How to Diagnose and Treat Aural Polyps in Cats
To diagnose and treat aural polyps in cats, watch for common symptoms, including head tilting, excessive ear scratching, and bloody discharge from the ears. If you suspect your cat is suffering from aural polyps, have your vet perform an exam. In order to treat aural polyps, your vet may recommend surgery or anti-inflammatory drugs, depending on the severity of the polyps.
Watch your cat’s movement. Paying attention to how your cat moves can help you determine if it has aural polyps. Cats with aural polyps might have trouble walking in a straight line. They might also tilt their head to one side or another. If you notice this behavior in your cat, take it to the vet immediately. It could signal the presence of aural polyps, but it could also indicate very serious neurological issues. Check your cat’s head. Watch the way your cat moves their head. If you them shaking their head a lot, they may have aural polyps. Look for bloody discharge. Be on the lookout for bloody discharge coming from your cat's ears. It might be a mix of blood and pus, or it could just be pus. If you see these symptoms, your cat might have aural polyps. Listen to your cat’s breathing. Aural polyps usually form in the middle ear. This means that as they grow they can block your cat's throat. This will create a snorting sound as your cat breathes. If you hear this, they might have aural polyps. In severe cases, the polyp can grow large enough to block your cat's airway. If you notice your cat has difficulty breathing take them to your vet right away. Watch for excessive ear scratching. Aural polyps will obviously create discomfort in your cat's ears. If you notice your cat excessively scratching or batting at their ears, they might have aural polyps. Take your cat to the vet. The only true way to diagnose aural polyps is by using careful examination to retract the soft palate, or through use of a scope. Both procedures usually require heavy sedation, which means your vet will have to do it. Your vet may recommend a CT scan to determine the origin and full extent of the polyp. This procedure will allow your vet to evaluate the middle ear as well. Your vet may order a biopsy to make sure the polyps are not cancerous. They might also order blood work to make sure there aren't any other issues causing your cat's symptoms. Schedule a simple surgery. Depending on the location of the polyp, your vet might be able to treat it with a simple surgery. This involves pulling on the polyp and cutting it off at the exposed stem. Recurrence is common with this procedure, with polyps usually reappearing within one to eight months. Treating your cat with steroids after removal may reduce the risk of recurrence. Sometimes this might be the only option, particularly given that other surgeries are more complicated. Schedule a ventral bulla osteotomy. This a more complicated surgery that removes the lower bone of your cat's ear to fully remove the polyp. It's a very delicate procedure and must be performed by a veterinary surgeon. This type of procedure has a very low recurrence rate, but it's not always a possibility. This process can be very expensive and might cost up to $2,000. Administer anti-inflammatory drugs. If your cat's polyps are not overly severe, your vet might prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs. This might include corticosteroids. Some vets believe polyps are caused by over-inflammation in the ears, so this treatment might reduce symptoms. This will probably not permanently fix the issues for your cat. Administer antibiotics. If your cat has surgery, your vet might prescribe antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed feline antibiotic is amoxicillin, but your vet might also prescribe tetracycline. You'll usually have to administer these to your cat for several weeks. Monitor post-surgery effects. The surgeries to treat aural polyps can cause nerve damage. You should expect your cat to have droopy eyelids or problems walking in a straight line. There is really no way to prevent these symptoms, and if your cat experiences these symptoms you should have them evaluated by your vet. 
Watch your cat’s movement. Check your cat’s head. Look for bloody discharge. Listen to your cat’s breathing. Watch for excessive ear scratching. Take your cat to the vet. Schedule a simple surgery. Schedule a ventral bulla osteotomy. Administer anti-inflammatory drugs. Administer antibiotics. Monitor post-surgery effects. 