My cat's ears are dirty, bleeding, and painful. Is it an emergency?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Simba. Ear infections are a common cause of wounds near the ears. This can occur secondary to scratching the ears. Sometimes owners will not witness the cat scratching as they can do it at night. Look at his ears to see if any brown wax is present. Red and swollen ears can also indicate an infection. If this is not the case, then an allergy or even fleas can cause scratching and wounds. Simba will need to see his veterinarian to know for sure. The veterinarian will use a special instrument known as an otoscope to look deep into his ear canals. If an infection is suspected, then a sample is collected from each ear canal to evaluate under the microscope. This will guide treatment. I hope this information helps!

It could be Simba has a yeast or bacterial ear infection. Those tend to happen more than ear mites in adult cats. Kittens are more likely to get ear mites. You do need to have him seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose if he does have an ear infection and can treat him. It's important to get him seen promptly as leaving it untreated can lead to hearing loss. I hope this helps!

It sounds as though Bo is quite uncomfortable since she's scratching her ears excessively to the point of bleeding. While this is not a life-threatening emergency, it is certainly causing some degree of pain and discomfort, which necessitates a more urgent vet visit. It's likely that the ear mite medication didn't work because her issue may be caused by an ear infection with bacteria and/or yeast. At this point, your best option is to call your vet to ask about scheduling an urgent visit. I hope that she feels better soon!

I would recommend putting an ecollar on Simba so he can't scratch this spot and taking him to the vet. This area may need to be shaved and scrubbed to say what is going on and he also most likely needs antibiotics. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Simba's ear does look really bad, and unfortunately this is not something that can be treated with home remedies. He has to see a vet now. I'd see if you can borrow money from family and friends to afford the vet, and see if the vet will allow you to make payment plans. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Smokey. She will need to see her veterinarian as she appears to have an ear infection. The veterinarian will use an instrument called an otoscope to look deep within each ears canal. Redness, swelling and discharge are all signs of infection. Next, a sample will be collected from each ear and evaluated under the microscope. This will determine if the infection is bacterial, yeast, mites or some combination. This will allow the doctor to prescribe an appropriate medication and cleaning solution. I hope this information helps!

If you have an ear cleaner at home, I would recommend using it. Otherwise, waiting until tomorrow morning. If Simba gets more lethargic or develops other symptoms then I recommend an emergency vet. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.