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Otitis

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Feline Dermatology

Abstract

Otitis externa and media are common in cats, although almost all infections are secondary. The underlying conditions must be diagnosed and managed for resolution. The approach to feline otitis is different from that in dogs. There are important differences in the ear anatomy of dogs and cats, although there is less breed variation among cats. The role of primary, secondary, predisposing and perpetuating (PSPP) factors is less clear in feline otitis, with fewer predisposing and perpetuating problems. The primary aetiology of otitis is different from dogs with less of a role for hypersensitivity dermatoses. There are a variety of cat-specific conditions, including inflammatory polyps, cystoadenomatosis, and proliferative and necrotising otitis. This chapter will describe the anatomy and physiology of feline ears, how to use clinical examination, cytology, culture and imaging in diagnosis, ear cleaning, treatment of otitis externa and otitis media, and the diagnosis and management of specific ear conditions in cats.

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Correspondence to Tim Nuttall .

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Nuttall, T. (2020). Otitis. In: Noli, C., Colombo, S. (eds) Feline Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29836-4_10

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