Causes of ruptured tympanic membrane (5m old kitten)

RE: Causes of ruptured tympanic membrane (5m old kitten)

Kate Richardson — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 20:30:31 GMT

I guess anything that causes ENT inflammation could have led to ascending infection, just found it odd that both TMs were ruptured yet infection only on one side.

RE: Causes of ruptured tympanic membrane (5m old kitten)

Thomas Johnson — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 13:14:57 GMT

[quote userid="9515" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/f/misc-clinical-discussions/28854/causes-of-ruptured-tympanic-membrane-5m-old-kitten/219171"]Otitis media as a result of haematogenous spread? Why would TM rupture without an underlying cause? I can imagine in some cases of them being missing, congenital or due to infection.[/quote]

Or if it was showing cat 'flu signs the infection could have got to the middle ear via the eustachian tube.

RE: Causes of ruptured tympanic membrane (5m old kitten)

Sarah Keir — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 12:59:40 GMT

Cool, I didn't know this!

RE: Causes of ruptured tympanic membrane (5m old kitten)

Kate Richardson — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 12:56:16 GMT

Discussed this with cat vet colleagues and a theory was that a viral infection could cause obstruction to Eustachian tube and increase the pressure in middle ear causing rupture and the bacterial infection was thus secondary to viral and accumulation of fluid in middle ear either pre or post rupture? Apparently can happen with children or some other Eustachian tube dysfunction? Again in children there's a point in child development that the Eustachian tube is narrowed and easily blocked, relative to other structures, causing a period when hearing is affected, by development rather than pathology. Maybe same applies...

RE: Causes of ruptured tympanic membrane (5m old kitten)

Sarah Keir — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 15:55:53 GMT

Otitis media as a result of haematogenous spread? Why would TM rupture without an underlying cause? I can imagine in some cases of them being missing, congenital or due to infection.