My cat got water in her ears after a bath. What can I do to help?

Yes, moisture can promote bacterial or fungal overgrowth in a dark, warm ear canal. To prevent this, place cotton balls in the ears before the bath. Don't forget to remove them afterwards. You can also use a cotton ball in the ear canal while tipping his head down to drain excess water. There are drying agents you can purchase from your veterinarian or a pet store as well. Isis should be examined by your veterinarian to confirm and treat any existing infection. A swab of the ear can be examined in the clinic and medication can be dispensed based on the diagnosis.

Olive oil isn’t recommended to put in your pets ears unfortunately. It shouldn’t cause any major issues unless Callie has a ruptured ear drum, which your vet can check for with a proper ear exam. If it looks dirty and she is shaking, then she could still have mites (true are quite small and often cause black crusty debris in the ears) or even a yeast or bacterial infection. It’s best to take her in to your vet soon for a proper ear exam, testing to determine what kind of infection is there and pet friendly ear medication and cleaner. If you can’t get her in today, then it’s best to purchase a dewaxing pet ear cleaner from your local pet store right now to help remove some of the residue olive oil from her ear. She likely doesn’t like the feel of having this in her ear so it’s also a good idea to place an e-collar on her to prevent her from scratching at her ears and causing further irritation. I hope Callie’s ear infection clears up soon. Best wishes and take care.

Try to not pour water over her head and you can put cotton balls in the ears. This will not create a waterproof barrier but can help to absorb small amounts of water. Just remember to remove them after the bath!

This is very likely to be a mite infestation, you will need to take her to the vet to get it confirmed and treated. generally speaking i do not recommend bathing your cat ever, unless she somehow got herself dirty to the point of no return, cats should not be bath and most of them really hate it.

NEVER use something that small in a dog's ear. You should use a cotton ball and only wipe what you can see. Try blowing gently in and on that ear to get her to shake it out. If she doesn't shake it out then I recommend getting her in to your vet tomorrow so they can look in her ear to find it and remove it.

An appropriate ear cleaner would be strongly recommended. Most veterinary clinics and pet stores will have several options. Do not use water, hydrogen peroxide or alcohol to clean ears. If you have no other options, a dry cotton ball or soft washcloth can be used to clean what can be reached. Do not insert anything into the ear canal. Read more about ear cleaning at the link below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-clean-your-cat-s-ears-what-you-need-to-know/

You could try contacting your local vets office or pet store for an ear cleanser suitable for use in cats (alcohol free only) to see if this will remove the mites, wax and oil. Gently fill the ear with the solution, rub the side of the ear for 1minute then allow her to shake out excess, wipe outer ear with cotton wool if she will allow this and is not too painful. Do not force liquid into ear as this can irritate or even burst the ear drum causing pain. You should contact your vet to discuss options of pain relief, your local humane society may have information on subsidized clinics in your area