[triste]

During the winter my 13 yr old kitty Puddin stays in the basement b/c she is 3 legged from a run in w/ a car when she was 4. Anyhow, she has slowed down in her eating lately which can be normal for her. She's been hiding more than usual so I called her insistantly tonight. She came out (walking fine as usual) but when I picked her up, I noticed her right ear is puffed up like a balloon and has some pus coming out of her ear (near the connection I believe). Here's the deal, we have over a foot of snow on the ground now and it is said to be coming an inch an hour for the next 10 hours. I am fearing that our vet won't be open tomorrow.

I tried to put some neosporin on it as best I could but I hate to touch it too much. Anyone have ANY advice? Should I give her some baby aspirin? (we've done that for the dog as instructed by vet for dislocated joints in the past)...please, I'm so worried for her. I dont want her to die b/c of the inability to get her to a vet!

 

[dr.jaimie]

usually when the ear is puffed up like that its an auralhematoma which is a blood clot in the ear...usually caused from them chaking their heads from ear mites or an ear infection, but b/c u say it has pus draining from it sounds more like an abcess. is their anyway u can take her temp?

 

[dr.jaimie]

unless the puss is coming from inside the ear from an infection then caused the auralhematoma

 

[dr.jaimie]

oh yeah and asprin isnt really good for dogs or cats so i wouldnt give it any

 

[triste]

Originally posted by LadyMontava@Dec 22 2004, 07:10 PM
unless the puss is coming from inside the ear from an infection then caused the auralhematoma
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I can't manipulate the ear much, it's quite swollen. The pus appears to be coming from a corner but I can't be sure. She has long hair and she's black. I am hoping to get a better look when there is more daylight...any suggestions on what to do for her until I can get her in to the vet? Like I said, we are likely to have 20 inches of snow by morning and it is quite possible the vet won't open tomorrow.

 

[dr.jaimie]

if she isnt running a fever u shouldnt have to do anything....she should be fine until you can bring her in...it isnt an imediate emergency...but if she has a fever then there could be a prob..depending oon how high it is

 

[k/c mom]

Originally posted by Triste@Dec 22 2004, 08:04 PM
During the winter my 13 yr old kitty Puddin stays in the basement b/c she is 3 legged from a run in w/ a car when she was 4. Anyhow, she has slowed down in her eating lately which can be normal for her. She's been hiding more than usual so I called her insistantly tonight. She came out (walking fine as usual) but when I picked her up, I noticed her right ear is puffed up like a balloon and has some pus coming out of her ear (near the connection I believe). Here's the deal, we have over a foot of snow on the ground now and it is said to be coming an inch an hour for the next 10 hours. I am fearing that our vet won't be open tomorrow.  

I tried to put some neosporin on it as best I could but I hate to touch it too much. Anyone have ANY advice? Should I give her some baby aspirin? (we've done that for the dog as instructed by vet for dislocated joints in the past)...please, I'm so worried for her. I dont want her to die b/c of the inability to get her to a vet!
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I'm so sorry to hear this..... Do you have an emergency vet in your city that you could call tonight to get advice and maybe you could get to them? Or they could tell you what to do over the phone?? I have no medical/vet training whatsoever but I would hold off on the aspirin until someone knowledgable gives the A-OK....
Keep us posted.....

Oops... while I was posting this you were getting good advice...via other posts...

 

[k/c mom]

Originally posted by Triste@Dec 22 2004, 08:13 PM[right
She has long hair and she's black. I am hoping to get a better look when there is more daylight...any suggestions on what to do for her until I can get her in to the vet? <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=24985

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Can you maybe have someone hold a flashlight at the site of the problem so you can get a better look at it? Or hold her under a lamp?

 

[doctorcathy]

totally take ladymontavas advice. she's in veterinary school and is graduating!


im gonna be in vet school in around.....3 yrs.

all my knowledge comes from Emergency Vets and the internet.

 

[triste]

aww thanks guys, I decided to call my vet and they had an emergency number...which I decided to call..I mean...16 inches of snow, emergency enough for me b/c I have a sick cat!

Lady Montava...you hit the head on the nail w/ your thoughts shaking of the head due to mites or whatever and that it is a hematoma. She said that it is possible for myself to try to poke a hole in it myself but it WILL drain blood and such and it will be a mess. She told me that they are going to TRY to get in tomorrow(which would make sense since they prob have boarded animals and some in the icu)...but if they cannot make it in...she should be ok. She said she's probably in discomfort but isn't in any immediate danger. *wipes brow* whew. She said that they sometimes even heal themselves up...I might try to get in there tomorrow and wipe it up some. She said absolutely NO aspirin for cats (whew glad I didn't do that!) and that she would probably surgically have to take care of that...(does that mean sedate her and lance and drain it?)...


I am very very grateful for my friends here, thank you Lady Montava for answering me so quickly. I hate taking advantage of you like that since I cannot pay you, but if you ever need something, I'm here and glad to try to help

 

[dr.jaimie]

o i dont mind..its what i love thats why im suffering through vet school to do it...i like to help my friends when i can. yes the procedure is pretty simple the usually cut a long incision the length of the ear...and tack it open w/ sutures so it can drain...here is a link to pictures of the procedure...dont look if u have a weak stomach..not really gross, but may gross out some aural hematoma glad you called the vet to be sure!

 

[triste]

oh boy, hubby isn't happy this will be a surgery...I thought it'd be a simple lancing for draining since she said we could do it here at home too....

 

[triste]

ok I read that anesthetic risks can be a reason to forego surgery...she is 13 but healthy though I will admit she's not current on her shots (ok ok shoot me but I am telling you something, the cats that I DONT get regular visits to live so much longer!)

 

[dr.jaimie]

well ur vet might do it dofferently...or they told u to lance it for a quick temp. fix. if u do the surgery i reccomend blood work first due to her age..shes 13 right?

 

[triste]

she is 13, yes. They told me I could poke a hole in it myself but that it'd create a mess w/ drainage and blood. She told me there is a surgical procedure so I guess it's what you are talking about, but I guess I was thinking sedation w/ lancing. Why is it such a radical procedure..it looks so drastic.

 

[triste]

Lady Montava, if it would be easier, I do have AIM, MSN and yahoo messengers..but this is fine too.

 

[dr.jaimie]

yeah but if you dont do it right it can come back..thats why you have to keep it open for a little while. its a mess...most important is to fix the ear infection that caused them to shake their head..otherwise it wont go away

 

[triste]

ya they asked me if I had some ear ointment for cats, I'll have to check...I don't know. Hubby is throwing a fit at the possible cost