# Aural Polyps - surgery...



## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Hi guys,
Having a nightmare month in just about every aspect at the moment 
but primarily with Tilly.
She has had polyps in her ears for ages.
in the past few months they've really grown - now the vet says it's one of the most extreme cases he's ever seen (why me!).
Anyway, we had the 'big' polyps removed but the ear canal is basically sealed up by them, meaning that the wax cannot escape.

The vet tells us that our only option now is an outer ear canal obletion. :confused5:
From what I understand, it's removing part of the outer ear canal wall, basically forming another 'hole' for the wax to escape.
It's not without it's own risks  but without it, the vet tells us the consequences could ultimately end up with us having her put down :frown2:

Anyway, I have no reason to doubt the vet (although my g/f wants a second opinion), but I thought I'd ask if anyone has had/experienced anything similar with some (hopefully) good outcomes!!

We've been quoted £1500 per ear for this operation too, which just before christmas is a nightmare.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

I assume this is not something anyone has come across? 

What are peoples thoughts about second opinions? or should be be accepting the word of the vets?


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

never heard of it - but it is quite okay to get a second opinion - I would.


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

My first cat had polyps in his ear. They grew so large they affected his balance and gave him a head tilt, making him look as though he had had a stroke.

I am not sure if it was the same operation, but they did make a huge incision, down from his ear to remove the polyps. That was some 25 odd years ago now. The op was a complete success, but certainly did not cost the price you have been quoted. Then again it may not have been the same op.

You are definitely well within your rights to seek a second and third opinion if you so wish, you are the customer after all. Treatment costs can vary greatly between practices. The only downside is that you may end up at a vet you don't know performing fairly major surgery on your much loved cat. However, it was shopping around (minor routine pre stud blood test) that I came across the practice I use now and they are miles better then where I had been going.

If the cost does seem to fall in line with other practices then you could always discuss payment options with your vet. If you have been with the practice for a reasonable amount of time, then most vets will offer some kind of repayment deal for very large bills.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Oh, poor Tilly! Is she in pain from this?

Is the surgery a bulla osteotomy?

I too recommend a second opinion. And from what I have read, this surgery is best done by a specialty surgeon rather then a general vet. Do you have a vet school near you? Often that's the best place to find a specialist.

Ask your vet for a referral to a specialist. If your vet won't give one, go to another vet.

And/or ask questions such as, how many of these surgeries has your vet done, and what is the success rate.

I will be following this thread as I have a cat with chronic ear issues. Nothing like this, but...you never know

Please keep us updated on Tilly.


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## mollythecollie (Aug 29, 2009)

Hmm this is tricky, I have seen lots of cats with polps but none so severe that they completely seal the ear canal. A second opinion may need a general anaesthetic to properly assess the ear canal- something which your vet has already done. If the ear canal is completely sealed then an total ear canal ablation is definetly needed im afraid. The question is, would another vet think they could remove the remaining polps and try, only to find out under GA that they couldnt be removed either..


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

mollythecollie said:


> Hmm this is tricky, I have seen lots of cats with polps but none so severe that they completely seal the ear canal. A second opinion may need a general anaesthetic to properly assess the ear canal- something which your vet has already done. If the ear canal is completely sealed then an total ear canal ablation is definetly needed im afraid. The question is, would another vet think they could remove the remaining polps and try, only to find out under GA that they couldnt be removed either..


Thanks guys.

the vet actually said it's the most extreme case he's ever seen  (and he is an 'older' vet).
There are a _lot _of polyps in there - and some are too small to get to.
I'd post a photo, but I'm not sure you'd want to see 
She has been under GA twice, once for the big removal, and once again to asses the situation and re-clean it all out another 10 days later.

The vet who is going to do it I think is a specialist... plus he owns/runs 3 major vet surgery's in Reading - I know that doesn't really mean much.

I believe it was an outer wall ablation rather than a total ablation, as I understood it, they're basically going to create another hole for the wax to come out.
We haven't been with the vet long enough to negotiate terms of payment (though I will try!)

We've been trying to free up some of the wax build up by squirting some aural lubricant in there, but she hates it and always twitches when we're doing it, usually then causing her pain.

As it stands now she doesn't appear in pain. she's sitting next to me at the moment purring away 

I'll try to get some second opinions tomorrow... as it is, she is booked in for next tuesday, so I don't really have much time.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Okay, she's going in tomorrow morning. 

I didn't have much luck with the second opinion... I only got through to one other who wanted to see her first (completely fair enough), but couldn't give me a ball park, and I couldn't get time in the 'open' hours to get her in.
will have to take this one on the chin :nonod:


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Good luck for tomorrow, I am sure she will be fine, and hopefully much more comfortable once all healed.

Its a bit shocking that no other vets weren't helpful with a second opinion, thats not on really. Still better the devil you know in some circumstances.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Right, update.
Took her in this morning, had a good chat with the surgeon to talk through the options (and potential concerns). Seemed to be fairly honest, the plan was to go with 1 ear at a time, which I'm happier with, it means she is then under GA for a shorter time.

Just had a call back now, it sounds like they've actually cut away quite a lot of the tissue surrounding the ear (but have saved the ear - which is good). They had to put the 'new' ear canal exit in a different position (sounds interesting!!) because of the additional tissue they had to cut away.

The good news is that the polyps didn't appear to be growing down deep in the ear canal (a big concern), and they said after opening it up and flushing out the ears it has really cleared it all up.
she'll need to be booked in again in 6-8 weeks for the other ear.
Hopefully there are no post-op complications (infection due to the earwax build up), and she'll recover.

She's having a sleep-over at the vets tonight, so I'll see her new ear tomorrow and will post back to keep you updated.

Poor little mite, just before christmas too


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Thats good news. I am sure once she is home and with at least one ear not an issue for her she will feel much better in herself. I don't think it was the same op, but Othello had a large incision down from his ear, which looked awful, but it healed really quickly, and once the hair grew back, you would never know, although the ear opening was slightly different shape.

I hope you have her favourite tea in tomorrow, they usually come back from most surgeries not caused by illness, indignantly hungry.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Thanks!, they usually give us some chicken/rice stuff which she doesn't like, and sits there looking at us waiting for her 'tuna' 
I'll see if there is a proper name for the procedure, I believe it was called an outer ear ablation, but I'm not sure if that's what was done in the end or not.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Okay got a call, apparently it all went well.
She was good over night, although they did say when trying to feed her "She's really fussy isn't she?", which is the understatement of the century! lol
they had to give her 3 different types of food before she ate anything!

Anyway, off to fetch her after work. Hopefully she won't resent me too much for dragging her off to the vets again!


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Looking less than impressed. 







(click to biggify  )


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Awww......she's do dear! How long will she be in the cone? Has she eaten at home?

Once she feels better, she'll fe so much better!  Sorry she has to go through it again, though.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

she has the stitches out in 10-14 days, so she'll need the lampshade on until then.
and then in 8 weeks time she has to go through it again 

She's eating really well actually, we're really happy with that, as after the first procedure she went right off her food


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Gah :crying:
Took her in this morning for her post-op check-up, and her ear has developed an infection, probably the worst thing that could have happened. 
We've got her on antibiotics anyway, but they've rebooked her in for Monday to see what happens over the weekend


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Just a quick update on this.
her ear is STILL infected   
she's now been back 3 more times since my last post, including christmas eve!, and yesterday, she's going back again on thursday.

She should have had the stitches out a week ago, but they're still in there at the moment too.
She's had a different 'injection' anti-biotic to try to help.
It's all gone a bit pear shaped really.
combine that with my g/f's car breaking down on me yesterday, and my g/f smashing the front of my jeep into someone else, and I'm actually having a pretty pants new year!


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Back in this morning, the ear is still infected, the stitches have broken down and the new ear canal has 'separated' 
She might have to go back again next week for the stitches to be redone.
Poor cat, I feel so sorry for her.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I'm sorry she is having so much trouble with this. Is she in much pain do you think? Poor girl. And poor you having the worry.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

don't think she is in any pain tbh, if she is, she copes with it better than I do!.
I do think it's irritating for her though.

That said, we've got her back from the cleaning yesterday and it all looks much better.
so I'm going to continue to bathe it in salt water for the next week to make sure the wax doesn't re-build back up again before it's had a chance to heal.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Took her back in this morning, and I'm starting to get a bit p****d off if I'm honest.
I saw the vet who did the operation, and his 'new' concern is that the new ear canal opening could heal over completely sealing it up :crying:
I feel so sorry for the cat, I mean it's been months and months with this bloody collar on :nonod: She's lost loads of weight through this whole thing, and is starting to feel boney now, I think it's just down to the stress as she is still eating and pooing properly.

They're going to phone me at lunchtime today with an update, but 'this' visit although is _still _post-op treatment, they're charging me for. My bill is over a grand now. 

and of course, we've still got the other ear to go :crying:


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Okay,
in again this morning and the infection seems to have all cleared up now.
the ear canal opening did scab up, but 'should' reopen when the scab comes away, his next fear is that if there is still infection in the ear canal itself, it could burst through 
anyway, have to go back in 2 weeks to check, and we're finally after what? 4 months? allowed to take her lampshade off (whilst supervised). :smile5:

Not sure if we're going to do the second ear, as the antibiotic ear lubricant seems to be keeping the wax and polyp growth under control.


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

Another 2 months on, and we're still having problems :frown:
We did indeed have the ear burst out, which wasn't pretty, but we cleaned it up and the bloomin thing healed over completely again.
We then paid for another operation to re-open the canal again, but he couldn't stitch in a stent as there was nothing to attach it to.
so they tried to stitch back the opening.
well, that didn't really work either 

I spent the last 2 weeks, 3 times daily, picking the scab off and massaging the ear canal to ensure it stayed open, but it just kept trying to heal over until 2 days ago, it had closed up completely again.

The vet said he has never seen an opening want to close up and heal as much as this one 

Well, we couldn't continue like this, and with her other ear obviously causing her a lot of distress we have booked her in for a total ear ablation on both ears :frown: :frown:

I'm sick of trying to 'treat' one ear before we have started the second, I just want her to feel better, and allow her to start cleaning herself again, and generally be a bit happier.

I'm aware of the downsides (risk of paralysis being one :scared, but the benefit of her not having to wear that bloody lampshade, and to not feel the permanent need to scratch at her ears because of the irritation just outweighs it.
I'll not mention the 2k price tag though. :eek6:

Will give another update when she's back from her op, booked in for a week monday.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Ah, the poor girl.

Now, ear ablation is total removal of the ear canal, right? Does this mean she will be deaf? At least she will be done with all the procedures and able to live in peace again, right?

Will a specialty surgeon be doing this?

Best of luck to her, and you, and do let us know how it goes.

You have my sympathies, I know how stressful it is to have to watch your beloved pet suffer through so much stress and pain (does she have much pain?)

(And I understand the drain on your finances, too.)


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

yes, total removal of the ear canal.
as standard they remove it down to the bulla and the ear drum, so if they leave this intact she will still hear loud and high pitched noises.
If they find this has been perforated, then they also need to remove the bulla too, and then it is indeed complete deafness 

only periodically have we heard her cry when scratching, and I've done my best to try to remove the build of of wax on the untreated ear using medicated Canaural, but of course she absolutely hates that.

I believe it is a specialist which is why I've had to book 2 weeks in advance, but i can't imagine it's an easy or common op, so fingers crossed it goes okay. we need a bit of luck!!


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## yorkshireblonde (Feb 8, 2010)

It sounds as though you have both been through it with all of this 
Hope all gets better soon. Keeping everything crossed.
Good luck and keep us informed.....


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

just a(nother) quick update.
We've had her back from the ablation op a week now.
The operation was a complete success and the vet managed to leave the bulla in place so she does still have some response to sound.

The only frustration from my part is that she was under GA for 2 hours!  as "it was really messy", so only 1 ear (the untreated ear) was done.
I need to book her back in again for another GA for the other ear :frown:

She is healing really well, although she managed to get her claws around her lampshade and 'hook' both the stitches and some of the scabs from the healing :scared:

She goes back on Friday to hopefully have the remainder of the stitches removed, and then I guess book her in again for the other ear.

Will post back after the next update!!


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Congratulations to you and Tilly on the successful procedure. After two hours, I can see why they didn't want to keep her under any longer, to do the other ear.

That is too bad she has to go under GA again, be sure they do new blood work before hand.

Thanks for updating!


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## RacingSnake (Nov 3, 2008)

lorilu said:


> be sure they do new blood work before hand.


Any reason?
As I declined the blood test before this GA because she had one about 2 months ago. :confused1:


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