Does your Sphynx cat’s ear buildup look a little strange? Even though ear buildup is normal for hairless cats, one thing you should be on the lookout for is whether it’s normal wax buildup and not an active yeast infection. Knowing the signs to make that distinction is important. Below, we’ll cover signs that could indicate an ear yeast infection and how to treat it.
What’s The Difference Between Normal Wax And A Yeast Infection?
Normal Sphynx ear wax is thick, oily, dark brown or black, doesn’t have a strong odor, improves with regular cleaning, and builds up quickly due to high oil production. Yeast tends to thrive in warm and moist places, which makes a Sphynx ear the perfect environment. If left untreated, yeast can cause swelling, lead to chronic infections, and even cause hearing damage. Signs of a yeast infection include red and inflamed ear canals, a strong “bread-like odor, constant head scratching or shaking, waxy buildup that keeps returning, and pain when ears are touched.
Why Fresh Food Matters for Ear & Yeast Health
What your cat eats can affect yeast levels, inflammation, and oil production all throughout their body, and this includes their ears. Processed foods and high-carb diets can lead to an increase in inflammation, feed yeast overgrowth, exacerbate chronic buildup, and weaken their immune system response. A fresh, properly balanced diet can support detoxification, lower systemic yeast, improve ear and skin health, and lower long-term chronic buildup. While diet alone won’t cure an active yeast infection, it’s still imperative in preventing recurrent ear yeast infections. Check out these resources for quality diet support:
How to Properly Treat & Maintain Yeast-Prone Sphynx Ears
Using an ear cleaner properly makes a world of difference when it comes to long-term relief and healing. Both the single bottle ear cleaner and the ear cleaner kit with cap are great choices for safely treating buildup and yeast when used as directed.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
PRIMARY PHASE:
To reduce overall build-up, insert as many drops as needed to fill your pet's ear canal with the ear cleaning liquid daily. The daily treatment must be continued for a period of no less than 7 days, depending on the severity of the build-up in your pet's ears. (Be cautious to watch your pet's ears closely during the treatment, as we have found some pets will have some slight irritation around day 5-7, so use your judgment and discontinue daily drops if needed.) Do not clean your pet's ears out during the primary phase; simply insert the drops daily. Only clean the area outside of the ear canal as the product begins to pull the debris clear of the inner ear.
After the primary phase, clean your pet’s ears thoroughly using a cotton pad or cotton swab wet with product; (NEVER USE A Q-TIP IN YOUR PETS EARS!) Check your pet's ears again in 3 days. If all debris is still gone, you can continue with the maintenance phase. If after 3 days more debris has built up, you will need to continue with daily application for an additional week, and then recheck.
MAINTENANCE PHASE:
Once your pet's chronic build-up is gone, you are in the maintenance phase. To maintain future good ear health, use the product once every 1-2 weeks as needed, and clean debris as needed after application.
Safe and effective for pets with or without fur. The only caution is that if your pet has excessive ear hair, like in poodle breeds, the hair must be removed prior to use of the product.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, earwax is considered normal for Sphynx cats, but symptoms that could point to a yeast infection are not. However, with proper ear cleanings and a quality diet, you can treat and keep your cat's ears healthy!
With Love,
April Arguin A.S., C.P.N., M.P.H.
(aka) PetCoach-April
