My cat has an ear polyp and is wobbly. Will surgery help him?

I would recommend bringing him back to the veterinarian. The polyp removal may or may not help but it is recommended to have it removed. I would talk to your regular veterinarian to see exact cost of the surgery since every place is different. They would be able to see the polyp on their physical examination and give you a proper quote. As long as on physical examination Duncan looks good and he blood work is good then I would recommend even at his age it is ok to go through the surgery. They typically recover very well and quickly. He may need a few days of medications. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

In a senior cat, there is always a chance any lump could be cancer unfortunately. If it is cancer, the vet will likely want to do further tests to see if it's spread. There may be chance this is just a polyp, and removing it is curative. You need to be aware that any surgery carries risks due to anesthesia, but the vet wouldn't recommend the surgery if they didn't feel it was safe for him. I do recommend having the surgery done. I hope this helps!

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

Hello and thank you for your questions. I hate to hear Callie is having these issues but I can glad you are having them addressed. Make sure to ask questions about what procedure they want to utilize to remove the polyp and what you should expect as part of normal recovery. Make sure to ask about potential complications and what a time line would be like for those to develop (that way you will be able to identify any issues quickly). Ask about advanced imaging like a CT or MRI. It's important to remove any polyps that may be present in her ears or sinuses. Otherwise she could have a continuation of symptoms. Ask if the ears or any nasal secretions need to be cultured. If this has been a long standing problem, antibiotic resistance issues could be present. Ask about histopathology for any polyps removed. Make sure Callie is tested for Felv/FIV as well. Here is some additional information about polyps in general (there are a couple kinds): https://bluepearlvet.com/medical-articles-for-pet-owners/inflammatory-ear-polyps-in-cats/ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nasopharyngeal-polyps-in-cats https://www.ovrs.com/blog/ear-polyps-pets-pet-owners-need-hear/ Once Callie is examined, you should get a better idea of what to expected. Lastly, make sure to get an idea of costs as well. I hope this helps and that everything goes smoothly!

This appears to be ceruminous cystomatosis - very common in Himalayan and Persian cats. It is a benign neoplastic condition but sometimes becomes a problem when lesions enlarge and occlude the ear canal, which disrupts normal self-cleaning. With just one cyst present I would not be overly concerned but if more start to appear and/or they get larger then you may need to have treatment done. Cryotherapy and/or laser treatment is usually the first line of treatment. It does not cure the issue then surgery to remove the entire ear canal is needed (TECA). At this stage I would just recommend monitoring it. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poot Vali! Yes! A total ear ablation can affect the peripheral vestibular nerve with in the ear. They can also have other temporary peripheral nerve defects like horner's (small pupil, elevated 3rd eyelid), facial nerve paralysis, etc. I'd expect the unbalanced symptoms to resolve but it may take time. Be sure to inform your Vet who performed the surgery so they are aware and can provide medications if needed. I hope this helps and I wish Vali a speedy recovery!

This is concerning - I wonder if Stinky's difficulty walking might be due to a ruptured eardrum. If her eardrum was ruptured the Zymox could cause irritation of the inner ear. There are many other potential causes for lack of balance and I would recommend seeing an emergency veterinarian for a diagnosis. They will hopefully be able to examine Stinky to determine if her eardrum is intact (it is difficult to visualize in some cats and it's possible that sedation might be recommended for a thorough exam). Blood work to rule out metabolic disease causing lack of balance might also be recommended.