Deep Ear Infection

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

Enfilade...

The only deep ear infections I've had have been in my own ears.

Deep purrs for Bear.

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.

Howard C. Berkowitz...

Now, I'm making some extrapolations based on humans here. Yes, it is
true that some infections simply won't clear without surgery.

Certainly with some human sinus and throat infections, the problem is
that the causative organism, and the antibiotic(s) most likely to hit
it, aren't known. I've seen human ear-nose-and-throat specialists (ok,
otorhinolaryngologists) manage to get swabbings of the inside of a
sinus or ear, either with great skill with the swab, or using a
flexible fiber-optic scope that can thread into the infected area. Even
with humans, this may need to be under sedation.

Once there is a precise diagnosis, the lab can determine the most
appropriate antibiotic or sometimes combination of antibiotics. There
are other specialized diagnostic tests such as looking for blood
antibodies.

With a deep infection, the antibiotics often need to be injected, but
even a course of IV antibiotics may not be as traumatic as surgery.

Takayuki...

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

jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt...

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!

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?

Steve Touchstone...

No experience to relate, but sending purrs that Bear's ears will clear
up.

(Sorry, I missed the OP so am piggybacking)

Monique Y. Mudama...

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

Purrs for poor Bear.

polonca12000...

Lots and lots of purrs,
Polonca and Soncek

Sam...

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