chronic ear condition

Question
Dear Dr. Gotthelf,
Kitty Carlisle is my 21 year old indoor cat.  She has had a chronic ear condition on and off throughout her life, with her right ear more involved than her left.  Her Veterinarian, who has treated her for the past 6 years, diagnosed bacteria and yeast, and thinks it is due to food and inhalant allergies.  She has eaten no poultry for six years.  Kitty has been treated with Tresaderm until last week, when her medication was changed to Synotic.  Her Vet observed that her right ear has swelling and calcification of the ear canal, but because of the swelling could not see into the canal to see if there might be a tumor.  What treatments have you found to be effective for cats with long term ear conditions?  Is it possible that the calcification might reverse with treatment?  For the past week, Kitty has been unable to close her right eye due to facial paralysis resulting from ear inflammation.  Her Vet said this might reverse when the inflammation is resolved.  Is there anything further I might do at home to help Kitty?
Thank you very much,
Susan Anderson

Answer
At this age, I would have to think of something going on in her middle ear. Many of the nerves that control the eye muscles course through the middle ear cavity. With calcification, there is no drug treatment that will reverse that.  Only surgery to remove the ear canal will cure the problem.