I have an almost one-year-old cat. she is a female cat and

Hi there, this is Dr Linda, a UK based vet.

I'm sorry to hear this and understand your concern for Bobbie.

Did the vet swab the ear and, if so, what were the results?

Which medicine was she given?

Was it fungal or bacterial?

Which medicine was used?

This was an oral tablet?

And she had no anti inflammatories or steroids?

Unfortunately tablets are not usually effective for ear infections as they don't reach high enough concentrations within the canal.

We need to ensure the vet has swabbed the ear and sent the culture to a lab for analysis. You should have a report telling you which bacteria or fungi are present.

We also want to check for ear mites under the microscope.

Once results are back, the vet should prescribe the most appropriate drops to instil directly into the ear canal.

We should also clean the canal well 30 minutes before applying drops with an ear cleaner.

The majority of ear infections are improved within 5-7 days.

Yes, please send anything you have.

Bless her, yes, I can see she is very distressed.

Is the skin above her ears bald and inflamed?

Does she have any stomatitis / mouth inflammation?

Thank you, ok.

I am just typing my reply.

We can see she is in a lot of discomfort and is distressed with it.

I'd want to ensure we have ruled out any of the 'obvious' things by examining her under sedation for e.g. a painful back tooth (checking for any FORLs in the mouth), an inner ear infection, mites etc.

I'd consider starting a trial of strong pain relief such as an opioid based one and/or Gabapentin.

It may also be worth taking a CT scan of her head.

If we are no further along with our diagnosis, I'd consider referral to a neurologist.

Unfortunately I am not familiar with the veterinary care in Greece, I am UK based.

If there is a veterinary university, they are often the best place to go.

In the UK, it is very straightforward to book prompt referrals.

A CT scan costs about £800 and should be covered by insurance.

Please speak to your vet about local options and costs.