Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 6/23/2006

Question

-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
Hello,

Thanks for taking the time to read this.  To get right to it, my cat has dirty ears.  She is about 7 1/2 years old or so, and I've had her for the last 6 years.  Ever since I've had her, she's had dirty ears.  Every time I take her to the vet for her check-up, they tell me that she has ear mites.  They just look at them and tell me this, without ever doing any kind of test.  At first I accepted that without question, but now, years later....we've tried drops, we've tried shots, we're just now trying this flea/mite stuff called Evolution (or maybe it was Revolution).  The point is that despite what the doctor's say, the drops, shots, etc. have done nothing.  Within a month or so of getting her ears cleaned and using the drops or whatever, her ears get dirty again.  She doesn't seem to scratch her ears a lot.  Is it possible she doesn't have mites at all, but just has dirty ears?  Like humans sometimes get?  Like I said, her ears are always like this no matter what I do and no matter what medications I give to her.  The vets I take her to don't seem to listen to me, they just prescribe more drops or some kind of shot, and tell me that will fix it, but it never does.  So what do you think?  Is it possible her ears are just dirty or something?  

Thanks,
Chrissy

Answer -
Chronic discharge from a cat's ear is often a middle ear infection that drains and dries up in the external ear.  Did the vet anesthetize the cat and look at the eardrums?

Some cats with allergies have lots of wax in their ears and that will just need to be cleaned out periodically.

You did not say if these ears were bothering the cat or just that you don't lke seeing all of the gunk.




Hello again,

Thanks for your prompt answer to my question.  My cat's ears don't seem to be bothering her.  She doesn't itch them excessively, and they don't seem red with irritation.  I don't mind if she gets some gunk in her ears sometimes, I just want to make sure that there's not anything more serious wrong with her.  As I mentioned, the vets I take her to always tell me that she has ear mites and won't listen to anything else I say.  However, could you tell me, if she's had a constant ear infection for the last 6 years, wouldn't there be some other symptoms by now?  Wouldn't she be experiencing some hearing loss or redness or something?  Also, if it's just ear wax, is there a safe way for me to clean that out myself without having to take her to the vet?  Thanks for all your help.

Sincerely,
Chrissy

Answer
If the vet see ear mites, then there is a chronic problem and the mites are not being treated properly to eliminate them.  You can use something like Frontline or Revolution top spot insecticides to help.

If there is just wax, then you can use an ear cleaner like Malacetic Otic once a week.  Truthfully, if the cat is not worried about the ears, you shouldn't be either.