Can I give my senior cat antibiotics for ear issues and wobbliness?

Unfortunately there are no over the counter medications that I would recommend starting until you can see your vet. I also don't typically recommend cleaning a cat's ears with any washes or solutions unless your vet instructs you to - cats have very sensitive ears and can develop vertigo from vigorous ear cleaning. Your best bet is to see your vet as soon as you can.

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.

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.

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!

Without knowing the type of antibiotic, it is hard to know. The cat should be examined by a vet to determine the exact type of ear infection and the best medication to treat. If the cat has ear mites or a yeast infection, the antibiotic is not going to help treat the problem. Also, if the ear drum is ruptured there are certain antibiotics that should not be used. Please have your vet look at your cat before treating him with medications.

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!

If routine medications for internal ear infection have not helped Willow, then I would also be concerned about a brain tumor or other non-bacterial problem, like a stroke, fungal infection, nerve issue, etc. Advanced imaging, such as CT or MRI, may be able to diagnose the cause of Willow's symptoms. If you elect not to pursue these types of diagnostics, you may discuss with your vet options for keeping her comfortable. Often anti-nausea medications and eye drops to keep the eye moist will help with most of the discomfort associated with vestibular (balance) issues and Horner's Syndrome.