Grr, Missy has no ear-hole. Untreatable ear infection?

[rhapsody]

Right before New Years, Missy came down with a super bad ear infection. After the first vet visit she came home with baytril and clavamox and antibiotic eardrops, but after two weeks, there was very little improvement. It didn't help that the ear drops made her scratch her ear bloody several times. During the second visit, the pus had cleared up enough for the vet to see that she had an ear polyp. He cauterized the area to try to bring the swelling down and prescribed trimethoprim-sulfa. Missy has been on metacam throughout this whole ordeal.

I'm entering the second week on the trimethoprim-sulfa, and darn it all, this infection is still hanging on. There's still a faint whiff of nastiness in that area. And shining a flashlight down her affected ear reveals that her ear hole has been completely closed off. Before it had been blocked by pus and blood, but now it kinda looks like its being healed over by flesh. WTF?

I'm completely at a loss here. What should we do next? The only good thing to come out of this is that somehow this ear infection has balanced out her wonky headtilt ...

 

[victoria]

Poor girl... Can the vet take a culture to test the bacteria for antibiotic sensitivity? I know there's also the option of Chlorpalm that penetrates this type of bacteria really well, so that's also an option to discuss with your vet.

 

[lilspaz68]

For the ear polyp, I had to use an oral steroid to keep the swelling down along with baytril for the infection. I have only known of one rat that didn't have an ear hole and that was Chelle's girl Azzie. Dr Munn was pretty sure there had been an injury that closed up her ear. There's a whole big thread on it in Health here. But the polyp is probably what's "closing" or blocking the ear hole...they are not pleasant and don't go away.

http://ratguide.com/health/auricle_ear/ ... polyps.php

 

[rhapsody]

I've got predisone on hand. Is it safe to switch from metacam to that tonight?

Should I assume that this ear polyp thing is going to be a rest-of-her-life condition? If so, how healed up is it ever going to get?

 

[lilspaz68]

I've got predisone on hand. Is it safe to switch from metacam to that tonight?

Should I assume that this ear polyp thing is going to be a rest-of-her-life condition? If so, how healed up is it ever going to get?

See if you can wait 36 hours instead of 24 if possible, if not just do it.

Umm yes, I have not had good luck with ear polyps, I can maintain it for while then the infection becomes too much and I let them go.

 

[rhapsody]

Fudge.

For a long-term treatment plan, should I try for predisone + baytril? Or could I use amoxy instead of the baytril?

The vet is real stingy with the meds (requires a $75 recheck appointment for every refill), so I have to ask my rescue for help for long-term treatments. They've got amoxy up the wazoo, but baytril is harder to come by.

 

[lilspaz68]

Fudge.

For a long-term treatment plan, should I try for predisone + baytril? Or could I use amoxy instead of the baytril?

The vet is real stingy with the meds (requires a $75 recheck appointment for every refill), so I have to ask my rescue for help for long-term treatments. They've got amoxy up the wazoo, but baytril is harder to come by.

sadly baytril is what would likely work best. I am sorry.

 

[rhapsody]

sadly baytril is what would likely work best. I am sorry.

Well, baytril it'll have to be then.

Uh, how will I know when the infection has become too much? Can it really get so bad that letting go is the only option?

 

[lilspaz68]

sadly baytril is what would likely work best. I am sorry.

Well, baytril it'll have to be then.

Uh, how will I know when the infection has become too much? Can it really get so bad that letting go is the only option?

My first girl was umm very old and she also had a nasal issue which was most likely polyps in her nasal cavity