508. Ear Canal Ablation in the dog - email query and google search

E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED JULY 21, 2011:


From: ...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Dog ear hard mass
To: david@sinpets.com
Date: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 3:04 PM

Hi Dr Sing,

I found you online. My dog is a 14 yr old shih tzu. He started with infections in his left ear for 6 months, seen 3 different vets, put on almost all kinds of antibotics available but did not help. Till sometime last year, i felt a hard lump. Then i went to another vet who did a minor surgery to laser off some masses on the surface (was able to see cauliflower-like masses in the ear hole). He said due to my dog's age, heart problems and failing kidneys he is not going to cut deeper into the ear. About 3 months later, i can see those cauliflower-like masses in the hole again. And the ear canal starts to feel hard. The vet put him on chemo (0.03ml, very small dose) but his kidney suffered. The last chemo was administered in April this year. I have since decided not to go for the chemo. Currently, the lump is growing, probably towards the middle ear? It is visible, growing down towards the jaws. The smelly pus and bloody discharge is present for almost 1.5 years. He does not appear to be in pain to me, because he is able to sleep lying on it. May i ask what would be your treatment since he is not in a condition for surgery, and i'll not take the risk. Thank you so much!


E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING DATED JULY 22, 2011

Hi

Thank you for your email. It was a pure coincidence that yesterday I had operated on a 2-year-old dwarf hamster with similar cauliflower-like masses inside and pus discharging from her right ear canal. A vet had given an antibiotic ear ointment for some time. It was ineffective. The right ear continued to emit an over-powering smell like rotten meat.

Anaesthesia was very high risk as this hamster is nearing the end of her life span of 2.5 years. The lady owner accepted the risk as medical treatment was ineffective. The hamster is OK and went home to be nursed by the owner yesterday. This surgery is called total canal ablation and I believe it is very rarely is done in old dwarf hamsters (compared to old dogs) as anaesthesia is very high risk.

I just googled "ear canal ablation" for you and came out with this URL:

http://www.google.com.sg/#hl=en&sugexp=bvre&xhr=t&q=ear+canal+ablation&cp=11&pf=p&sclient=psy&source=hp&aq=0&aqi=g5&aql=f&oq=ear+canal+a&pbx=1&fp=4246f7dc13410bc6&biw=1024&bih=545

In the googled page, the ear canal ablation surgery is described in
1. A website at:
http://www.2ndchance.info/earsurg.htm

2. Another website (my surgery at Toa Payoh Vets) at:
http://www.google.com.sg/#hl=en&sugexp=bvre&xhr=t&q=ear+canal+ablation&cp=11&pf=p&sclient=psy&source=hp&aq=0&aqi=g5&aql=f&oq=ear+canal+a&pbx=1&fp=4246f7dc13410bc6&biw=1024&bih=545. The 11-year-old dog survived the surgery. He lived for another 4 months with no pain and died in his sleep.

In your dog's chronic otitis externa with no cure from other treatments, surgical removal of the ear canal is the only option. This will be my advice to dog owners with similar problems as the condition and pain just get worse over time.

However, since your dog is very old and has heart disease. You will need to make a decision as to whether you will take the high risk of your dog dying on the operating table. If the dog survives and the surgery is without complications due to belated decisions for surgery and old age's poor healing, the dog will be pain-free and infection-free normally and may live for another 6 years to the age of 20 years (from the optimistic point of view).

In conclusion, I have no other alternative effective treatment to propose to you other than ear canal ablation surgery.

Best wishes.




GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS "ear canal ablation" dated July 22, 2011 at 4.43 am in Singapore


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www.vetsurgerycentral.com/ear_ablation.htm - Cached
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YouTube - Advanced Vetcare Total Ear Canal Ablation‏

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ertUBPvc6wk1 min - 29 Jan 2007 - Uploaded by advancedvetcare
An overview of total ear canal ablation in the dog. Posted by Advanced Veterinary Care.
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www.2ndchance.info/earsurg.htm - Cached
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www.kongyuensing.com/.../20080613Vertical_Ear_Canal_Ablation... - Cached
14 Jul 2010 – Vertical Ear Canal Ablation surgery in the dog - Part 2. Chronic thrombocytopenic purpura? toapayohvets.com ...


The URL is as follows:
http://www.kongyuensing.com/animals/20080613Vertical_Ear_Canal_Ablation_ToaPayohVets_Singapore.htm