The tissue of the ear flap (or “pinna”) is very thin, and when it’s injured, the blood vessels can break
. The space between the ear cartilage and skin fills up with blood and fluid, causing the ear to swell rather quickly, and forming a balloon-like nodule on the dog’s ear.
How do you fix a dog’s swollen ear?
Treating ear infections may require
oral or topical antibiotics or antifungals, flushing the ear, ear cleaning, or an ear-drying solution
. If the problem is chronic, surgery could be necessary. Avoid the temptation to diagnose your dog’s ear swelling yourself.
How can I treat my dogs swollen ear flap at home?
Compression Wraps
. Compression wraps and bandages keep your dog’s ears snuggly against his head. This will prevent further shaking and scratching that could worsen the hematoma or cause a new one. Depending on the cause of the hematoma, a wrap may be helpful or it could make it hard to remedy the underlying cause.
Will a dog’s ear hematoma go away?
If left alone, an ear hematoma will resolve by itself
. The fluid will be re-absorbed back into the body and the earflap will no longer bulge. The problem is that a lot of scarring is associated with this process and the ear is often not cosmetically appealing afterwards (i.e. it becomes a “cauliflower” ear).
Why does my dog keep getting ear hematomas?
This is
most commonly associated with trauma such as scratching, shaking the ears, or bite wounds
. Dogs with ear infections may violently shake their head or scratch their ears causing an aural hematoma. In some cases, there may be a piece of foreign material lodged in the ear canal, such as a tick or piece of grass.
How much does it cost to fix a dog’s ear hematoma?
Surgery Cost
The cost can run anywhere from
$250-$500 or more
depending on the size of the hematoma and the extent of follow-up care by your vet.
What would cause a dog’s ear flap to swell?
Ear hematomas, also called aural hematomas, are usually caused by
excessive head shaking or scratching due to an ear infection, mites, allergies, or other irritation inside the ear canal
. The vigorous head shaking can cause a blood vessel inside the ear flap to break, which leads to the swelling.
Should I massage my dogs ear hematoma?
More important than the kind of drain used is the follow-up care that the dog receives. “The main thing is that
the owners have to gently massage the ear
” to keep the hematoma draining, Dr. Kaplan explains. “If the owner the doesn’t do any home care, it’s a bloody mess.”
How do you pop a hematoma in a dog’s ear?
Aspiration- this is accomplished by
inserting a needle and syringe into the hematoma and draining the blood out
. This is simple to do and requires no anesthesia, but is usually a temporary measure because it leaves a small hole which seals up quickly and the empty pocket tends to fill back up with blood.
How much does a vet charge to drain a hematoma?
| Top 10 Surgical Conditions in Dogs Average Cost of Treatment | Cancer of the eyelid $717 | Bladder stones $1231 | Cancer of the liver $8539 | Aural hematoma (blood filled ear flap) $296 |
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How do vets treat ear hematoma?
Treatment options include
needle aspiration and bandages, tube drainage systems and incisional drainage
. The goals of surgery are to remove the hematoma, prevent recurrence and retain the natural appearance of the ears.
Should I wrap my dog’s ear hematoma?
If all goes well, the ear should heal in 2-3 weeks. At the final recheck appointment, the veterinarian will remove the sutures (and the drain, if one was placed).
Another bandage may be necessary until the ear is completely healed, there’s no more drainage, and the dog is no longer shaking his head
.
What happens if you leave a dog ear hematoma untreated?
If a haematoma is left untreated
the blood in the ear flap will separate into serum and a clot and will gradually be absorbed over a period of 10 days to 6 weeks
. This is an uncomfortable time for your dog and unfortunately some scarring will take place during this process.
