My cat's ear is inflamed. Should I take her to the vet immediately?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Mimi is scratching one ear more than usual, it is likely that she has an ear infection. Ear infections can be bacterial and/or fungal in origin. If left untreated, simple external ear infections can progress to middle or inner ear infections, leading to vestibular disease or even central nervous system signs. I recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to have Mimi checked for an ear infection. He/she will likely perform an ear cytology, meaning he/she will swab her ear and look at the material under a microscope. This way, your veterinarian can look for evidence of bacteria and/or yeast and treat her accordingly. I hope this is helpful!

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!

Poor Luna. It looks like she may have created a skin infection behind her right ear. We will commonly see cats create wounds from scratching at areas. I would recommend having her evaluated for an ear infection and to evaluate for any secondary skin infections. If there is an underlying cause for her to scratch that area (ear or other skin problem), you will need to treat that underlying cause first in order to allow that area to heal. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The single most common reason a dog will get inflammation of it's ears is allergies. The inflammation then leads to infection which will create more inflammation, and the cycle continues. Parasites such as ear mites and fleas can lead to the reaction. A full otoscopic exam is needed to assess the health of the ear canals, and Mia's inflammation is severe enough she will likely need sedation to have a proper otoscopic exam and canal flushing. Testing for the types of organisms living in the canals that are causing or worsening the issue will be beneficial to cut the inflammation cycle as well as some anti-inflammatory medication prescribed by your Veterinarian. Additionally, if the underlying cause can be determined, lessening its effects or eliminating it altogether will mitigate the reaction and minimize future risk. For treatment success, follow-up appointments are crucial, generally done every 2 weeks or sooner if an issue is noted in the interim. I hope this helps and that Mia gets some relief soon!

Yes you should take Lani to your veterinarian for an exam. You are doing a good job with your care but I don’t like the look of that red area in the ear from the picture. They will check to see if there’s something in the ear causing the problem and can treat the growth and ear infection. She could have a mass that will need to be removed. This looks uncomfortable so continue with your treatment but get her in soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lani.

It's probably an ear infection, often it cannot be seen from the outside. Ear infections are very common in cats, it is usually caused by either yeast or bacterial disease. the treatment is usually simple and straightforward, you will have to take him to the vet and get the ears checked, then a prescription ear drops will be prescribed according to the infectious agent.

Poor Spookette! It sounds like she may have a pretty bad ear infection. Ear infections can be due to mites, bacteria, or yeast in cats. I'd recommend scheduling an examination with a veterinarian so Spookette can have her ears checked out. A swab can be taken from the ears and evaluated under the microscope to determine if the cause is mites, bacteria, or yeast. She will likely need prescription ear medication to treat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Spookette's ear issue resolves quickly!