Infection of the Ear flap in a Cat

by unknown
(n/a)

My cat has an infected outer ear flap.

I have been trying to treat him from home as I do not have the finances to afford a vet's bill at the current time.

I did manage to get some oral Cipro from my vet and have been draining the ear flap each day.

I have also been boiling it with peroxide and taking a hot cloth to the area to clean it and help the infection drain outward.

I recently purchased an e-collar to keep the cat from scratching his ear at night.

I have been putting Bacitracin ointment on the ear to help the healing as well.

Is there anything else I can do to help my cat heal and avoid paying for a high priced vet bill in which I can not afford?

It is a male cat, neutered, aprox. 3yrs old, and weighs 15 lbs.
The previous tenants of the house that I am now living in, moved and abandoned their cat, leaving him to feed for himself.
I have since rescued the cat.

Answer

Hello !

I think it is very admirable that you took over responsibility for this cat!

What you are doing at the moment is fine, instead of the peroxide you can also use betadine iodine or a chlorhexidin based surgical scrub (Hibiscrub) before applying the bacitracin ointment.

From a distance and without seeing the actual wound on the ear flap, it is hard to give further tips, therefore I need to ask a few facts:

Is the skin wound healing up or do you think there is no progress so far?

What is the nature of the drained fluid? Pussy? Smelly? Bloodstained-watery?

Does this skin wound origin from an injury or bite or was it caused by constant/intensive scratching?

If the wound was caused by vivid scratching, then it is vital to diagnose the cause of the itchiness.
Otoscopic examination of the ear canal through your vet is crucial to exclude anything inside the ear canal that causes excessive itchiness and pain or further complications that would require far more expensive veterinary treatment and a longer recovery.

Another idea is to find a good pet health insurance plan for your cat, so that you won't need to pay out of pocket for the total costs of health problems that will occur in the future.

I hope I could help,

Best Wishes

Dr.Ellen Schmidt, MRCVS

This is only educational advice. It is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above answer cannot replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as he / she has the ability to evaluate your pet in person.