Itchy Ears, Brown earwax, NO MITES! Help!

[erj1099]

Hi, I have a different thread about this but I figured I'd post again with all of my information in one spot.
I adopted a kitten, she was being treated for ear mites and they said her treatment was completed (after 7 days). I noticed after a week of having her that her ears were still bothering her, cleaned them, and continued to treat them for ear mites for another week while putting a cone of shame on her. I brought her back to the vet after the seven days were up because she itched one of her ears to the point of it bleeding.
They looked at the ear mites under a microscope and said all the ones they saw were dead. Did a cytology, no secondary infections. Seemed like she would be on the path of recovery because there was really nothing wrong! The cut was still healing so I kept the cone on until that healed.
A week later, the cut was completely healed, I took off the cone, and she still had itchy ears! Scratched one until it bled again and still has some brown earwax being produced! She's eating normally, sleeping normally, and playing normally. No behavioral issues of any sort have popped up. Just itchy ears (she itches one specifically).
People in my last thread were very helpful in giving me information but I just wanted more thoughts on what this could be.

 

[Antonio65]

I'm going to copy and paste my post in the other thread

A yeast? A fungus?
Might be Malassezia?

 

[erj1099]

I'm going to copy and paste my post in the other thread

A yeast? A fungus?
Might be Malassezia?

Would you have any home remedy suggestions besides the teabag? Her vet is an hour and a half away from me & I have limited options to travel there.

 

[klunick]

Maybe try this??

How to Clean a Cat's Ears
Cleaning your cat's ears is an easy task that takes about 10 minutes. Be sure to assemble the supplies and perform the cleaning in a space that's comfortable for your cat.

1. Warm the olive oil or ear cleaner to body temperature by placing the container in a warm (not hot) pan of water.
2. Place the cat in your lap swaddled in a towel.4
3. Put a drop or two of the liquid (either the olive oil or commercial ear cleaner) into the round opening of the ear canal.
4. Gently massage the base of the ear for at least a minute, to work the liquid around.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the other ear. If it's easier, you could put the drops in both ears and then give your cat a double ear massage.
6. Leave your cat alone for 5 minutes.4 Your pet cat will likely do a great deal of head shaking, which helps to dislodge dirt and debris from deep within the ear canal and move it into the outer surface.
7. After 5 minutes, use clean cotton balls to wipe away oil and dirt from the ear.
8. Give your cat a treat for being so good.

 

[Antonio65]

The teabag was the solution for a sore skin.

For the possible malassezia, because it's a fungus, you might need an antimycotic and antibiotic for a few weeks.
It is understood that Malassezia might have a cause in a bad diet, but this can be assessed by a vet only.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Going to repeat what I said in response to your other thread: If the excessive ear wax is still in just the one ear - or even if it is now again in both ears - I think an infection has set in and it needs to be addressed by the vet. It would probably be a good idea to ask the vet about taking a sample of the wax for further testing - for a multitude of infection types.

And, I still think you need to ask the vet about the possibility of her having developed a sensitivity reaction to the original ear mites, even if none are present now. The mites could be gone, but that doesn't mean that a hypersensitivity issue can't linger afterward. Maybe it is an allergic reaction to the treatment, if not to her body reacting to having the mites in the first place.

Lastly, there are other issues that can cause excessive wax, so talk to the vet about what tests can be run to help determine that. Although, I personally think that would be an unlikely coincidence given that she did have mites to begin with.

 

[mekkababble]

My cat also produces excessive wax (generally in one ear) that the vet didn't flag as an issue. It got to the point where the wax would drain to her fur which caused itching and head shaking. I cleaned the surrounding fur and outer ear with a warm, wet cotton ball and a tiny amount of non-scented soap, then wiped her ears/fur with another warm, wet cotton ball. Itching seems to have stopped at least for the time being. I think with cats, same as with us, too much ear wax can just be itchy and uncomfortable.