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!