Many dog owners are bewildered when their dog’s ear flap swells for no apparent reason. The ear flap, known as the pinna, may appear puffy on the inside or on the outside and may feel similar to a water balloon at first but eventually become more firm. The swelling is probably a hematoma although only a veterinarian should rule out abscess or tumor.
What is a Hematoma?
A hematoma is a collection of blood under the skin. When a dog develops a hematoma in the ear flap it is called an aural hematoma.
What Causes a Dog's Hematoma?
Any kind of trauma or injury such as tick bite, mosquito bite or head shaking or scratching at the ear due to an ear infection, can rupture small blood vessels and cause bleeding in the ear flap which collects under the skin. Occasionally it appears to just happen for no reason.
Treatment of a Dog's Hematoma
A hematoma needs to be treated right away if:
- It is causing pain to the dog
- It is occluding the ear canal creating risk of infection
Some hematomas require surgery to correct and others can be treated medically. Treatment prevents or minimizes scarring which can become a risk for infection in the future.
Surgery usually involves cutting an incision into the flap to drain all the blood and clots and then suturing the skin of the ear in a “pie crust” or “quilted” pattern to prevent blood from filling the space again. The site must be kept clean while healing occurs over several weeks.
Sometimes a drain is placed into the ear flap instead and the blood is massaged out daily until it heals. This generally works well if the ear flap is large enough for the drain and if the dog tolerates the device inserted into his ear flap.
Rarely, a veterinarian will simply aspirate the fluids in the ear flap with a syringe but if the blood is already clotting this may not be successful. If it is successful, it is usually just temporary as there is nothing to prevent the space from refilling with blood.
Medical treatment may include addressing any underlying cause such as fleas, ticks or ear infection. Itching and scarring may be controlled with a drug such as prednisone until the ear heals. An antibiotic may also be prescribed. Healing can take up to a month or longer. A veterinarian may choose this treatment if the hematoma does not appear to be causing pain or occluding the ear canal or if the dog is not medically able to risk anesthesia.
What if a Dog's Hematoma Goes Untreated?
If the hematoma is small, it may eventually be absorbed by the body and go away on its own; however, it has the potential to scar and leave the ear deformed with a crumpled appearance. The scarring may also be severe enough to occlude the ear canal and cause a higher risk of ear infections in the future. Large hematomas should always be treated. In the case of a hematoma, a veterinarian should determine the best course of action.
Preventing Dog Ear Hematoma
A few measures to discourage ear shaking will go a long way in preventing an aural hematoma. Dog owners can keep the dog up to date on flea and tick preventive, keep the dog’s ears clean, inspect the ears weekly for infection, and consult a veterinarian if any irritation, inflammation, head shaking or scratching is noted.
Source:
PetPlace.com, Aural Hematoma in Dogs
Joy Butler - Writer, retired lab tech, mom, and animal lover with over 20 years' experience rescuing, kenneling, training and showing dogs.
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