Why is my cat growling, licking, and acting drugged after ear meds?

Hey there, Sorry to see about Kovu licking himself obsessively. I can see that he has really made his skin very inflamed. A somewhat common problem in cats called Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex (EGC) comes to mind when I see this photo, specifically because the middles and backs of his hind legs are affected. If this is the cause, it likely has nothing to do with his seizure disorder or phenobarbital. These lesions can easily develop secondary bacterial infections though, which may require antibiotics. Tackling EGC often involves a bit of trial and error to figure out what works best for each cat. Some cats only ever break out once or twice in their lives, and some cats need to have a special hypoallergenic diet, consistent flea control, and allergy medications throughout their whole lives. It is generally something that can be managed well once it is under control. Here is a link for more information about EGC: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951528 I'd recommend getting Kovu into his veterinarian in the next 48 hours to have him examined and his itchiness addressed. They can talk to you more about their clinical findings with Kovu and what diagnostics are needed and what treatment is best for him. I hope this helps. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi there! He may have an ear infection caused by yeast, bacteria, or even ear mites. This can causes itching and behavioral changes such as more lethargic or agitation as you say. He may also have picked up a few fleas which can cause itching around the neck, ears, as well as base of the tail. I would have Teddy examined by his veterinarian soon to rule out an ear infection or a flea allergy as the cause. An recheck exam wouldn't be a bad idea to be sure there is not another medical cause for the behavior. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello. It is more likely that Katniss's symptoms are related more to the ear cleaning than anything else, as there is no way a nail trim could cause neurological signs unless your cat was handled very roughly, & I hope this is not so. Anything placed in the ear could potentially cause enough irritation to result in the signs of vestibular syndrome. If no medications were instilled in the ears, then the symptoms should subside In 3-5 days. In addition to the medications prescribed, I might have added something for nausea ( like Cerenia ) just to make sure Katniss continues to eat well. Unfortunately, there is no strict timeline as to when she may totally recover, but if she is not significantly better by Monday, then I might be thinking about recommending a CAT scan or MRI to evaluate what is going on in her inner ear canal. Hopefully she will start to feel & act better with each passing day, but if not, you may need to pursue some advanced diagnostics. I hope she is doing better soon, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi. The ear Mite medicine should not be causing him to be acting more calm than normal. There may be something else going on. I would recommend that you take him in for an examination with your veterinarian at the next availability.

Poor Icky!! He sounds pretty sick and I suggest you get him to your vet as soon as possible. I would be concerned about the seizure activity. It could be caused by something affecting the brain, causing the tingling and itching, but really being a partial seizure. Maybe he sustained some trauma while out? It could also be what's called hyperesthesia syndrome. This is also a type of seizure activity but is more a strong sensitivity over the lower back that results in what you describe. Cats have very strong neurologic sensation in their mid to lower back. If your cat simply has fleas or some other allergic reaction causing intense itching in that area, the act of scratching the area can elicit the neurologic response of urinating and over reaction that you describe. Check your cat closely for fleas. Really, though I suspect something serious is going on here and he needs to be seen by a vet.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would agree with the veterinarian that the blood work does not look concerning at this time. If his appetite has decreased with antibiotics, I would recommend discontinuing the antibiotics and seeing how his appetite improves. If he continues to be inappetant or is lethargic, I would have the veterinarian recheck him to ensure everything is ok. If he continues to be itchy, I would recommend using a topical shampoo such as Douxo PS shampoo which can be found online quite easily and bathe twice weekly until resolved. I would also recommend using Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent, which can also be found online. If he continues to be itchy, it may be time to consider switching to a different food or even consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

Hi and thank you for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Quarter has a lot going on and is not feeling very well. I am sorry to hear! It is hard to say exactly what is happening with Quarter without examining him first but I can offer some possibilities. Ear mites are common parasites that can infect the ear. These are very itchy and can really cause some discomfort in cats. If Quarter has not been vaccinated, I would be concerned about something infectious causing his symptoms such a virus. My best advice is to take Quarter into a veterinarian for an exam and some diagnostic testing to determine what is in his ear and why he is lethargic. I hope this helps and I hope you can take him into see his veterinarian soon.