Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ear infection and balance problems linked to cryptococcosis in cats
By Beatty, J A et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2000·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Peripheral vestibular disease associated with cryptococcosis in three cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Three cats were brought to the vet for balance issues and head tilting, which are signs of peripheral vestibular disease, likely caused by ear infections. Tests revealed that two of the cats had a fungal infection from a type of yeast called Cryptococcus neoformans in their ear, while the third cat had a blockage in its ear due to a growth related to another type of the same fungus. The findings highlight the need for vets to consider fungal infections when cats show ear problems, especially in areas where these infections are common. Treatment focused on addressing the fungal infection, which is crucial for recovery.
People also search for: cat balance problems · cat ear infection treatment · cryptococcosis in cats · why is my cat tilting its head · cat vestibular disease symptoms
Abstract
Peripheral vestibular disease referable to otitis media/interna was the main reason for presentation in three cats with cryptococcosis. In two cats, Cryptococcus neoformans var neoformans was isolated from the tympanic bulla. In the remaining cat, otitis media/interna was considered to be secondary to occlusion of the auditory tube by a nasopharyngeal granuloma associated with a C neoformans var gattii infection. This report emphasises the importance of maintaining an index of suspicion for a fungal aetiology in cats with signs of otitis media/interna, particularly in countries with a high prevalence of cryptococcosis. The presence of C neoformans may be overlooked with potentially fatal consequences where only standard methods for bacterial isolation are used to examine samples obtained from the middle ear.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11716589/