisolone. Does that sound right to you? I’m sure my vet can look at these things at the upcoming appointment but thought I would ask these questions just the same.

— H.S.

Dear H.S.,

It’s great that you have given a needy cat a good home and I am glad it is working out well for both of you. The first issue of the weeping from the right eye is called epiphora which can mean excess tear production or visible tears due to improper drainage from the eye.

There is a small hole near the inside corner or canthus of the eye that allows for the normal drainage of tears that flow across the eye into the nasolacrimal duct. If this is plugged up or never formed properly, it can lead to drainage of the tears outside of the eye on the face. This is usually dark or rust colored due to something called porphyrins in the tears. A veterinarian can assess and treat the condition if it is due to the nasolacrimal duct being plugged up.

As for the swollen lip, it does not sound like a rodent ulcer since those are usually on the upper lip and look as if the lip has receded or been eaten away. It is often red, raw, and painful exacerbated by licking. A swollen raised red swelling is usually an eosinophilic granuloma. Interestingly enough, both are treated with prednisolone or prednisone over a few weeks whilst weaning down the dosage. I’m sure that your veterinarian will figure it all out and treat as necessary when the cat is seen.

Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.