Ear Problem

[cutter08]

Anyone ever had there dog brake a blood vessel in there ear? Talked to a friend today who is a vet tec and she told me that its not uncommon but it will have to be drained. If that doesn't work it will require surgery. My dog is prone to ear infections and has never had this happen. She also said that it could have happened form him shaking his head or when i clean his ears. Anyone ever had this happen?

[Ralph Wiggum]

I've heard of it, but never had it happen. It usually happens when a dog with bigger ears shakes it's head vigorously, breaking blood vessels near the tips of the ears, where the blood pools.

[Ely Lake Expert]

I've never heard of this. GL with your dog I hope he gets better. What kind of dog, the one in your avatar?

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Cutter,

I had it happen to my Lab. The ear will fill with blood and feels like a water balloon. You should have it drained by the vet, I didn't until it was too late. The blood eventually was absorbed back into his system with no underlying issues to date.

Good Luck,

Mike

[cutter08]

Yeah its the same dog in my avatar. 4 year old lab. Mike thanks for the advice. I brought him over to my friends house and his wife who is a vet tec looked at it and said it was not that bad and she has seen alot worse. Gave me some stuff to help out with the ear infection and told me to just keep an eye on it.

[LABS4ME]

Cutter,

Had a lab who had broken vessels in her ear on occassion. A few times it was fairly full... like a small Roma tomato. Had it drained once and after that said to heck with it...

After the 3rd or 4th time, it turned into a big cauliflauer ear. Much like a Boxer would get from too many blows.

Never seemed to affect her and she never had broken vessels after that.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Todd Caswell]

It's a ear hematoma, alot of time it does require surgury, can be caused by head shaking, also had one from a reaction from a bug bite.

[rcook72]

Yep its a hematoma. Gets really tender and painful. Atleast it did for my lab. Went to the vet put in a drain. Happened in both ears about a year apart. They can either drain and inject with cortizone with a needle(tried that and it came back about a week and a half later) or put in a drain for about 1-3 weeks (requires a cone the whole time) that's what worked for us on both ears. Or in severe cases they make an incision squeeze out all the blood and fluid then put a buch of stiches or stapes in so he blood can't get back in and fill the ear back up. The tube worked for us and left just enough scar tissue that the vet said it would not happen again. If you get it drained make sure you leave the cone on long enough..... and then some. I think we took it off to soon the first time and when he shook his ear it came right back within a day. If you google it there is a lot of info out there.