Poor Bear.  Ear infections *SUCK*.  I've had plenty of them,
fortunately never as bad as all that.

Purrs for poor Bear.

I'm sorry to hear that! Poor Bear. :(

I know inner ear infections can be hard to get rid of in humans, so
guess it's possible the same is true for cats.

Purrs for a good resolution!

Joyce

Has anyone had a cat with a middle ear infection? How did you treat it?

We've been fighting Bear's ear infection for months, and today he was
put under to have an ear flush and x-rays. Turns out his ear drum is
GONE, it's been eaten by the infection. The problem is worse than we
thought, it's so deep that it would take major surgery to get to it with
no guarantees of getting rid of it.

Did anyone's cat have that type of surgery? Did it cure the infection?
Did the problem get worse eventually and go into other areas?

Thanks,

Rhonda

Sorry, no experience. Sending mega purrs for Bear to get rid of the
infection.

Oh my gosh!! I"ve never had this happen but my best purrs to you and Bear.
How awful :(

Thanks, guys.

Bear is in good spirits, I would just like to find a way to get rid of
this for him. He's 14, he should be allowed a nice, comfy retirement!

Rhonda

This is my experience with Sir William. Yours & Bears may be different.

Sir William had serious ear problems like this. At one point the vet
was flushing his ears out every other day to try and fight the
infection and he seemed to be permanently on antibiotics. It was a
nightmare, so I completely sympathise. The antibiotics were keeping it
a bay, but not fixing it. I was considering the surgery you describe,
when the decision was taken out of my hands. He smashed his leg and had
to have major orthopedic surgery. The infection managed to grab hold
again.

We believe (as in the vet and I) that either he threw a blood clot from
the surgery and had a stroke, or developed a form of meningitis from
the ear infection which had managed to grab hold because of his general
debilitation from the surgery. Anyway, he ended up going to Rainbow
Bridge before he could have the op.

I believe that a cat belonging to a friend of mine had the surgery and
it was very successful, although the cat is now as deaf as a post. ;o)

All I would say, is that if neccessary, get a referal to a specialist.
It is a very tricky complicated operation, although it can have good
results although the vets tend to give a guarded prognosis.

Sorry not to be more help.

Helen M

Never had the problem come up, but sending purrs for Bear.

I hope they are able to get rid of that infection somehow!

Lots and lots of purrs,
Polonca and Soncek