Boi cat is sick again, this time not as bad, but frustrating.

[RobLynn]

Many of you know about boi cat, and his near death experience. We've got him back up to "full" health, and he's back up to weight.

We've been having "other" troubles though. His left ear, keeps getting infected.

First it starts out that it looks like he's paying attention to the ear, with a little bit of shaking. I'll clean the ear, and everything seems fine. He'll continue to bat at the ear, until it swells a bit. He hasn't given himself pillow ear or anything, but I'm afraid that these chronic infections are terrible on his immune system. He was blocked up with urine before his PU, and I can only imagine the damage that was done to his kidneys and liver. Adding medications to this cannot be the best thing for him.

Anyway, there's usually this coffee colored stuff that comes out of his ears. I at first thought i twas ear mites, but they looked under a scope, and it wasn't. What it looks like, is cat litter mixed with whatever in the heck the ear secretes.

That all said, the "treatment" I've given him 3 times (in 3 months) is this,

Clavamox drops, 3x daily, orally for 7 days.
Clean the ear 2x daily with novalsane (spelling, but it's a blue ear solution) rinse.
Vet Beta Gen Otic drops, 5 drops, 1x daily.
Small portion of animax ointment after that's done.

It will clear up, then in about a month, it's back. I've got to put a cone on him, which makes him not want to eat, or drink, and it's just awful. In every sense of the word, since his recovery from surgery, he's been healthy. He's been steadily gaining weight, and has shown no symptoms of any illness.

Is maybe my vet giving me a bad treatment, or is it something at home that I am doing wrong? I really want to kick this problem once and for all. Anti-biotics are terrible for humans, and I can only imagine what they do to felines over time. Please, any suggestions would be very helpful!

[Prairie Purrs]

I don't have any experience with ear infections, but if the prescribed treatment isn't clearing things up for good, I'd say the vet needs to come up with a different treatment.

Has the vet given any indication of what's causing the infection?

[columbine]

A second opinion mightn't be a bad idea. Maybe he's got some non-infective inflammatory condition in there, or a bug that's not responsive to what he's been getting.

[RobLynn]

I cleaned his ears again, using Q-tips, a steady hand, and some cotton balls, along with the ear rinse. The crap I got on the tips and the balls, I'm taking to my vet. I'm having them examine them again, and I'm also taking them to another vet, to see if they do anything different.

Right now, as long as his ear is getting cleaned, and if it's an infection (judging by the heat around the ear, I'm saying, yes) getting him anti-biotics in the next day (tomorrow after work), he'll be fine.

Definitely getting a 2nd opinion to get to the bottom of this. I'll keep you posted.

[Freedom]

I was wondering also what the vet said is causing the infection.

I have 2 cats with tendencies to ear infections. One gets yeast infections the other gets bacterial infections. Naturally, they couldn't get the SAME type, so I have two different ear cleaners. I have to use the ear cleaners twice per week, all the time, even when there is no infection. That just keeps the ear clean and keeps the environment such that which ever type of thing that cat gets won't develop.

One ear wash is Oti Clens. The other is MalAcetic Otic.
Same routine with each wash. Put in a few drops, use a cotton swab to clean out the ear. And remember to wear your rain gear so you don't get soaked with the inevitable head shake. I'm sorry, I don't remember which one is for yeast, which one is for bacteria. I get them both from the vet. It's stuff they always have, so I just pop in when I need some, no need to phone ahead.

So when you ask if it is something you are doing, maybe the vet just needs to direct you on the ear wash prevention? Once the infection is cleared up?

Using it regularly, the swab always comes out clean, making you think you can stop. Don't stop. I find I can skip one wash (doing 2 per week) and just catch up with the next regularly schduled one and go forward. But if I miss two in a row, I am asking for trouble for the cat.

Hope this helps!
Sandra

[Catlady711]

I'd definately either have the vet recheck those ears or seek a second opinion.

If you're finding coffee ground type debris and the ears are very itchy, that's usually earmites. The vet may have missed seeing them under the scope last time, which is highly probable. At our hospital if we have those signs (even if we can't find the mites under the scope) we usually give the cat a dose of Revolution which takes care of earmites without doing drops in the ears (which most cats hate). The problem usually goes away then. Although in your case with so much itching there could be a secondary infection that would need treating, however if the earmites aren't cleared up then treating the infection will be a never ending battle.

Good luck.

[kimlovescats]

I also think it still sounds like earmites! There is a one dose treatment that you can get. It's much easier than having to clean and re-medicate for several days. It's a bit expensive, but well worth it to have it gone in one treatment! Now let me see if I can remember what it is called! *sigh*

Here it is ... it's called Acarexx!
http://www.idexx.com/animalhealth/ph...icals/acarexx/

Good luck!

[smokey the elder]

I don't want to alarm you, but you might want to have his ears x-rayed if the problem doesn't clear up with other treatments. Pink Nose had a tumor in his ear canal that presented symptoms like an infection. (He had it out and is doing great.) Hopefully your precious baby only has earmites or an infection and you can get to the bottom of it.

[RobLynn]

I'm going to the vet in about 35 minutes, before Judo tonight. I'll post with what the vet says is on the cotton balls and swabs. If it's mites or a fungal infection, I'll give the treatment a few days, and if it doesn't clear up, I'll have X-rays and bloodwork done.

[rosethecopycat]

If it looks like a mite, and feels like a mite, then it's a mite.

Try Eradimite or Tresaderm.

I would ask vet for one of the mite treatments anyway, because they can't hurt him. (unless there is serious infection, I guess)
Confirm with your vet, I am not a professional.

[RobLynn]

Being the intuitive one I am, I took those samples to the vet. He said they were too "dry" to view under the scope. I've taken chemistry in highschool, and I know all about using saline between a magnifying glass slide.

Anyway, I brought the cat in (which I hate doing, Boi cat has been WAY too traumatized lately, and I fear he'll nuke out while I'm taking him to the vet). We took a sample from his ear, and viewed it under the scope. I said that "I" wanted to view it also. There was a VERY small amount of yeast, and some bacteria.

He is on clavamox, orally, 3x daily for 2 weeks. Beta gen otic drops, 5 drops 2x daily. miconazole nitrate solution, 2x daily in the ear. Animax, small amount rubbed onto the ear, 2x daily. clean the ears daily. E-collar on for 1-2 weeks.

He tries to give me some BS about using Q-tips to clean the ear, until I explained to him, I use cotton balls first, and I secure the cat in my lap. I explained, I don't go "digging". I use an otoscope, view where the cotton ball didn't get, and use the Q-tips to get that out.

He commented on how clean the cats ear was, and said that the reason it was infected was because the cat kept digging at it. Which, I don't understand, because he'd have to want to dig at it in the first damn place.

It was on my mind all day to call another vet and see what they say, but for whatever reason, I didn't. Tomorrow first thing, I'll call. The ear does look a tad clearer after starting the anti-biotic.

[RobLynn]

I just realized, in my fridge, I've got terasaderm. I'm starting him on it tonight. As stated before, there's little harm that can be done with it.

[Catlady711]

There was a VERY small amount of yeast, and some bacteria.

Have you ever tried Zymox? It's a liquid that you squirt in the ear once a day that has enzymes that keep yeast and bacteria from being able to grow. You have to get it from the vet though. We've had very good success with that one. There is also a companion ear cleaner that you can use with it if necessary.

He commented on how clean the cats ear was, and said that the reason it was infected was because the cat kept digging at it. Which, I don't understand, because he'd have to want to dig at it in the first damn place.

If you cleaned out the ears prior to the appointment that can cause some problems. We sometimes have clients that have done this and makes it difficult to diagnose if we can't see the 'gunk' in the ear.

It was on my mind all day to call another vet and see what they say, but for whatever reason, I didn't. Tomorrow first thing, I'll call.

If it were me I'd def. call another vet for a second opinion, ear problems are troublesome and seems like this vet just isn't helping out much in this area. When you go to the second vet, don't clean out the ears a day or two prior to the appointment.

I just realized, in my fridge, I've got terasaderm. I'm starting him on it tonight. As stated before, there's little harm that can be done with it.

Have you used that before without problems with this cat? Did your vet say ok to use it for this? Sometimes Tresaderm can sting when you put it in, and sometimes can cause irritation in the ear because of the Neomycin in it. I don't know for sure if it interacts with any of the meds you are using now.

[RobLynn]

I've used the teresaderm on the same cat before, back in the day when he had mites. Ironically enough, the vet gave it to me for my other cat, when she had an ear infection. It was kind of the mindset, we don't see mites, so treat them just incase.

When I cleaned the ear, I didn't know I would be getting into the vet that night. I did however have all of the gunk I got out of his ear in a plastic bag.

He doesn't like any of the crap that's going into his ear, and it's not the terasaderm that's causing the most trouble, it's the miconazole nitrate. That does a great job of pissing him off. He did however get a treat tonight. He had some chicken. I don't like that clavamox on an empty stomach for him, so I usually give him a treat before med time.