Horner's syndrome & deafness after ear flush

[xumi's mom]

Xumi had her ears irrigated a couple of weeks ago and came home from the procedure with Horner's syndrome and total deafness. Has anyone else been through this with their cat? How long did it take for them to recover, if at all?

I am worried about my little girl.

 

[admin]

Xumi had her ears irrigated a couple of weeks ago and came home from the procedure with Horner's syndrome and total deafness. Has anyone else been through this with their cat? How long did it take for them to recover, if at all?

I am worried about my little girl.

Wow, Susan, I have never heard of that...what does the vet say?

 

[xumi's mom]

Wow, Susan, I have never heard of that...what does the vet say?

He can't explain it. I am a little frustrated with him.

Occasionally, Horner's can result from an ear flush that is too vigorous, an existing ear infection, or trauma. The sympathetic nervous system is damaged, so the parasympathetic system takes over. The classic symptoms are unequally sized pupils,
the eye on the affected side appears sunken, and it's 3rd eyelid stays up.

Xumi is also showing some vestibular symptoms - balance and coordination, and the deafness.

 

[admin]

He can't explain it. I am a little frustrated with him.

Occasionally, Horner's can result from an ear flush that is too vigorous, an existing ear infection, or trauma. The sympathetic nervous system is damaged, so the parasympathetic system takes over. The classic symptoms are unequally sized pupils,
the eye on the affected side appears sunken, and it's 3rd eyelid stays up.

Xumi is also showing some vestibular symptoms - balance and coordination, and the deafness.

Wow...that is terrible...I am so sorry...has he recommended a specialist?

 

[xumi's mom]

Wow...that is terrible...I am so sorry...has he recommended a specialist?

No. He doesn't seem as concerned about it as I am. He has her on antibiotics and steroids. He says that time will tell if she recovers - it may be a couple of months, or it may be permanent.

I feel like I'm pretty much on my own here.

 

[KMcgown]

That is terrible. Doesn't sound like the vet is really giving you many answers. Maybe a second opinion from another vet? I don't think I would wait.

 

[Wyldthingz]

Why did you cat need to have their ears irrigated? I have seen nerve damage from crappy dental procedures but never that! I would get a second opinion and definitely rattle some cages here!

 

[xumi's mom]

That is terrible. Doesn't sound like the vet is really giving you many answers. Maybe a second opinion from another vet? I don't think I would wait.

Thanks, that's the plan. I am vet shopping.

 

[xumi's mom]

Why did you cat need to have their ears irrigated? I have seen nerve damage from crappy dental procedures but never that! I would get a second opinion and definitely rattle some cages here!

Xumi has always had excessive earwax. We could never find a reason for it, whether a food or environmental allergy, or whether she's just one of those cats that produces a lot of exudate.

Last year she had a similar episode with a lot of buildup, and had her ears scoped. There was nothing to find, because she'd benn on Posatex drops for a couple of weeks prior to the exam, and it must have cleared up whatever was in there.

This time, the vet did the exam on dirty ears. Cytology showed a staph infection, and she's on Prednisolone and NeoPolyDex now.

The eardrums were not ruptured by the flush, and an xray showed normal bullae and sinus structures.

 

[Patti]

I had a cat with similar symptoms and it turned out he had an inner ear tumor that was benign but nevertheless growing into the brain - had to have surgery to remove it.

I am a bit bothered that she was put on steroids when she has an active infection. Did the vet say why he prescribed this?