Taking care of your pet’s ear infection
Ear infections can be triggered by allergies, foreign bodies (such as grass seeds), or a polyps or tumour in rare cases. Inflammation can make ear infections worse, leading to infections from bacteria and/or yeast (fungal) organisms.
Ear infections can be very uncomfortable for your cat. Itchy cat ears or red and warm ear flaps are a sign of an ear infection. Ear infections cause long-term damage to the ear canals if not treated properly.
Recurring ear infections lead to changes in the ear that may require surgery. Our specialist dermatologists have developed ways of managing ear problems to avoid the need for surgery in most cases.
Does my cat have an ear infection?
Common signs of an ear infection include:
A red, warm ear flap
Head shaking
Affected ears held down
Itchy cat ears - scratching or rubbing at the ears
Painful ears when handling
Smelly or visible discharge from the ear canal
How are ear infections managed?
Cytology (taking smears and examining the discharge under the microscope) is necessary to identify what type of infection is present and the most appropriate treatment. This requires application of eardrops for 7-14 days of treatment. Ear cleaning or ear flushing under anesthesia may also be required with recurrent ear infections. This is done with a video otoscope, which is a specialised piece of equipment requiring expert skills to use correctly to achieve accurate results. At Animal Dermatology Clinic, we have a video otoscope that cleans and flushes the ear canal. It also allows us to assess the health and status of the ear canal, eardrums and middle ear. In some cases, advanced imagine (a MRI or CT scan) may also be required to correctly diagnose an issue deep within an infected ear.
Does my cat need a veterinary dermatologist?
If your cat has a recurring ear infection, or if an infection persists after general treatment, then you should discuss with your local veterinarian about a referral to a specialist dermatologist. Sometimes an infection may have damaged the ear drum and spread into the middle ear. If ears are inflamed, specialised equipment (fibre-optic video otoscope and CT/MRI) is needed to be able to access the middle ear and eardrum. In many cases, there’s an underlying issue that needs to be identified.
Worried about your cat? Give us a call. We treat your pet like one of our own. Call now on: +61 08 6277 9430 (Murdoch) and (Balcatta) or email: dermnurses@adcmg.com