Google's Ruptured Eardrum

My poor kitten, Google, who we found in our yard on 9/17 has a
ruptured eardrum. When we first got him, he had earmites and was
treated with ivermectin. Because we have 2 indoor cats already, I've
had him tested twice for feline leukemia, both times negative. He's
had all his vaccines and boosters since he was exposed to several
outdoor cats that we also feed before he came in.

Anyway, today I noticed one of his ears was all crusty and was worried
that his earmites had never been totally cured and worried that my
other 2 cats might get them so I called the vet at 12:30--they close
at 2 on Saturday--but I was able to get him in, fortunately. He had a
bunch of pus in his ear and a ruptured eardrum. He now has oral
antibiotics and ear drops to take. The vet said he didn't know what
caused it.

Google and my other male cat, Marbles, play kind of rough and Google
is very, very active. The other day while we were at work, he (and
maybe Marbles) knocked a heavy speaker off a stand about 5 feet high
as well as a guitar and several other things. This was about Tuesday,
I think, so maybe he got hit with one of the falling objects? Or maybe
Marbles and he played too rough? Maybe my other cat, Abbey, smacked
him in the head hard? She pretty much leaves him alone but if he
torments her, which he does sometimes, I've seen her smack him.

I can't find anything on the internet that really says what the causes
are. The vet said probably an injury of some sort. Strange. He has
acted totally normal and I haven't seen him scratching his ear or
shaking his head or anything unusual.

Candace

"Candace" wrote in message
...
My poor kitten, Google, who we found in our yard on 9/17 has a
ruptured eardrum. When we first got him, he had earmites and was
treated with ivermectin. Because we have 2 indoor cats already, I've
had him tested twice for feline leukemia, both times negative. He's
had all his vaccines and boosters since he was exposed to several
outdoor cats that we also feed before he came in.

Anyway, today I noticed one of his ears was all crusty and was worried
that his earmites had never been totally cured and worried that my
other 2 cats might get them so I called the vet at 12:30--they close
at 2 on Saturday--but I was able to get him in, fortunately. He had a
bunch of pus in his ear and a ruptured eardrum. He now has oral
antibiotics and ear drops to take. The vet said he didn't know what
caused it.

Google and my other male cat, Marbles, play kind of rough and Google
is very, very active. The other day while we were at work, he (and
maybe Marbles) knocked a heavy speaker off a stand about 5 feet high
as well as a guitar and several other things. This was about Tuesday,
I think, so maybe he got hit with one of the falling objects? Or maybe
Marbles and he played too rough? Maybe my other cat, Abbey, smacked
him in the head hard? She pretty much leaves him alone but if he
torments her, which he does sometimes, I've seen her smack him.

I can't find anything on the internet that really says what the causes
are. The vet said probably an injury of some sort. Strange. He has
acted totally normal and I haven't seen him scratching his ear or
shaking his head or anything unusual.



Ohh, poor little baby. That has to hurt. (I had ear problems my whole
childhood and had to have an ear drum lances once due to otitis media.)

I can't imagine what the cause would be.

"Candace" wrote in message
...
My poor kitten, Google, who we found in our yard on 9/17 has a
ruptured eardrum. When we first got him, he had earmites and was
treated with ivermectin. Because we have 2 indoor cats already, I've
had him tested twice for feline leukemia, both times negative. He's
had all his vaccines and boosters since he was exposed to several
outdoor cats that we also feed before he came in.

Anyway, today I noticed one of his ears was all crusty and was worried
that his earmites had never been totally cured and worried that my
other 2 cats might get them so I called the vet at 12:30--they close
at 2 on Saturday--but I was able to get him in, fortunately. He had a
bunch of pus in his ear and a ruptured eardrum. He now has oral
antibiotics and ear drops to take.


What's the name of the ear drops? Does Google swallow or gag or cough after
you put the drops in his ear?


The vet said he didn't know what
caused it.



I bet he doesn't.... Were you present when Google was treated the first
time? Did the vet use a swab or Q-Tip to clean Google's ear canal?





Google and my other male cat, Marbles, play kind of rough and Google
is very, very active. The other day while we were at work, he (and
maybe Marbles) knocked a heavy speaker off a stand about 5 feet high
as well as a guitar and several other things. This was about Tuesday,
I think, so maybe he got hit with one of the falling objects? Or maybe
Marbles and he played too rough? Maybe my other cat, Abbey, smacked
him in the head hard? She pretty much leaves him alone but if he
torments her, which he does sometimes, I've seen her smack him.

I can't find anything on the internet that really says what the causes
are.

The most common cause is from using a Q-Tip or swab to clean the ear canal.
Even if he was careful, the Q-Tip still packs wax and other debris further
down the canal close to the eardrum. If the eardrum was infected, the
pressure of the debris can cause it to rupture. Also, if he used a bulb
syringe to suck out the cleaning solution and didn't leave a little
breathing room between the canal and the syringe the vacuum pressure could
rupture the eardrum.


The vet said probably an injury of some sort. Strange.

He probably did and didn't even realize it.


He has
acted totally normal and I haven't seen him scratching his ear or
shaking his head or anything unusual.

Candace

Google should be ok, but you might want to start looking for a new vet.

Best of luck,

Phil

On Nov 2, 1:07*am, "Phil P." wrote:

What's the name of the ear drops? Does Google swallow or gag or cough after
you put the drops in his ear?

Tresaderm. No, I read how you have to watch out for that. He doesn't
do those things, just shakes his head and looks annoyed.

I bet he doesn't.... Were you present when Google was treated the first
time? *Did the vet use a swab or Q-Tip to clean Google's ear canal?

I was in the room and he used a swab but he didn't go in very deep as
the black gunk was very close to the surface. He just took a little
sample and stuck it under a microscope.

The most common cause is from using a Q-Tip or swab to clean the ear canal.
Even if he was careful, the Q-Tip still packs wax and other debris further
down the canal close to the eardrum. If the eardrum was infected, the
pressure of the debris can cause it to rupture. *Also, if he used a bulb
syringe to suck out the cleaning solution and didn't leave a little
breathing room between the canal and the syringe the vacuum pressure could
rupture the eardrum.

I don't think he cleaned the ear per se, just got a sample and then
treated him with ivermectin.

He probably did and didn't even realize it.

I would think that but there were 3 different vets involved in
Google's care in the 6 weeks we've had him, 2 different practices that
I fluctuate between. The initial diagnosis and vet visit was 6 weeks
ago. Then 3 weeks ago when he went to the other vet for his boosters,
that vet stuck an otoscope gently into his ear and saw nothing so no
swab was inserted. Wouldn't it have shown up sooner if the first vet
had damaged his ear 6 weeks ago? Wouldn't the 2nd vet have seen some
damage 3 weeks ago?

Best of luck,

Phil

Thank you, Phil.

"Candace" wrote in message
...
On Nov 2, 1:07 am, "Phil P." wrote:

What's the name of the ear drops? Does Google swallow or gag or cough
after
you put the drops in his ear?

Tresaderm. No, I read how you have to watch out for that. He doesn't
do those things, just shakes his head and looks annoyed.

I bet he doesn't.... Were you present when Google was treated the first
time? Did the vet use a swab or Q-Tip to clean Google's ear canal?

I was in the room and he used a swab but he didn't go in very deep as
the black gunk was very close to the surface. He just took a little
sample and stuck it under a microscope.

The most common cause is from using a Q-Tip or swab to clean the ear
canal.
Even if he was careful, the Q-Tip still packs wax and other debris further
down the canal close to the eardrum. If the eardrum was infected, the
pressure of the debris can cause it to rupture. Also, if he used a bulb
syringe to suck out the cleaning solution and didn't leave a little
breathing room between the canal and the syringe the vacuum pressure could
rupture the eardrum.

I don't think he cleaned the ear per se, just got a sample and then
treated him with ivermectin.

He probably did and didn't even realize it.

I would think that but there were 3 different vets involved in
Google's care in the 6 weeks we've had him, 2 different practices that
I fluctuate between. The initial diagnosis and vet visit was 6 weeks
ago. Then 3 weeks ago when he went to the other vet for his boosters,
that vet stuck an otoscope gently into his ear and saw nothing so no
swab was inserted. Wouldn't it have shown up sooner if the first vet
had damaged his ear 6 weeks ago? Wouldn't the 2nd vet have seen some
damage 3 weeks ago?

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I don't know--- A cat's eardrum is pretty well protected and kinda hard to
get at in a cat fight. The ear canal makes almost a 90* turn from almost
vertical to almost horizontal. Kinda like the letter "L". The eardrum is
located at the end of the horizontal section. The edges of the eardrum are
very hard to see even with the best otoscope. Its possible the vets missed a
tiny tear along the edge that got bigger. Small tears usually heal pretty
fast- in about a week or two. The major worry is an infection can pass
through the tear into the middle ear and eventually into the inner ear. The
eardrum also acts like a barrier that protects the middle and inner ear.

Phil