After 10 times to the vet, need advice.

Athenaglaukopis

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Hi everyone,
I’m looking for advice from someone that might have gone through the same or similar experience as me.
today was our 10th visit to the vet.
so fluffy started in february with an ear discharge,the vet prescribed a wash (trizedta with baytril) , it improved but the discharge returned and it was bloody now.
an ear polyp was discovered.

2-after her ear polyp was spotted it was removed, it crumbled, ear drum was damaged.

3- as ear drum was healing she was given keto ultra wash and baytril ottic drops for 10 days

4- it returned, saw vet again, given another course of baytril ottic.

5- it returned, given a course of zimox ottic 1% hídricortizone. She was diagnosed with a middle ear infection.

6- at the end of the 10 day course her ear started bleeding. Vet again, trizultra keto wash and orbax oral suspension (antimicrobiano antibiotic). Went away, then returned and this last time it was worse than before.
7- her entire ear swelled up, she has a lump on the base of her ear that seems to be fluid. Zymox ottic ply and orbax antibiotic, and she back to eating, swelling is down, and fluid lump is getting smaller.
we have 2 diff clinics aware of this chronic issue. And during. This last sudden and terrible episode, we though she was a goner. She wouldn’t eat or move. Right now she is 70 percent better and quite happy.
this kitty is almost 13 years old, diabetic in remission, has no teeth, etc.
In an honest talk wi th the vet, they said to really find out what is going on they would have to do a ct scann, put her under, then another surgery and this would be possibly a full ear canal removal or they would have to remove a bone on her skull to remove any growth that might be causing issues with her ear, but with her age and her health, that this could be too much.

what advice am I looking for? Have you had anything similar happen to your kitty? How did that go? What kind of treatment was administered? My vet would work with me on any treatment, but if something has worked for you in a similar situation, I would love to know.
 

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fionasmom

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This is just me, but I would take the second to the last paragraph, your beautiful baby, and find a specialist, teaching hospital, referral hospital. Any time the stakes have been that high I have never left anything in the hands of my vets....cats' or the dog's.

I have little experience with ear canal issues, but if your vet is not completely sure what they are doing despite probably thinking that they are qualified you might be spending a lot of extra money not to mention putting the cat through a lot. You have had 7 episodes since February and it is not resolved.
 

daftcat75

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My Krista had a ruptured eardrum in 2019 and an inner ear infection this past June. One night, she tumbled off the bed, threw up, and then wobbled around on her hocks. I rushed her down to the emergency vet. They said she tested clear for bloodwork and kept her overnight to see a neurologist in the morning because she was showing neurologic symptoms. She got a CT scan and they concluded an inner ear infection and recommended surgery to drain it. The surgery is called a ventral bulla osteotomy. They make an incision beneath her jaw and they go up into what amounts to a drain pan in the inner ear that fills up with infectious junk. She, sixteen years old, came through the surgery ”like a rock star” in the surgeon’s words. She had to be on activity restriction for two weeks and oral antibiotic for at least a month. The surgeon wanted her on it even longer but Krista was losing weight. Over the next month or so, she was improving. If this was all that she had, she probably would have made a very good recovery. There’s no telling whether it would have been a full recovery because the inner ear is technically outside the body and thus very difficult to treat with antibiotics—hence the surgery. Unfortunately, Krista was also battling lymphoma, lost too much weight, and a bladder infection almost two months after the surgery proved too much for her. I don’t regret the surgery one bit. In fact, in a weird and unrelated way, it ultimately brought Krista to lymphoma remission. I don’t think she was worse for having the surgery. Compared to where she was after the initial neurological symptoms showed up to her arc of recovery before her bladder infection, there was improvement that made me grateful for having it done.

I feel you should get the CT scan so you know what‘s there. Then take those results to a specialist for a consultation if that is an option available to you.
 

neely

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I second contacting an Internal Medical Specialist rather than second guessing what to do especially given her age and other health issues. If you live in the US you can search this site to locate a specialist near you: Home

Fluffy is a beautiful girl. :hearthrob: Best of luck, please keep us posted on her progress.
 
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Athenaglaukopis

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My Krista had a ruptured eardrum in 2019 and an inner ear infection this past June. One night, she tumbled off the bed, threw up, and then wobbled around on her hocks. I rushed her down to the emergency vet. They said she tested clear for bloodwork and kept her overnight to see a neurologist in the morning because she was showing neurologic symptoms. She got a CT scan and they concluded an inner ear infection and recommended surgery to drain it. The surgery is called a ventral bulla osteotomy. They make an incision beneath her jaw and they go up into what amounts to a drain pan in the inner ear that fills up with infectious junk. She, sixteen years old, came through the surgery ”like a rock star” in the surgeon’s words. She had to be on activity restriction for two weeks and oral antibiotic for at least a month. The surgeon wanted her on it even longer but Krista was losing weight. Over the next month or so, she was improving. If this was all that she had, she probably would have made a very good recovery. There’s no telling whether it would have been a full recovery because the inner ear is technically outside the body and thus very difficult to treat with antibiotics—hence the surgery. Unfortunately, Krista was also battling lymphoma, lost too much weight, and a bladder infection almost two months after the surgery proved too much for her. I don’t regret the surgery one bit. In fact, in a weird and unrelated way, it ultimately brought Krista to lymphoma remission. I don’t think she was worse for having the surgery. Compared to where she was after the initial neurological symptoms showed up to her arc of recovery before her bladder infection, there was improvement that made me grateful for having it done.

I feel you should get the CT scan so you know what‘s there. Then take those results to a specialist for a consultation if that is an option available to you.
Thank you for your response! Fluffy is currently on antibiotics for 6 to 8 weeks (to be re Evaluated at the 6 week mark,) may I ask you what antibiotic she was given during that month? And if you do remember her dosage?
 
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Athenaglaukopis

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Thank you for your response! Fluffy is currently on antibiotics for 6 to 8 weeks (to be re Evaluated at the 6 week mark,) may I ask you what antibiotic she was given during that month? And if you do remember her dosage?
We are on day 14 of the month and a half of antibiotics, after this we will re evaluate what to do if it’s not solved. But I did speak with the humane society (after her treatment there), and my vet separately, and due to her underlying diabetes and other chronic issues (last blood test results weren’t great) they feel ( both separately) that its too dangerous to do it right now. (I adopted her from the same humane society 12 years ago, she was a one year old feral that weighted 3 pounds and most her teeth were decaying, her genetic make up is not the best, but I love her so much.)
thank you so so much for the info and your response!
also, if we have to do the surgery a month from now, I’m going to start putting as much as I can aside, for her. Do you remember how much it costed you? (I despise that question, but in all honesty, with covid, I’m the sole support of the house, and the better I can budget, the better is for all of us 💝). I’ve always had a vet savings account for the fur kids ( got 5) where I put money every paycheck, but fluffy has been plowing through that 😅.
Thank you so much for any info you can share, and thank you for your openness
To share and your kindness. 💝
 

daftcat75

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Thank you for your response! Fluffy is currently on antibiotics for 6 to 8 weeks (to be re Evaluated at the 6 week mark,) may I ask you what antibiotic she was given during that month? And if you do remember her dosage?
Marbofloxacin: 1/4 of 1 tablet or 6.25 mg. She was just under 5 lbs when she started. We still hadn't achieved remission from the lymphoma and the marbofloxacin itself was causing runny stools. The surgeon wanted her on it for two months but she lost another half pound that first month that we stopped it short. The surgeon gave me the informed consent talk that her recovery might be limited since we stopped early. But we both agreed that her overall condition, her age, her weight, and her inability to gain back any lost weight (due to the lymphoma), that it wasn't worth being stubborn here and watching her continue to lose weight that wouldn't come back.
 

daftcat75

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The CT scan cost $2200.

The VBO surgery itself was $1500. But you never pay for just the surgery. Adding in anesthesia, biopsy, culture, surgery prep, surgery support, IVs, X-rays, meds, etc, etc, that single day was $4500. There was another $1500 of in-patient prep and care before and after the surgery. All told, I submitted almost $10,000 worth of bills to insurance and got 90% back minus the $1000 deductible. Even without insurance, I would have liquidated some company stock to pay her bills if I needed to.
 

amandag1

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Even if she is improving I would suggest CT to fully check what is going on
 

fionasmom

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There is nothing wrong with asking the cost as it is an integral part of treatment.
 
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