strange ear discharge

First, I'd like to say that we have seen the vet about this multiple times...each time she's been tested for mites, each time the result is negative. I don't think it's a food allergy, as she's had this issue with every brand I've tried (tried to do the process of elimination thing).

Ok, with that said, here's the issue. My 3-4 yr old female rescue Angel has this discharge only from one ear (her left). I find chunks of it all over the house, once even found a chunk stuck to the wall. It's dark brown, and hard, kinda shiny. I wouldn't say it smells rancid (yeah, I smelled it), but there is definatly an odor, though not noticable unless your nose is right on it.

My vet has reccommended a product called OtiCalm, which we use religiously...and as directed. Still this problem persists. She also has what I would call "polyps" on the inside of the ear, down in it, but visible. These things are grayish black and seem to cause her a minimal amount of distress, but only when she itches them. At least that's how it seems.

I'm begininning to wonder if this is a fungal infection? Our vet can't seem to find a cause or a diagnosis, and hasn't been able to tell me anything other than to use the OtiCalm.

The issue doesn't bother her all the time, but nonetheless, I'd like some insight and direction to get this cleared up for her.

Thank you for reading my book, I look forward to your replies.

Has the vet flushed out her ears yet?

they put her out when they spayed her, and i made sure to ask them to do that...that was in the summer tho...and the icky stuff has come back just as bad as before.

Oticalm is an ear cleanser, which will loosen dirt and debris in their ears, allowing them to shake out the dirt, wax, etc. from their ears. It seems to be working! How often do you use it? If used every day or so, I'd think there'd be a chance of getting a yeast infection....which would require different meds.

When I worked for a vet and they took ear smears of what resembles what you are talking about it usually came back positive for mites and fungal infections. We prescibed Otomite plus and then if the ears were red or sore we would recomend OtiRinse which would soothe the ears. I hope this helps.

i use it maybe 2 times a week...sometimes once if i'm slacking. also wanted to mention that it's not coming from the large main canal...it's like there's a smaller one towards the front of the ear...does that make sense. and i forgot to metion that when i just used it about 20 minutes ago, it seemed that there was a pus like substance coming out also...i think some of it was the oticalm, but it was a nasty yellowish color. i have to take another cat in on saturday for his rabies shots, and am thinking about dragging Angel along, altho I'm sure i'll get the same results as every other time

Hi !
One of my cats once had an ear infection and had lots of dirt inside that when he shook his head it was all over the place... the vet gave me this drops, i dont know if it would hep you, ask your vet, i am also not sure if u can find them there, i will write down the ingredients, maybe there would be something similar

Virbac Animal Health
Dexoryl

Concentration: 30 mg Gentamicin, 400 mg Thiabendazole, 9.03 mg Dexamethasone.

Indication: For the treatment of otitis externa in dogs and cats caused by gentamicin-sensitive bacteria, ear mite and fungi where an anti-inflammatory effect is also required.

Dosage: Apply twice daily for 7-14 days. After cleaning the ear, fill each ear canal with the ear drops by pressure on the bottle. Absorb excess liquid with a cotton swab and use the swab to apply the solution to the pinna if required.

Presentation: 10mL bottle.

After 3-4 days his ears were clean ! and never came back

Good luck !

what foods have you tried...?? have you tried one with NO CHICKEN or RICE??

Sounds like Jack's yeast infection in his left ear (that by the way stunk).

He took oral antibiotics and had drops for his ears (as well as ear wash) for I think 10 days.

We now have to use the ear wash once a week (basically for the rest of his life).

Good luck

Leslie

thank you for the info on the drops...i'll look into it!

as for the food, all 3 have been on Hill's Prescription c/d for about 2 years due to Mason's struvite crystal issue...I've not been able to find a way to feed one cat one food and the others another as Mason absolutely cannot tolerate anything other than that formula. Not sure what the ingredients are, but I will check it out. I'm sure there's chicken in there though. And that would bring a whole new issue with Mason...unless I could find something that would work with him, as well as having no chicken or rice. I think it's worth looking into though, I'm just not sure where to start!

I think I'm going to take her to the vet on Sat. when Mason goes...the other 2 have beautifully clean ears, so it's apparently not contagious, thank goodness. I'm really wondering on the fungus infection. I know they're more common in dogs than cats, but definatly not unheard of. Plus, our household seems to not be in the norm, lol!

If your cat has polyps in her ears she needs to have them surgically removed. I would suggest a referral to a soft tissue surgeon.

I have a cat that has had ear infections her whole life (she is 4). The last thing I got was Zymox OTIC Enzymatic Solution with Hydrocortisone 1.0. Seems to be working better than anything else I've been given. They don't seem to bother her but its a real wet substance that looks like mites when I clean her ear with a q tip. Vet says its a fungal infection. This Zymox does clear it up though. Good Luck

If what your seeing really is polyps they need to be removed! She could have some deeper inside her ear too. We had a cat in our rescue with ear polyps deep in his ear and he was miserable until he had his surgery. His ear discharge was icky and green though.

Ive had a few kittens come in with icky nrow discharge in their ears its always been ear mites.

I can second the Zymox ... it comes in a form with hydrocortizone and one without

I call them polyps, but I'm not honestly sure...they look like it...think gray/black bumps that look soft, but she acts like it hurts terribly when touched. I'm just going to take her along to the vet. Hopefully I'll actually get a diagnosis this time so I can treat the issue!!