I Need Some Good Suggestions To Clean Dirty Ears

[moosmom]

What Craftlady said is correct. They look at it under a microscope to see if anything is moving. A yest infection isn't contagious, but earmites are.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I still don't think that it's ear mites because when he was at the vets the vet swabbed his ears and looked at the ear wax and didn't seem too concerned. I'm now going to be cleaning his ears out 2 times a day with some Ear Clear that I bought at Petco. If this doesn't work, I'll have to take him to the vets but I want to try this first to see if it'll clear him up. I've also read that a vinegar solution may also help. When my RB Pepper had this problem the vet recommended that I use a mixture of white vinegar and isopropyl alcohol 50/50 mixture. Hopefully something will work because Starr's been to the vets way too much lately for such a young kitten.

[TopCat3]

Oh poor Starr, he's one of my favourites on here (as you know).

Yeast is easily seen under a microscope, its growth pattern is quite distinctive to someone who knows what to look for. Like little buds all joined together end to end, and branching in growth habit. They can probably make up a slide and check it on the spot at the vets. If its symptoms are anything like women go through with Candida he will be uncomfortable and itchy. Poor little Starr. Hug from me, please.

I'd be verycareful with Q tips, I won't even use them in my own ears, anyway I find them too big. I fold a Kleenex and wind a corner of it and make a nice cone shape, not too pointy. Nothing can come off and get left in the ear.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. So far the Ear Clear seems to be keeping his ears clean. He does want to scratch his ears right after I clean them though. I'll continue to do this for another week or so and then I'll see how his ears do when I don't clean them every day.