? Baytril otic ear medication in cats

posting here, in addition to on the Lantus/Levemir forum.
Vet prescribed Baytril Otic for my kitty for a yeast/bacterial infection in his ears

My concern is that the bottle says it is for ototopical use in Dogs?! i googled it, wondering if there should be a cat specific formulation.. but I think this gets used in both cats and dogs? the main ingredient is enrofloxacin. there are several potential side effects (diarrhea, lethargy, drooling, loss of appetite) that typically go away after discontinuing the medication, but there was also this nerve wracking tidbit:

"While extremely rare, a small percentage of cats treated with Baytril go blind. The drugs damages the cat's retina. This particular side effect is irreversible. Because of the seriousness of this particular side effect, most vets are extremely careful regarding Baytril dosages. Baytril might also cause kidney damage, another irreversible side effect. Your vet will conduct regular bloodwork and urinalysis on Kitty if he's prescribed Baytril long-term to monitor kidney function. Baytril can also cause seizures in some felines. If Kitty appears to have an allergic reaction to the drug, since as difficulty breathing or any type of swelling or hives, call your vet at once."

my vet prescribed 3-5 drops every 12 hrs. for 2 weeks. Now I'm wondering if I should use it???
Even the mild side affects aren't something I'd like to put him through, especially the loss of appetite.

Does anyone else have experience w/ this med? I do note that his ears seem better after several weeks of daily cleaning with T8 wash, and I haven't noticed him scratching at them since getting home.

 

The possible renal effect is more likely when administered either orally or injected.
This would be an off label use of it as it wasn't tested and approved by the FDA for cats.
I've given it orally and the cat was fine.

 

My vet(s) prescribe Baytril Otic for bacterial ear infections for my diabetic cats.
Note the the Baytril does not do anything for yeast/fungus. For that my vet prescribes Conifite, an anti-fungal med. I have used both together.