I found a kitten with dirty ears and constant purring. Mites or pain?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks possibly consistent with ear mites. If not, an ear infection would be considered likely. I recommend you have him evaluated by your veterinarian so this suspicion can be confirmed and he can be treated for it. Treatment usually result in quick relief. Good luck!

If Mau had ear mites or an infection, we would expect him to be scratching at his ears. Since his ears do not seem to bother him and there is no redness, swelling or odor, I would suspect that it is just debris that you are seeing in his ears. You can use a cotton ball (not a Q-tip) to gently wipe away the debris. You should not need to use any ear cleaner or medication. If the debris is getting worse or Mau starts scratching at his ears, I would certainly recommend having your veterinarian examine his ear canals. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The treatment will depend on what exactly is causing the itchiness. For example, if it turns out to be ear mites then the treatment would be to treat the mites. I recommend you have Stellet evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Mites for example are very easy to treat. Good luck and have a good night.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If he truly has mites, they are not going to completely go away with the peroxide so if the ears get dirty again as before, I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If properly diagnosed, ear mites can be easily treated. Best of luck!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Mimi is scratching one ear more than usual, it is likely that she has an ear infection. Ear infections can be bacterial and/or fungal in origin. If left untreated, simple external ear infections can progress to middle or inner ear infections, leading to vestibular disease or even central nervous system signs. I recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to have Mimi checked for an ear infection. He/she will likely perform an ear cytology, meaning he/she will swab her ear and look at the material under a microscope. This way, your veterinarian can look for evidence of bacteria and/or yeast and treat her accordingly. I hope this is helpful!

Hi there. I would be very suspicious that Willow has ear mites. They are microscopic so you can not tell for sure without a microscopic exam of the ear debris. I would highly encourage you to call the shelter you adopted her from as they will usually continue to care for any health problems within a certain length of time after adoption. If not then I would encourage you to have her evaluated by a veterinarian soon. In my experience over the counter ear mite medication is not very effective and just prolongs the problem. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi there. Itching and "dirty" appearing ears can be caused by either ear mites, or a yeast or bacterial ear infection. Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would recommend taking Luna to the vet for an exam. He/she can take a sample of the debris in her ears and look at it under the microscope to diagnose the problem, and will prescribe appropriate medication to treat her depending on what is found.