A transdermal medication is a type of medication that absorbs through the skin. In cats this type of medicine is usually applied to the inside of the ear.
Key Points
- The ear must be clean before applying more medicine
- Gently wipe the inside of the ear with a damp cotton ball/pad, or other soft material
- Clean the ear with plain, warm water
- Soaps, or other cleaning agents like witch hazel, can cause unnecessary drying and irritation to the ear so while you may need them sometimes, it’s best to avoid daily use of them
- Alternate ears when applying the medication
- Protect yourself by wearing finger cots or gloves when applying the medicine
- Use nitrile finger cots or gloves rather than latex to protect yourself and your cat from any skin reactions if either of you have a latex allergy
- If you don’t know whether you or your cat has a latex allergy it’s better to play it safe by using nitrile
- Talk to your vet immediately if your cat has any kind of skin reaction to the medication (redness, swelling, rash, irritation, etc.)
- Act as though the act of applying medicine is a positive bonding experience between you and your cat
- The more calm and confident you are the more calm and confident your cat will be
My Favorite Videos
I like this video because the cat isn’t 100% cooperative with the process.
For a very long, in-depth explanation you can watch this next video.
Feline Disease Management 