My senior cat scratches ears raw. Should I get an e-collar or see a vet?

Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further trauma. Have him examined by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER. He may need antibiotics for infection as well as pain management. Once the infection is under control, an ear mite medication can be administered. Acarexx is a mite specific medication that will kill most mites with a single treatment. Severe cases may need multiple treatment. Topicals such as Revolution or Advantage Multi may also be used to treat mite infection.

The most common reasons that cats scratch at their ears are infections or infestations with ear mites. Ear mites can be treated by several different medications, some of which are over the counter and others that are prescription only. If there is an infection, an antimicrobial flush plus cleaning would be needed to clear up the affected ear. Steroids might also be warranted to assist with some of the inflammation and discomfort associated with the infection. Keep the e-collar on for the time being until you have resolved the problem. Sparrow will only make it worse as soon as you remove it, as you have already noted.

Hi, I am sorry to hear about Sparrow's ear. The inside of his ear looks clean as you have shown in the picture. The back/base of his ear unfortunately looks quite infected. It is great that you are keeping the Ecollar on to prevent him from scratching the ear. Sometimes topical treatment alone will not be able to heal this type of infection. The area looks very moist, either from infection or the ointment(s) that are being applied. Typically when cats have an infected area on their skin, we want the area dry and do not put on topical treatments. This wound would most likely heal very quickly with a visit to Sparrow's veterinarian. The doctor can clip and clean the wound with medical grade gentle cleansing solution and get Sparrow on antibiotics. The antibiotics (which needs a doctor prescription) is the main treatment to get this to heal. I cannot recommend any further over the counter treatments that would allow this to heal. I am sorry about that. I would recommend to keep him indoors only, keep the ecollar on, and hold off on the ointment so the area can dry up. The veterinary appointment can hopefully happen soon and Sparrow will be on his way to healing quickly. Best of luck.

The ear mites need to be treated before surgery is performed on the hematoma. There are some ear mite treatments available at pet stores, but their quality isn't as good as prescription medications. I would recommend calling your local emergency clinic to see if they even carry ear mite medications - some don't carry them in stock.

Poor Missy looks like her skin is quite irritated! She requires a visit to the vet to determine the source of her itchiness. She could have an infection in her ear (bacteria, yeast, or both), ear mites, or allergies (to something in the environment like pollen/dust or to food) that is causing the inflammation. Your vet can look down inside the ear and possibly take a swab to examine under the microscope, and prescribe the appropriate treatment for her. Placing an e-collar on her until your vet is able to see her will help decrease the self-trauma she is causing.

The scratch on Cat Stevens doesn't look to bad. If he is scratching then I recommend an elizabethan collar so he doesn't scratch at it. If it is worse then it was a week ago, starts to swell, extends down into the ear canal or has discharge then I recommend bringing him to a veterinarian for evaluation. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This could be an indication of infection (bacterial, fungal, mites). She would need to be physically examined by your veterinarian for confirmation. A swab of the ear can be examined under a microscope in the clinic to make the diagnosis. The appropriate medication or treatment can then be dispensed or administered. IN the meantime, place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent excessive scratching or rubbing.