A long trip from Illinois to the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital brought Benjamin relief from a problem he has been suffering from for at least three years.
The 14-year-old cat had developed ceruminous cystomatosis. The condition occurs when the normal wax producing glands in a cat’s ears form into cysts. Blue or purple in appearance, the cysts usually develop on the ear flaps.
“Sometimes the cysts affect the entrance to the ear canal, which then blocks the normal function of the ear,” said Dr. Jason Pieper, associate professor of dermatology in the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital.
This is an uncommon disease, but the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital will see up to 10 cats a year with this issue.
“We don’t know what causes it and the only treatment is to remove the cysts,” Pieper said.
Previously that required surgical removal of the ear canal, which caused the cats to be somewhat deaf. But the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital is now offering a new procedure that Benjamin took advantage of.
A CO2 laser ablation of the cysts removes them from the skin, saving the ear canal in the process. Pieper recently successfully performed the procedure on Benjamin.
“Benjamin will likely develop new cysts in the future, but how frequent they grow is highly variable,” Pieper said, “anywhere from six months out to up to six years.”
And to make it even better for Benjamin, this was an out-patient procedure.
If you and your animal need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital at 515.294.4900.
October 2025
