Ear polyp returns, considering ear canal ablation

Our senior foster Mabel had a big ear polyp which we had removed. The vet warned us it might come back, and now just a few months later, it appears to be so. She started having balance problems and scratched the back of her ear into an abscess. The vet said our options are to remove the new polyp (but it will probably grow back again), treat with antibiotics and ear drops (baytril) on and off forever, or removal of the entire ear canal. Only the latter option would be a permanent solution.

I searched the site and see that a few cats have had total ear canal ablation, I'd like to know what the prognosis is for this procedure. Aside from the obvious loss of hearing, will Mabel have any other problems? The vet said her other ear should be okay, that the polyps only seem to form on one side.

Aside from the usual complications from surgery, I'm worried about after-effects, like facial paralysis and such. If anybody has had experience with the longterm effects of TECA, I'd love to hear what you think.

I'd be interested to know the answer to this as well. Our dear little 3 year old Cappy has ear polyps in his left ear. We got some drops from our Vet - Surolan - and were told to put them in his ear twice or three times a week.

We were also told that surgery might be available for around $800. (We opted for the drops!) Well, now his left ear is worse, and the polyps are visible. We clean his ear regularly, but in the past couple of days the discharge is worse and now it is smelly as well. We made a vet appointment and will be taking him in tomorrow.

Anyone have any experience with this? I'm hoping there is a less expensive option than expensive surgery. (We live in Canada - we don't even pay that for people surgery!)

But, he is so dear to us, that if the vet said this was the only option, we'd probably go for it.

Lin

Originally Posted by Linni

Anyone have any experience with this? I'm hoping there is a less expensive option than expensive surgery. (We live in Canada - we don't even pay that for people surgery!)

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If you live close to the border ask around and see if there are any clinics in the surrounding area on the US side that would take you on for the surgery. You would have to go first for an exam, then later for the surgery. You can have the vet in the states fax the prescription to your vet or a pharmacy (if the meds can be used in humans) to be filled. It's usually MUCH cheaper to have vet care done in the states than it is here in Canada, the exception being when you start getting into the larger cities in the states.

As an example, Sadie's (dog) bladder surgery here was $1000+. If we would have shipped her to the clinic my friend works at in the states (Indiana), had the surgery done there, and then shipped her back after, it would have saved us $250 ($250 flight each way, $150 for the surgery). We didn't have the time to research clinics in the states near us, or else we probably would have driven her to one of them to have it done.

The rescue that I used to work for also frequently had the animals vetted prior to coming to Canada because it is so much cheaper (speuter and any surgeries they needed).

Linni, Mabel had a huge ear polyp when we took her in, and we had it removed in the hopes that it wouldn't come back. We paid $1000 to do it, so $800 doesn't sound that bad actually (of course I'm in NYC where everything is overpriced). The problem is that ear polyps are notoriously difficult to completely remove and they may grow again. That's what's happening now to Mabel.

It's looking like the ear canal surgery may be the only real solution. Polyps are such a strange affliction, they don't seem to know why they occur, or why one ear is affected and not the other. I may go ahead with the operation if I can be sure it will be a permanent solution and not have any lingering after-effects.