My kitten of a few months has an ear infection/inflamed ear. Her mother unfortunately ignored her ears when she was a baby, I use polysporin drops to help with her pain and ear wax. This time it seems to really bug her/cause her some pain & her skin around ear canal is more red/pink than the other ear. I'm looking for info on at home treatments or something I can get from a pet store. I live on disability in BC and am trying to avoid a hefty vet bill.

Updated On September 20th, 2023

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

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Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. The ear, honestly, to me does not look that bad from the photo. Of course I cannot see down into the ear canal or the ear drum without examining her in person with an otoscope so there may be something down there causing the issue. There is no way for me to tell from a photo. If she is really scratching at the ear or starts to scratch it when you touch the ear then chances are she has ear mites. People often mistake an ear mite issue with a bacterial/fungal infection but the treatments are very different. Ear mites are very common in kittens. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ear-mites-otodectes-in-cats-and-dogs ) The best treatment for ear mites is Revolution topical solution that you would put on like a flea/tick drops on the back of the neck. DO NOT put it in the ear. Typically two doses 3-4 weeks apart is enough to kill all the mites and correct the issues. I would try that before attempting to put medication inside the ear canal at this point. You will need to purchase it from a local vet. Over the counter "ear mite treatments" do not work. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/revloution-topical-solution-for-cats-51-15-lbs-blue ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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