How To Cure A Cat’s Ear Infection

How To Prevent Your Cat From Getting An Ear Infection

While there may be no way to prevent an ear infection you can take steps to catch the signs of an ear infection early so that treatment can begin before symptoms become more severe. Regularly check your cat’s ears to ensure theres no odor, residue, redness, swelling or other symptoms. Be sure to have any issues treated before they worsen, and ask your vet to show you how to correctly clean your cats ears.

Unless your vet instructs you to do so, do not insert cleaning devices into your cats ear canal.

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.

Clinical Signs And Symptoms Of Yeast Infection In Cats Ears

Scratching might be the common symptoms your cat might show as ear infection mostly causes itchiness. Itchiness can also be caused by other factors such as elaborated in causes and remedies for itchy ears in cats.

Besides, your cat might also paw at his ears or shake or tilt his head in the direction of the infected ear. The other symptoms are as followed:

If you seeany of these symptoms, then you should take immediate action, either to the vetor do some home treatment.

Common Causes Of Ear Infection In Cats

As in humans, almost any cat can experience otitis at some point in its life. And although its pretty rare, it certainly can happen. Therefore, its a good idea to be prepared so that it doesnt recur in the future. To help, well talk about the behaviors or circumstances that increase the risk of contracting fungal or bacterial ear infections.

Mainly, contact with dirty surfaces, garbage, spoiled food, or other infected animals can increase the risk of catching these pathogens.

Also, non-healing and untreated scratches in the ear area can be another cause of infection. And we cannot fail to mention the exposure to irritants , which can produce external or internal injuries with risk of infection.

However, other pre-existing conditions could also make some domestic felines more vulnerable to these types of infections. These include diabetes mellitus, feline leukemia virus , tumors within the ear canal, allergies to pollen or certain foods, and other autoimmune diseases.

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How Should I Apply Medication To My Cats Ear

• Prior to instillation of the medication, clean the outer part of the ear canal and the inside of the ear flap with a ball of cotton wool. Do not use cotton tipped applicators to do this as they tend to push debris back into the vertical ear canal.
• Warm the medication by standing the bottle in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
• Gently pull the ear flap straight up and hold it with one hand.
• Apply a small amount of medication in the vertical part of the ear canal while continuing to keep the ear flap elevated. Hold this position long enough for the medication to run down to the turn between the vertical and horizontal ear canal.
• Put one finger in front of and at the base of the ear flap and put your thumb behind at the base
• Massage the ear canal between your finger and thumb. A squishing sound tells you that the medication has gone into the horizontal canal
• Release the ear and let your cat shake its head. If the medication contains a wax solvent debris will be dissolved so it can be shaken out
• If another medication is to be used apply it in the same manner

Some Additional Signs Of Ear Infections To Watch For Include:

• Black or yellowish discharge from either ear
• Head tilting
• Ear discharge that looks like coffee grounds
• Redness or swelling in the ear canal
• Loss of balance or disorientation
• Hearing loss
• Strong, offensive odor coming from the ear
• Excessive waxy buildup in or near the ear canal
• Redness or swelling of the ear flap

We recommend carefully examining your cats ears regularly. Healthy ears are usually pale pink, free from detectable odor and debris, and have little to no wax. If something does not seem quite right, schedule an appointment with a vet as soon as possible.

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How Are Cat Ear Infections Diagnosed

Make no mistake, an ear infection can be a complex and serious matter for your cats well-being and overall health. Its essential that you get your cat in for treatment with a trusted veterinarian at the first signs of any ear discomfort. Not only are ear infections painful for your cat, regardless of the underlying cause, but they can become chronic and lead to deafness, or even facial paralysis, in short order.

In spite of your cats obvious displeasure, the veterinarian will start by looking in your cats ear canal with an instrument called an otoscope. It is important to confirm that the eardrum is intact and not ruptured. Any collected ear debris will be examined under a microscope to determine its identity, such as ear mites, yeast, bacteria, etc. Occasionally, additional tests may be necessary, but once the underlying cause is identified, treatment isnt usually too complicated. Common treatments include antibiotics, corticosteroids, antifungals, and antiparasitics. Buy Banixx or buy online.

Are There Other Signs I Should Watch For

Vomiting and nausea may occur during the acute phase of otitis interna. If the facial nerve, which is located in the area of the inner ear, is damaged by an inner ear infection, your cat may develop some of the following symptoms:

• drooling from the side of the mouth
• difficulty eating and dropping food
• inability to blink
• development of dry eye in the unblinking eye or Dry Eye in Cats)
• eye discharge
• drooping of the eyelids, lips, and nostrils on the affected side
• symptoms of Horners syndrome which include uneven pupil size, called anisocoria, prominent third eyelid, and drooping upper eyelid on the affected side.

With long-term facial nerve paralysis the face may actually twist toward the side of the ear infection.

Additional signs include redness in the affected ear and discharge with a foul odor. The outer ear canal may become thickened and hard to the touch from chronic inflammation and the lymph node at the base of the chin on the affected side may become enlarged. Your cat may become reluctant to move at all, preferring to sit or lay in one spot and her head may actually swing from side to side, even at rest. You may also notice short, rapid side-to-side movements of the eyeballs called nystagmus.

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How To Treat A Cat Ear Infection

• By Camille Frecking

Just like humans, cats can get ear infections. When your pet is hurting or in pain, it can be difficult or distressing to watch. Luckily, there are ways that you can help so your pet can be on the road to recovery.

If your cat is suffering from an ear infection, there are steps that you can take to help relieve the symptoms. That being said, this article is in no way a substitute for official veterinary advice. If your cat is experiencing an ear infection, its important to reach out to your veterinarian and hear what they have to say to rule out further complications or causes.

Treating a cat ear infection isnt difficult, but it will make a huge difference in making sure your cat is comfortable. Heres how to tackle it.

How To Use Banixx At Home To Treat My Cats Ear Infection

Once your veterinarian has determined the underlying cause of your cats ear infection, the best course of treatment will be recommended to quickly and safely eliminate it. If the problem is mites, an anti-parastic ointment will take care of them economically and in short order. Banixx Pet Care can then be applied as a soothing, healing agent to treat the infection and irritation caused by the biting mites. If your cat has a yeast/fungal infection, Banixx can be used to quickly combat the yeast/fungus infection and, thereafter, as a regular ear cleaner for this type of cat ear problem.

Banixx Pet Care can be used at home, in conjunction with any prescribed medication, to provide your cat with instant, soothing relief from the irritation caused by biting insects or other nasty parasites. Banixx low pH solution will also quickly combat any yeast or fungal infection by creating an environment in which bacteria and fungus simply CANNOT GROW, thus allowing the prescribed medication to concentrate on the existing infection. Fortunately, since Banixx is not only an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal treatment for cats, its the ideal product for the treatment your of cats ear issue.

Customer Testimonial:

“We have been treating our cat for ear infections for 2 years. The vets have given up. I thought this was worth a try. After one week, the infection was gone. I recommend this product to everyone!”From Eve, via Amazon

Customer Testimonial:

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S For Cat Ear Cleaning

There are a variety of cat ear cleaning methods, I recommend this one because its less time consuming and more feline-friendly:

• Heavily moisten a cotton ball with the ear cleaner.

• Apply the cotton ball to the base of the ear and fold the ear flap over onto the cotton ball.

• Massage the base of the ear , and then allow your cat to shake his head.

How Is It Treated

Most ear infections go away on their own, although antibiotics are recommended for children younger than 6 months of age and for children at high risk for complications. You can treat your child at home with an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen , a warm cloth on the ear, and rest. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18. Your doctor may give you eardrops that can help your childs pain. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.

Your doctor can give your child antibiotics, but ear infections often get better without them. Talk about this with your doctor. Whether you use them will depend on how old your child is and how bad the infection is.

Minor surgery to put tubes in the ears may help if your child has hearing problems or repeat infections.

Sometimes after an infection, a child cannot hear well for a while. Call your doctor if this lasts for 3 to 4 months. Children need to be able to hear in order to learn how to talk.

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Secondary Or Perpetuating Factors

These are the factors that maintain the problem, so they are the main target of the treatment. Once these are solved, the ear has a good chance to heal.

• Microbes

All skin, including the one in the cats ear is covered with a mixed population of microbes: bacteria, yeasts, fungi and viruses. In small numbers, they do not cause problems, but if the skin is not healthy or the wax layer builds up, they get a chance to grow in large numbers and cause infections. This means that most ear infections are caused by normal for the skin bacteria and yeasts. Occasionally, a foreign bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be involved.

• Deeper infections

What we normally call the ear is in fact only the external ear, a continuation of the middle ear that acts as a link to the inner ear . Untreated infections of the middle or inner ear usually keep spilling out into the external ear.

• Chronic changes in the ear canal

This a very unfortunate effect of repeated, especially incompletely or altogether untreated ear infections. Skin that is irritated and swollen for a long time becomes permanently thickened and sheds its top layer abnormally. In the ear canal, this means further narrowing and predisposition towards continuous infection. On top of this, the thickening affects the wax production and its clearing, completely throwing off the normal balance.

Treat It With Antihistamines

If your cats ear infection is due to allergies, you can treat it with antihistamines. Make sure that when you are treating your cat with antihistamines, you are using them for the right kind of ear infection. For an ear infection in cats due to allergies, you can use a product that contains chlorpheniramine or diphenhydramine. These products will relieve the symptoms caused by the inflammation in their ears. Use these products twice a day until your cats ears are back to normal.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Ear Infections In Cats

Ear infections can affect one or both of your kittys ears, and you may even see changes in their demeanor. Signs of an ear infection vary depending on the cause and location of the infection, but cats suffering generally exhibit:

• Strong odor around the ears
• White specks that may be moving these are mites
• Redness around the ear, which indicates inflammation
• Discharge from the ears of any color
• Excess wax buildup
• Rubbing the ear on the floor or furniture
• Scaly skin
• Scabbing and other signs of self trauma from scratching

How To Treat Your Cat For Ear Mites

Ear mites are the most common cause of ear infections in cats.

These microscopic, white parasites live on the surface ear canal, but sometimes can migrate to other parts of the body like the head and neck. Ear mites feed off dirt, wax and tissue fluid in your felines ears. Beyond the obvious physical discomfort to your pet, untreated ear mite infestations can cause ear inflammation, bacterial and fungal infections. Severe cases can lead to hearing loss or ear damage from scratching, so prompt treatment is important.

Symptoms:

• Depending on the severity of the infection, frequent scratching and head shaking are two common signs that your cat may be infected. Some cats are more bothered by ear mites than others.
• Mites also stimulate the wax producing glands inside the ear canal. The result is a black, crusty build-up in the ears that resembles coffee grounds. This discharge is made of blood, wax, debris, and mites themselves. In some cases, this crust can thicken enough to block the ear canal.
• If you think your cat is infected, then your vet can easily diagnose the problem using a magnifying otoscope. Your vet will be able to see them moving about in the ear or on a slide. A professional diagnosis is also a good idea, since ear mites are not the only cause of feline ear infections.

Treatment: Otodectes cynotic is the common cat ear mite.

Cleanse:

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Types Of Cats Ear Infections Caused By Yeast

Differenttypes of fungus are found in parts of the body, including the ears. Yeasts areable to multiply too rapidly and colonize the infection results. If a yeastinfection in a cats ears occurs for more than once, it can be a sign ofunderlying disease or compromised immune system.

Here arethe types of yeast infection in cats ears:

• Ear Infection

This is the most common body infection caused by yeast. You will find your cat shaking his head and scratching at the ear followed by unpleasant odor. This infection is also known as otitis, might also affect all parts of the ear, including the outer, middle and inner part of the ears.

If you bring your cat to the vet, your vet will take a sample of the ear to be able to determine the type of the yeast. Ear cleaning is one of the common treatments for some cats. However, if it is severe, your cat might need to be given anesthesia during the cleansing.

• Malassezia Dermatitis

This yeast lives on cats ears and skin. The excessive amount of this yeast can cause Malassezia dermatitis. The symptoms of this disease are hair loss, redness, skin irritation, scaling and even a foul odor.

This yeast can be triggered by other infections, allergies or even other diseases, including liver and pancreatitis in cats. Your vet will be likely to give antibiotics to treat this problem.

• Feline Candidiasis

Treatment Of Yeast Infection In Cats Ears

As being told before, once you see any symptoms of ear infections caused by yeast, immediately contact your vet. Your vet will give some medications, either orally or with direct application to the infected area.

Your vet may give anti-parasitic, antifungals or antibiotics. Read also about things every owner should know about antibiotics for dog. Antibiotics might have several effects too to your cats. All of these will also come in ointment or eardrop form.

Cleaning and drying the ear canal will be also part of the treatment. As an owner, you also need to check your cats ear regularly if the inside of the ear flap is pink and it has clear canal.

If you get ear drops prescribed from your vet, then gently lift the ear flap and squeeze out the drop to the ear canal. Then, massage the base of the ear to make it works to the ear canal.

Cats ear infection caused by yeast can be prevented with regular checking. You have to know that a cats healthy ears are pale pink, have no odor or debris and ear wax.

Keep checking your cats ear regularly and when you find any potential of ear infection, you can contact your vet to prevent it from getting worse. However, never ever do the cleaning process by yourself unless it is instructed by your vet.

You might consider these following natural remedies for ear problems in cats, but still you need to consult with your vet about the safety of the ingredients.

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