My cat has ear infection, balance, Horner's. Vet suspects tumor. What to do?

Poor cat. Her balance issues are very suggestive of an inner ear infection, which also means that she probably has a ruptured ear drum due to the chronic ear infections. Some pets are prone to repeat ear infections because of stenotic (narrow) ear canals, polyps inside the ear (quite common in cats, also will have nasal discharge), and a thyroid issue (not as common in cats). I would recommend getting Daisy back to the vet for oral antibiotics to treat the inner ear infection and just a sterile saline wash to clean the ears out, since no topical medication is safe to use in a ruptured ear drum. Then I would seriously consider checking for polyps and if not found then consider having a total ear ablation surgery for Daisy. This involves removing the inner ear canal which will essentially prevent any future ear infections from occurring. This is a drastic procedure and should be thoroughly considered after discussing the pros and cons with your veterinarian. But considering the severity of Daisy's ear problem, it definitely seems like an option that may be in her best interest. Here is more information about the surgical procedure TECA (Total ear canal ablation) and another similar procedure that can be done for Daisy- http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1708

If the infection goes that far, we often use antibiotics tablets (sometimes two different types at the same time, as Melcho is having now) and strong anti-inflammatory medications, usually steroids. You should get in touch with your vets again, as it sounds that your Melcho is struggling at the moment and he may benefit from more aggressive therapy.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Oreo. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Inner ear infections result in vestibular signs such as loss of balance, circling and eye problems. If so, she will need oral antibiotics. In some cases, anti-nausea medications are prescribed as well. I hope this information helps!

Hello. She may have a polyp or growth in the ear canal or oropharynx. This would require sedation and looking with a scope to see if there might be one. Some general practice veterinarians do not perform this diagnostic testing. Perhaps there is a referral clinic near you with the necessary equipment. I would recommend that you request a referral elsewhere from your veterinarian.

I'm sorry to hear Millie is having these issues! Many times in cats an ear infection indicates an underlying problem like a food allergy or ear polyps. It would be a good idea to talk with your veterinarian about putting Millie on a special prescription diet for food allergies (like Royal Canin hydrolyzed protein). Sometimes sedation and a deep ear flushing can be helpful and a veterinarian can also look for the presence of polyps while Millie is sedated. You may also want to look into a veterinarian who is a board certified dermatologist in your area. They may be able to help you with Millie as it sounds like she is a more complicated case. Finally, if Millie is sleeping more it would be a good idea to have blood work on her. She may have some other underlying condition that is affecting her health. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Millie is feeling better soon!

Head tilt could be caused by deep inner ear infection (or polyp), stroke, infection such as toxoplasmosis, stroke, or even tumor although that would be rare at her age. If the toxo test comes back normal then I would consider requesting a referral to a neurologist where an MRI of the brain can be done. If that is not possible then I would trial treat with antibiotics and steroids. I am so sorry that she is going through this. I am sure you are very worried. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

If the antibiotics are helping, it's probably a middle ear infection indeed. a sample needs to be taken from the ear and sent for culture and sensitivity, then the best antibiotic can be chosen according to the result. the course of treatment must be longer next time, at least 4 weeks as these infections take a long time to resolve.