Very Nervous About Cat with Ear Infection

[worriedsomuch]

Hi I'm new. I just went through a traumatic experience and lost my beautiful 14 year old cat to cancer. Now only a little over 2 weeks later, I am worried about my 5 year old cat Grace. She always has been very healthy, healthy weight, eating drinking, using the litter box. Last Thursday I noticed her scratching at her ears like they were extremely itchy. She seemed okay for a couple of days so I passed it off at first. Then on Saturday night, she seemed very bothered. She was tilting her ears and her head. I was very concerned about something being terribly wrong. I'm the type of person who thinks of the worst case scenario first. Anyway, I had to wait until Tuesday until the vet was in to take her in for her ears. By then I had noticed she had licked a patch of her stomach bald and it was quite irritated. She was also kicking out her front and back paws at random times like some odd spasm. I was beside myself thinking she was dying. When I took her to the vet, I told him all my concerns. He's a great vet and person in general. He told me she has a double ear infection and he suspects allergies as well. He prescribed steroid ear drops and also a 6 day course of prednisone. He said he suspects the kicking and grooming to be from her being quite itchy based on what he saw. Well I took her home and was giving her the meds and everything, still worried because I just don't have a lot of confidence in vets at the moment. (I've been through a lot!) She seemed okay on Wednesday, although I still noticed the foot thing, well mostly her front paws, so I decided to call him but he wasn't in so they said they'd call Thursday. So right before he called yesterday, I observed that when she was standing up, she had a slight tremor in her head. Before she was vigorously shaking her head but this was a light tremor, like in Parkinson's patients. Her face appeared a little twitchy as well. Well I almost lost it. Actually I did by vomiting from fear. Sorry to be too TMI but I am very neurotic with my pets. Thankfully he called not soon after and I explained it to him. I mentioned seizures or brain tumors or cancer. He emphatically told me she does not have cancer and he thinks it is highly unlikely to be a seizure. He said he thinks it's just the infection working through her system and to give it time. He said she might have had this infection for awhile and neurological symptoms can be present with infections. He also told me his cat is a twitcher and is otherwise healthy. Grace however, has not always been a twitcher. Needless to say I am still concerned. He doesn't think she needs further tests at the moment. I haven't even been sleeping, barely eating from worry. Her appetite is great, probably even moreso with the steroids. However, she does seem to be sleeping a bit less. As an asthmatic, I take prednisone and know it can cause lack of sleep but I'm not sure about cats. She also seems a bit more subdued but she was very frightened by the vet and does not like when I administer her drops. Last night was particularly frightening though because I haven't been feeling well and got up to check her. She was on the kitchen chair, seemingly still awake, the poor thing. I bent down to talk to her and noticed she was having the slight tremor again and she also got a slightly harder jerk that moved her head. I don't know now if the meds might be doing this or what. I have done internet research and all I get are scary diagnoses. He tells me she'll be fine but I don't know what to think. I just wish I could sleep at night. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[franksmom]

I am very sorry about your kitty who died and that your other kitty is sick. I found this article (http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2123&aid=1564) about middle and inner ear infections in cats and there are some symptoms that can appear to look as if the cat has neurological problems:

 As the infection in the middle ear progresses, the cat may also have facial paralysis on the infected side due to the inflammation of the facial nerve that runs adjacent to the middle ear. Signs of facial paralysis include difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids and facial muscles, and a third eyelid that moves up and partially covers the eye. As the infection progresses to the inner ear, the symptoms will include a loss of balance, a downward head tilt, and even circling.

I am not sure if that is what is going on here and if you have a gut feeling that something else is wrong then you should seek out a second opinion. I would also not be very happy with your vet as he seems to not be available all the time and that is concerning if there is an emergency. 

 

[peaches08]

Did the vet prescribe an antibiotic?

 

[stephanietx]

I'm so sorry for the loss of your kitty and now this kitty is ill.  I can understand why you're worried.  The first thing that came to mind for this kitty is stress.  Sounds like she is stressed from the loss of her friend, even if they weren't snuggle buddies, and that may have brought on the ear infection and the licking.  Do you have a Feliway diffuser to help her de-stress?  That might help control the licking.  Did the vet give her an antibiotic? I understand that the steroid is probably for the licking, but steroids also suppress the immune system, which you probably know from having asthma.  I would think the vet would've given her something for the infection as well.  Did he by any chance give her the Convenia shot?  It's often used instead of pills or another antibiotic and lasts for about 2 weeks.
 

 

[franksmom]

Yes I agree about antibiotics. I was under the impression that you were given them and if not you need to get some pills. I would not however recommend the convenia shot (http://catinfo.org/?link=convenia). 

 

[worriedsomuch]

Hi,

I appreciate all the replies. Franksmom, thanks so much for that info. It's good to see that some pronounced neurological problems can be brought on by earaches. However, I am just beside myself. Overall she had a good day. I didn't see any head shaking or anything. I went out for a bit and came in to find her sleeping which I was glad of since she didn't seem to get her rest. She also ate heartily and everything. However, when she was done eating she came up to see me and had two head tics! It was awful. She sort of squinted her eyes and jerked her head twice. I was on Youtube and people have posted vids of cat seizures or tics and I have to admit her symptoms do sort of look like that. The vet did not prescribe an antibiotic, no. Maybe he should have? Also, just want to clarify that the vet she goes to is open 6 days a week. They just alternate doctors and I wanted to speak to the one who saw her specifically. I just called him and they said he would be leaving soon but they'd see if he'd call back. This was actually different than the tremor though, more like a jerking of her head to the side twice! I feel like this has actually been worse since she got put on the drops. I didn't recall seeing any of these tics before she got on her meds so I don't know if it's a reaction or what. I am just so scared she has a tumor! I hate to even bring up money but unfortunately right now, as a teacher on summer vacation, money is tight. With the loss of my other cat, I had to pay a lot of money for his bills and his cremation and urn. I didn't even get his ashes yet I might have to wait to take her in again until the 29 of August which is quite nearly 2 weeks away. I have been crying a lot for him and her. I don't have a destressor or anything like that for her, but the steroids seem to have eased the itching on her belly and she hasn't groomed as much there. The saddest thing I keep thinking of is if something happened to her. She has an identical twin sister, actual twins, and how it would probably kill her sister not to have her around. Her behavior sort of resembles this vid on Youtube:


It's not nearly as frequent though but if you look around the 29 second mark, it sort of looks like her tic. Once she did it, she actually saw birds outside and jumped away as if nothing was wrong so she could do look. Her coordination is great. She caught treats in her hand today. I just want to do what's best for her. I'm terrified!

ETA: I just talked to the vet. He called me back and talked for around 15 minutes. He told me that he still doesn't believe it's a seizure and it sounds like she has a nasty ear infection that again needs to run its course. He said he is 85%-90% sure that is causing her twitches too. He said there is less than 10% chance it's anything else. He said that if she does not improve by next week, I can bring her back and he will recheck her at a reduced price. He said he will try another med and he has seen nasty ones that sometimes take quite awhile to clear up and he has to try several different options at times or even irrigate the ear. I feel a little reassurance but still. I don't really want a second opinion since I'm sort of nervous with vets. Also this vet is very closeby and great about returning calls and answering questions. Grace doesn't take to traveling well.
 

 

[peaches08]

I don't know why they didn't give an antibiotic if there is an infection. I'd call about that.

 

[franksmom]

I would for sure call the vet about the tic as your right it may have something to do with it. If she does have an ear infection the recommended treatment is antibiotics and I am wondering why the vet would not give her that? I would also mention that in the phone call. If you do not feel you are given clear answers to these questions then I would take her to another vet. 

If you cannot afford a vet, there are resources available to you to ensure your cat gets the veterinary care. There is an excellent article titled “When You Can’t Afford a Veterinarian” on this website, available at http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/76/...erinarian.html. Please read through it to find out more about the options available to you.

 

[denice]

What I am seeing in the place on the video doesn't look like a seizure.  It could be some kind of reaction to what's going on his ears.  The thing with her itching is some type of allergy.  I guess what I am not understanding is the vet using the term infection for her ears.  If they are infected than she should have been given an antibiotic.  If it's the allergic reaction that is calling swelling and itching in her ears than the steroid drops make sense.

I know it's really hard but try to be calm, cats pick up on our moods.  Believe me I know it's hard, I have a cat with chronic health problems that took a number of years and different vets to sort out.  There were times that he was so sick I would keep checking on him to make sure he was still alive.  I don't know how many times I woke him up out of a sound sleep.

I can't really say anything about what is best because I don't know if it's infection or all an allergic reaction.

 

[worriedsomuch]

Thanks for more replies. This is an update from the call in case you missed it:

I just talked to the vet. He called me back and talked for around 15 minutes. He told me that he still doesn't believe it's a seizure and it sounds like she has a nasty ear infection that again needs to run its course. He said he is 85%-90% sure that is causing her twitches too. He said there is less than 10% chance it's anything else. He said that if she does not improve by next week, I can bring her back and he will recheck her at a reduced price. He said he will try another med and he has seen nasty ones that sometimes take quite awhile to clear up and he has to try several different options at times or even irrigate the ear. I feel a little reassurance but still. I don't really want a second opinion since I'm sort of nervous with vets. Also this vet is very closeby and great about returning calls and answering questions. Grace doesn't take to traveling well.

Also, about the antibiotic, he said that is the course he gives first due to his belief she has allergies. If I have to take her back, I will ask him to give her antibiotics. He said he wants to see how the steroid drops work first. I'm wondering though if they are causing the tics! He said that he hasn't seen that as a side effect. I'm relieved that the vid didn't look like a seizure, takes a load off my mind. I'm so afraid she might end up with a permanent thing like this.

Denice, I know how you feel. My poor 14 year old cat had HCM so I had to deal with his chronic health problem as well. It was terrible. I checked him CONSTANTLY too. He survived 6 years with it. Sadly that is not even what killed him. They believe he had cancer.

 

[denice]

I don't know about cats but with people infections that get into the inner ear can cause huge problems.  The main one being extreme vertigo.  Some people and their doctors initially don't even know it's a problem with their ears.  I just hadn't heard of treating infections with steroids, they are the go to treatment for allergic reactions though.

I understand about being leery of vets.  I almost had given up on them but the last time that Patches was really sick I decided to try one more vet.  She turned out to be the good one that I feel I can trust.  I spent so many hours on the web trying to find answers because I wasn't getting them from any of the vets that I had been taking him to.

 

[worriedsomuch]

He definitely called it an infection in both ears caused by allergies so maybe that's why he gave the drops? I don't know. I just don't want her to die! I see many vids on Youtube with cats having odd tics and twitches and they are still alive. I'll take her with the tic of course, as long as she is okay. My 2 older cats that have passed did have random head tics at times and the vet chalked it up to old age. Grace is just 5. Her sister has asthma so they both seem to have similar issues. The vet did tell me cats can fall over with earaches, the works. Thank God she hasn't had this issue. She walks around fine, has a perfect gait, runs, jumps. The only thing she does is scrunch her face when her head jerks. She doesn't seem disoriented at all either. I'm thinking of taking a vid, as much as I don't want to, to show him when I take her back next week for the recheck just do he can see what I mean.

I hope Patches is okay. Having a sick cat is very hard. I'll pray for Patches. I just hope dear Grace doesn't need specialists. They usually are not next door and as I said, Grace was quite traumatized by the vet as it was and it is only about a mile down the road.
 

 

[denice]

He's good now.  He's on a low daily dose of a steroid and he goes to the vet every six months instead of annually.  He has only been sick twice in 2 1/2 years and both times it was very mild and short.

 

[worriedsomuch]

Can I ask what Patches has?

I also wanted to add that Tresaderm, the eardrops prescribed do have an antibiotic in them. I looked it up. It has a broad spectrum one so I guess that's why he didn't prescribe one. I'm so nervous. I keep googling and finding bad things like FIP which I never had even heard of. Also, brain tumors or other bad stuff, although 5 is supposedly fairly young for a brain tumor diagnosis. I couldn't even afford an MRI either if she needed one. I could barely eat dinner. I notice as well that Grace only seems to get the tic when she is at rest or like very comfortable. I was just thinking of it. She had come over to see me and was purring when it happened, same with yesterday. Last night she was also going to sleep. I'm just so nervous about her!

Apparently the girl who posted the Youtube video claims her vet said her cat had focal seizures. Now I am sitting here crying figuring Grace has a brain tumor and will die

She said her cat is still alive and his seizures were food allergies but I don't know what to think anymore. My vet claims they are not seizures but what else am I to think?

 

[denice]

He has probable IBD with symptoms that are different from the usual ones.  That's probably why the other vet's didn't treat for it.  The drops make sense now.  They are a combination of a steroid for the allergic reaction and an antibiotic for the infection.

I am all for researching things on the internet but it can also lead people down the primrose path to the wrong place.  Kind of like someone thinking they have a brain tumor because of a bad headache.  Give the medicine time to work.  Sounds like he is getting the right treatment.  Try to relax and for now leave looking things up on the internet alone.  

 

[jcat]

Just my :2cts: How do you react when you've gotten water in your ears or have used ear drops? Grace may feel like she has water in her ears after getting the drops, and since she has no fingers to stick in them while tilting her head, she may be twitching/jerking her head instead because scratching doesn't relieve it. We had a long-eared dog that often got ear infections, and that's exactly how he acted whenever he was getting drops.

 

[peaches08]

I do not understand why he's calling it an infection yet won't give an antibiotic. Are you sure he didn't say inflammation caused by allergies? If there is an infection going on, then your cat needs antibiotics.

 

[denice]

Can I ask what Patches has?

I also wanted to add that Tresaderm, the eardrops prescribed do have an antibiotic in them. I looked it up. It has a broad spectrum one so I guess that's why he didn't prescribe one. 

When she looked it up she found that it has an antibiotic in it.  It is both a steroid and an antibiotic.

 

[peaches08]

When she looked it up she found that it has an antibiotic in it.  It is both a steroid and an antibiotic.

I missed that! Thanks!

 

[stephanietx]

My vet frequently prescribes tressaderm for ear infections.  It's a combo antibiotic & steroid.  It's possible that the infection is more severe and she will need a stronger antibiotic.