Arm chair veterinarians- what's this yellow crusty stuff in my cat's ears? Update

[ncmickeyluvr]

UPDATE in post #10!

First off-- I mentioned this to our veterinarian over the phone and she said that she'll just look at it on Wednesday....but it's gross and I can't google an answer,so I'm asking the real experts.

Here's the back story.

Our cat, Ellie, was spayed on Monday, June 27. Over the weekend, we noticed that it was draining puss DH spent a lovely, fun filled evening at the emergency vet, where Ellie had her stitches re-opened and cleaned out. Also, IV antibiotics and she's taking them twice a day, at home.

So here we are, over 10 days from the original spay and the poor baby is NOT HAPPY and really, really hates the CONE OF SHAME!!!


Anyway, a few days ago, I noticed a yellow, crusty discharge on one of her ears. Now it's covering the insides of both of her ears. I can't tell if it's itchy because of the cone. Our veterinarian has been AWESOME and has called every day to check on Ellie. I mentioned the ears today and she said maybe mites....but aren't mites brown?? It definitely doesn't look like ear mites. My dog had those once and it wasn't the same.

Any idea? The vet said she'd look at them on Wednesday when she removes the stitches , unless we end up there before then with a problem.

Thanks!!

 

[Aisling]

Oh my gosh you made me GAG!!!!!!!!!

I thought the title was Arm Chair Vegetarians what's this yellow crust stuff in my cat's ears.

Phew!

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Oh my gosh you made me GAG!!!!!!!!!

I thought the title was Arm Chair Vegetarians what's this yellow crust stuff in my cat's ears.

Phew!

Trust me, it's gross even if you read it correctly!! Sorry!

 

[Uncle Remus]

First off-- I mentioned this to our veterinarian over the phone and she said that she'll just look at it on Wednesday....but it's gross and I can't google an answer,so I'm asking the real experts.

Here's the back story.

Our cat, Ellie, was spayed on Monday, June 27. Over the weekend, we noticed that it was draining puss DH spent a lovely, fun filled evening at the emergency vet, where Ellie had her stitches re-opened and cleaned out. Also, IV antibiotics and she's taking them twice a day, at home.

So here we are, over 10 days from the original spay and the poor baby is NOT HAPPY and really, really hates the CONE OF SHAME!!!


Anyway, a few days ago, I noticed a yellow, crusty discharge on one of her ears. Now it's covering the insides of both of her ears. I can't tell if it's itchy because of the cone. Our veterinarian has been AWESOME and has called every day to check on Ellie. I mentioned the ears today and she said maybe mites....but aren't mites brown?? It definitely doesn't look like ear mites. My dog had those once and it wasn't the same.

Any idea? The vet said she'd look at them on Wednesday when she removes the stitches , unless we end up there before then with a problem.

Thanks!!

Tomorrow when the vet calls, ask her.

Best wishes for Ellie's recovery.

 

[SandrA9810]

Have you tried cleaning it off? Seeing if it returns. And put some disinfectant on it. There's one that I was able to use on my dog for her wounds, it's sold in the pharmacy section, and it's this horrible brown color, and easily stains. You're also supposed to dilute it a bit for use on animals.

 

[melmar136]

my kitty just had a yeast infection in her ears. Could be that maybe?
Hope your kitty is feeling better soon!

 

[Squirrel!!!]

Ear mite discharge is classically dark brown almost coffee grounds-like.


If the cat is not itchy, and you would be able to tell as she would be trying to get at her ears through the cone, I would just wait and see. If you start messing with her ears by cleaning them, you might end up irritating them further, making a problem where there really wasn't one to begin with. Wiping it gently off with a tissue, but don't go in the canal, or start muckity mucking with chemicals until she sees you vet.

Some cats produce more ear goo than others, and maybe she ordinarily cleans it up, but cannot now that she is wearing the cone of shame?

Sorry that things are not all rosy in your kitty's world.

 

[Joyciemc]

Some cats produce more ear goo than others, and maybe she ordinarily cleans it up, but cannot now that she is wearing the cone of shame?

This is what I was gonna say as my guess.

A yeast infection usually smells. Not that you want to sniff it...
And mites are typically brown, flaky, gunky stuff.

 

[castmemberb4]

Ear mite discharge is classically dark brown almost coffee grounds-like.


If the cat is not itchy, and you would be able to tell as she would be trying to get at her ears through the cone, I would just wait and see. If you start messing with her ears by cleaning them, you might end up irritating them further, making a problem where there really wasn't one to begin with. Wiping it gently off with a tissue, but don't go in the canal, or start muckity mucking with chemicals until she sees you vet.

Some cats produce more ear goo than others, and maybe she ordinarily cleans it up, but cannot now that she is wearing the cone of shame?

Sorry that things are not all rosy in your kitty's world.

I have 4 cats and ITA.
Poor baby hope she's better soon

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

UPDATE!

Thanks for everyone's help!

We ended up back at the vet yesterday (Friday ) because her spay incision was looking funky....again...and I wanted to avoid ending up at the emergency vet over the weekend...again!!

I am sooooo glad that I took her. Her incision is still/again infected. The vet speculates that she may have actually managed to chew her stitches while wearing the cone/collar. Yah! I have a talented cat! With all of that, the vet was actually as worried about her ears. They are also infected!! No yeast infection or mites. The vet thinks the infection may be caused by the cone or maybe a reaction to her antibiotics that then got infected.

Anyway, we now have a larger cone, stronger antibiotics, antihistamine pills for the redness/itching on her incision and ears, and ointment for her incision and ears.

To top it all off, we went out to dinner last night and came home to find that Houdini had managed to get the collar off. It doesn't look like she did damage but we'll see on Monday....unless something scary happens.

Yah for $1000.00 to spay our cat. DH says we should have just had kittens.

 

[denisem]

Awwwww....poor you and Ellie! Hope all the new precautions work.

This fits in with the pet nickname thread - Ellie Houdini has a nice ring to it!

 

[CPT Tripss]

dried mustard . . . stop feeding her sardines

 

[Talking Hands]

UPDATE!
To top it all off, we went out to dinner last night and came home to find that Houdini had managed to get the collar off. It doesn't look like she did damage but we'll see on Monday....unless something scary happens.

Yah for $1000.00 to spay our cat. DH says we should have just had kittens.

My daughter's cat was able to work herself out of the larger cone as well. We actually lost one. DD found it cleaning up our living room recently. We did have a cat whose spay wound split open. We had gone out to eat and when we got home the incision was completely open and her innards exposed. Very expensive cat.
Good luck and I hope your little Houdini heals quickly.