Dirty cat ear, seen two different vets, need advice.

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Kristina - 02 Aug 2003 19:27 GMT

Hello everyone.
My poor kitty has had a very dirty ear for the past few months. Brown
specs are all over the inside and outside of her ear. She even has it
on her forehead if you look through her hair. I have two other cats
that play with her and are in perfect health. It doesn't appear to
hurt her when I touch it.
At first I thought her ear was just dirty. So I gently cleaned them
with an ear cleaner. It made her ear red and I felt horrible.
I took her to the vet and they looked at the stuff in her ear under a
microscope. He didn't see any mites but gave her a shot for it anyway.
He told me to clean her ears again and it should clear up. Well, it
didn't.
I took her to another vet, who examined her ear, doublechecked it
still was not ear mites, checked with a blacklight type instrument to
make sure it was not a fungus infection, and then told me it is
probaby acne. She was prescibed Doxxcylcine (1/4 tablet) for 16 days.
Well, we're approaching the last days of meds and her ear is still
nasty.
I was wondering if anyone has an idea of what this may be and what the
treatment is. I'm going to be going back to the vet very soon because
I just want her ear to be well but I would really appreciate some
advice.
Thanks and sorry this was so long.

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zuzu22@webtv.net - 02 Aug 2003 23:29 GMT

A yeast infection is a possibility and exhibits the symptoms you
describe. I'm surprised neither vet mentioned this.
http://www.21cats.org/health/earinfection.html

Megan

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Liz - 03 Aug 2003 02:24 GMT

Fungus and yeast are the same thing yet I agree with you - it's
probably some yeast. I wonder if all yeasts shine or whatever under a
black light. Anyway I'll see if I find something.

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-L. - 04 Aug 2003 08:04 GMT

> Fungus and yeast are the same thing yet I agree with you - it's
> probably some yeast. I wonder if all yeasts shine or whatever under a
> black light. Anyway I'll see if I find something.

No, not all fungi fluoresce. AFAIK, some types of ringworm will, and
to date, I haven't seen a yeast that does. Some types of bacteria
fluoresce as well, so fluoresence isn't a very good diagnostic tool.

-L.

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Liz - 05 Aug 2003 04:33 GMT

Thanks L. :)

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Elizabeth Blake - 03 Aug 2003 18:50 GMT

> Hello everyone.
> My poor kitty has had a very dirty ear for the past few months. Brown
> specs are all over the inside and outside of her ear. She even has it
> on her forehead if you look through her hair. I have two other cats
> that play with her and are in perfect health. It doesn't appear to
> hurt her when I touch it.

My 13 year old cat, Tiger, has had skanky ears for years. She's been to
three different vets who never did anything for it other than a deep
cleaning, but the stuff always came back. A couple of months ago I told
Tiger's current vet that I wanted to do another deep cleaning and I wanted
the stuff tested to see what it is. Tiger was scratching at her ears
*constantly*. They were bloody, she had scabs all over her head and she
couldn't leave them alone. The tests came back saying that the stuff had
some bacteria in in (staph-something-negative, don't remember the whole
name). The vet prescribed a liquidy ointment called Animax. I have to
bring Tiger back for a follow up, but so far her ears have remained clear
for two months and she doesn't spend EVERY waking minute scratching her
ears. It's so nice to see, because I know she's been feeling miserable for
a long time. I can even pet her head gently now without her shaking it and
immediately turning to scratch her ears.

Liz

p.s. the stuff in Tiger's ears was more than brown specks, though. The ears
were full of a thick, brown waxy substance.

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clpeters23 - 07 Aug 2003 21:11 GMT

One of my cats had a chronic icky ear, no mites, just dirty. A couple
vets also had no idea what it was but it didn't clear up until he was
put on Clavamox after a tooth extraction. I mentioned this to the vet
and she seemed surprised. A few years later the same cat started
developing gunk in the other ear and I tried a mixture of water,
vinegar and rubbing alcohol which is supposed to work on yeast and it
cleared up right away.
Good luck!
Cathy

> Hello everyone.
> My poor kitty has had a very dirty ear for the past few months. Brown
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> advice.
> Thanks and sorry this was so long.

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