Dirty Ears!

pippy-pops

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Pip has always had really clean ears so I've never really bothered him much about keeping them clean... Milly on the other hand has filthy dirty ears for a 10 week old kitten!

How do I clean her ears?
 

mrblanche

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It's good odds she has ear mites, for which you may need to consult a vet.
 
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pippy-pops

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

It's good odds she has ear mites, for which you may need to consult a vet.
Grrrrrrrrr I was hoping it wouldn't be! Well she's got her injections next week so I'll ask him to have a look then!

Pip's never had ear mites and his ears are so clean I'd lick them if he let me (seriously... he spends hours making sure his ears are clean!)!
 

catnurse22

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Might be ear mites or an infection. But, could be just dirty ears! Is she scratching her ears like mad? When you do clean her ears I suggest getting a water based ear cleaner (at the vet's or a pet retail store). Fill her ear up until you see it puddle up. Then massage the ear at the base for about 30 sec (or as long as she'll let you!). Let her shake her head if she will then wipe the inside of the ear with a kleenex or cotton balls. Cats ear canals are shaped like an L, so you can actually gently fit your finger down into the canal with no worry about hurting the ear drum. If they're really dirty, you might need to do this twice. And I definitely suggest getting somebody to hold her while you do this, as she probably won't be too happy about it. If she's really wiggly, give her a break after one rinse and wait to rinse again/do the other ear later. What does the build up look like? Just black and waxy? Or thick and kind of chunky? Any blood at all? Thick with any amount of blood are usually signs of ear mites/infection. Also, if it smells really bad, also a sign. Hope I helped!
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by CatNurse22

Might be ear mites or an infection. But, could be just dirty ears! Is she scratching her ears like mad? When you do clean her ears I suggest getting a water based ear cleaner (at the vet's or a pet retail store). Fill her ear up until you see it puddle up. Then massage the ear at the base for about 30 sec (or as long as she'll let you!). Let her shake her head if she will then wipe the inside of the ear with a kleenex or cotton balls. Cats ear canals are shaped like an L, so you can actually gently fit your finger down into the canal with no worry about hurting the ear drum. If they're really dirty, you might need to do this twice. And I definitely suggest getting somebody to hold her while you do this, as she probably won't be too happy about it. If she's really wiggly, give her a break after one rinse and wait to rinse again/do the other ear later. What does the build up look like? Just black and waxy? Or thick and kind of chunky? Any blood at all? Thick with any amount of blood are usually signs of ear mites/infection. Also, if it smells really bad, also a sign. Hope I helped!
Do NOT attempt to put water in your cat's ears. Please leave this cleaning to the vet. Never EVER put any water in it.
 
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pippy-pops

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I don't think she'd sit long enough for me to have a look, let alone put anything in her ear so no need to worry that I might try remedy the situation myself!

I've called up the vet and asked if he could have a look at her ears when I take her for her injections. I've explained that it looks purely like wax build up, rather than little mite droppings and he too asked if she was scratching or if there was a smell/blood... I said no to both questions as neither of her ears bother her too much, apart from when I'm singing in the morning and she hides her ears! :smile: , nor does her ears or the discharge/wax smell bad and she's not bleeding!

So off to the vet we go!
 

catnurse22

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Originally Posted by carolinalima

Do NOT attempt to put water in your cat's ears. Please leave this cleaning to the vet. Never EVER put any water in it.
Notice I said water based CLEANER. As opposed to an oil based ear cleaner. Of course water alone should never be placed in ears. In the warm, moist environment, it sets up a playground for infection.
 
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pippy-pops

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Originally Posted by CatNurse22

Notice I said water based CLEANER. As opposed to an oil based ear cleaner. Of course water alone should never be placed in ears. In the warm, moist environment, it sets up a playground for infection.
I did note that CatNurse!

Still, she'd not sit still for love nor money so it's off to the vets we go! Hmmmm my favourite time in the whole world - NOT!
 

yosemite

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Please folks, read posts before hitting that send button.
Thank you.

Just a thought, perhaps you could ask your vet if it is mites whether your other cat could get them as well. I cannot for the life of me remember if they can catch them from each other.
 

catnurse22

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Originally Posted by Pippy-pops

I did note that CatNurse!

Still, she'd not sit still for love nor money so it's off to the vets we go! Hmmmm my favourite time in the whole world - NOT!
I understand! One of my boys is pretty tolerant, my other...well let's just say you better have a good hold on him or you may get some pretty nasty scratches,
. Hope the vet visit goes well and it's just dirty ears.
 
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pippy-pops

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Milly let me have a long look last night while she was knocked out from her very busy day sleeping! It just looks like wax built up so I used a warm damp flannel and wiped the ear a little and it came up all pink! I don't think it's mites so I'm feeling alittle better now about the vet trip.
 
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