Merlin, a Pitbull mix, is a stray that came to the shelter from a tough background. He is another unique, high needs medical case. Merlin has a medical condition called hyperplastic ear canal epithelium. This means the cells in his ears make excessive tissue and causes calcification of the ear canal.
As a result, his ear canal is permanently obstructed, and he has chronic, severe, untreatable ear infections at all times. The present infection then causes the ears to create more tissue and the vicious cycle continues. He has developed an inner ear infection that is extremely difficult to treat. At this stage, his ears are considered end-stage and this degree of irreversible disease requires surgical treatment. The surgery is performed by a specialist in Portland and costs about $10,000. With your help, we can put an end to what has been a long tribulation of pain, odor, ear cleaning, and expensive veterinary medications and rechecks.